45 of Our Favorite Musical Theatre Ballads
Looking for a beautiful musical theatre ballad for an upcoming audition or project? Well, first you should check out our giant database of audition songs for specific musicals. But if your show hasn’t yet been covered, you can go through these slow musical theatre ballads, sorted by vocal type.
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Altos
“As Long As He Needs Me” – Oliver!
“I Don’t Know How to Love Him” – Jesus Christ Superstar
“Send in the Clowns” – A Little Night Music
“Small World” – Gypsy
“These Are My Children” – Fame
Baritones
“Evermore Without You” – The Woman in White
“If Ever I Would Leave You” – Camelot
“Maria” – West Side Story
“Shouldn’t I Be Less in Love With You?” – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
“What More Can I Say?” – Falsettos
Basses
“I Waltz Alone” – Grand Hotel
“The Impossible Dream” – Man of La Mancha
“More I Cannot Wish You” – Guys and Dolls
“Song on the Sand” – La Cage aux Folles
“Welcome to the World” – A Man of No Importance
Contras
“I Know Where I’ve Been” – Hairspray
“I’m Not That Girl” – Wicked
“My Child Will Forgive Me” – Parade
“The Music Still Plays On” – A New Brain
“You Must Love Me” – Evita
Psst… Here’s where you can find out your vocal type!
Mezzo-Sopranos
“Christmas Lullaby” – Songs for a New World
“Hopelessly Devoted to You” – Grease
“No One Else” – Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
“The Music That Makes Me Dance” – Funny Girl
“What I Did for Love” – A Chorus Line
Sopranos
“Almost Real” – The Bridges of Madison County
“Once Upon Another Time” – Love Never Dies
“Out of My Dreams” – Oklahoma!
“What Good Would the Moon Be?” – Street Scene
“Will He Like Me?” – She Loves Me
Tenors
“Bring Him Home” – Les Misérables
“Endless Night” – The Lion King
“Someone Is Waiting” – Company
“The Music of the Night” – The Phantom of the Opera
“Why God Why?” – Miss Saigon
Trebles
“A Letter From Charlie Bucket” – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
“Getting Tall” – Nine
“I Want to Know” – Big
“Maybe” – Annie
“The Girl I Mean to Be” – The Secret Garden
Duets
“Beautiful” – Sunday in the Park with George
“Come to Me” – Les Misérables
“Do You Love Me?” – Fiddler on the Roof
“The Last Night of the World” – Miss Saigon
“Too Many Mornings” – Follies
Want more songs? Check out these DIY Rep Books for EVERY vocal type!
Which of these musical theatre ballads is your favorite?
Or are you working on any other musical theatre songs at the moment? Feel free to share in the comments below!
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 holds a BA in theatre, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.