32 Legit Musical Theatre Songs – by Vocal Type
Are you looking for a legit musical theatre song for an upcoming project or audition? First of all, for those of you who are wondering – what is a legit musical theatre song? A legit song is generally classified as one that shows off trained and classical singing chops.
In addition, legit songs will often have more of a lyrical, classic, or vibrato vibe to them. Here’s a list of a few solid and legit musical theatre song choices for every vocal type!
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Altos
“Another Winter in a Summer Town” – Grey Gardens
“Dividing Day” – The Light in the Piazza
“Natasha Lost” – The Great Comet
“When the Music Played” – Doctor Zhivago
Baritones
“Centuries” – Death Takes a Holiday
“Drift Away” – Grey Gardens
“Dust and Ashes” – The Great Comet
“I Can’t Recall” – A Tale of Two Cities
Basses
“Melinda” – On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
“The Great Comet of 1812” – The Great Comet
“The Greatest Star of All” – Sunset Boulevard
“The Longer I Live” – Dracula
Contras
“Adela” – Bernarda Alba
“How Did I Get to Where I Am?” – Marguerite
“Living in the Shadows” – Victor/Victoria
“Lonely House” – Street Scene
Psst… Here’s where you can find out your vocal type!
Mezzo-Sopranos
“Look With Your Heart” – Love Never Dies
“Losing Roberto” – Death Takes a Holiday
“No One Else” – The Great Comet
“The Light in the Piazza” – The Light in the Piazza
Sopranos
“Dear Friend” – She Loves Me
“Tuesdays, Thursdays” – Far from Heaven
“What Do You Call a Man Like That?” – The Bridges of Madison County
“Will You?” – Grey Gardens
Tenors
“Before the Summer Ends” – Dracula
“How Glory Goes” – Floyd Collins
“I Never Knew” – Far from Heaven
“Love to Me” – A Light in the Piazza
Trebles/Kids
“Big Mole” – Lost in the Stars
“Halfway” – Amélie
“The Tree” – The Me Nobody Knows
“Where is Love?” – Oliver!
Want more songs? Check out these DIY Rep Books for EVERY vocal type!
Which of these legit musical theatre songs are your favorite?
And what are you currently working on/auditioning for? We would love to hear all about it in the comments! And in the meantime, you can check out our database of best audition songs for specific musicals.
Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She has a TESOL drama certificate, a BA in theatre, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.