Let’s be honest: It is a tough musical theatre landscape today for sopranos and mezzos who are more ‘classical’ oriented (aka don’t belt much). There was a brief time between 2013-2015 when it seemed like the tide might be somewhat shifting back toward legit-esque musicals with Broadway shows like A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Bridges of Madison County, Doctor Zhivago, Amazing Grace, and a few others. However, most of those musicals flopped commercially, and the environment hasn’t really turned back that way since. Even Broadway revivals of Golden Age shows often don’t feature the same type of singing they once did. With all that said, there have still been some wonderful contemporary ‘legit’ pieces written by theatre songwriters over the past few decades.
Below, I’ve compiled a list of one hundred great legit-oriented musical theatre songs for sopranos and mezzos from the past 30 years or so. If you need more song suggestions– and/or you just want to support my work– I released a repertoire guide featuring 300(!) contemporary musical theatre songs for ‘legit’ mezzos & sopranos here. The list below is just a sampling of songs you’ll find in that more wide-reaching guide. I also have other repertoire guides available in the MTR store. I hope you find this blog post useful regardless!
P.S. ‘Legit’ is not necessarily synonymous with ‘no belting’. The age of ‘belt vs legit’ has passed. Many legit-oriented contemporary musical theatre songs require at least some belt and/or mix singing from performers. That is why I deliberately have my theatre voice students work on all parts of their voice in order to be marketable in today’s extremely challenging landscape. Versatility is key to success!
1. “Your Texas” from Giant (2012)
Music & Lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
2. “Almost Real” from The Bridges of Madison County (2014)
Music & Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
3. “The Beauty Is” from The Light in the Piazza (2005)
Music & Lyrics by Adam Guettel | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
4. “Tell Me Why” from Amazing Grace (2015)
Music & Lyrics by Christopher Smith | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
5. “I Don’t Need a Roof” from Big Fish (2013)
Music & Lyrics & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
6. “What Only Love Can See” from Chaplin (2006)
Music & Lyrics by Christopher Curtis | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
7. “How Will I Know?” from Death Takes a Holiday (2011)
Music & Lyrics by Maury Yeston | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
8. “When the Music Played” from Doctor Zhivago (2015)
Music by Lucy Simon; Lyrics by Michael Korie & Amy Powers | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad/Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
9. “Inside Out“ from A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (2013)
Music by Steven Lutvak; Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman & Steven Lutvak | Song Type/Tempo: Comedic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
10. “Sweet Liberty” from Jane Eyre (2000)
Music & Lyrics by Paul Gordon | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
11. “Migratory V” from Myths and Hymns (1998)
Music & Lyrics by Adam Guettel | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: SheetMusicDirect
12. “Will You?” from Grey Gardens (2006)
Music by Scott Frankel; Lyrics by Michael Korie | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
13. “What If?” from Sweet Smell of Success (2002)
Music by Marvin Hamlisch; Lyrics by Craig Carnelia | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: see full score
14. “Love Never Dies” from Love Never Dies (2010)
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by Glenn Slater | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
15. “I Have a Fire” from Scandalous (2012)
Music by David Pomeranz & David Friedman; Lyrics by Kathie Lee Griffin | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: see full score
16. “In My Dreams” from Anastasia (2017)
Music by Stephen Flaherty; Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad/Comedic | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
17. “Somebody” from Amour (2002)
Music by Michael Legrand; Lyrics by Jeremy Sams | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: see full score
18. “Days of Plenty” from Little Women (2005)
Music by Jason Howland; Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
19. “I Couldn’t Know Someone Less” from Daddy Long Legs (2015)
Music & Lyrics by Paul Gordon | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
20. “I Could Never Be the One” from An American Victory (2015)
Music by Louis R. Bucalo | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: see full score
21. “Please Don’t Make Me Love You” from Dracula (2004)
Music by Frank Wildhorn; Lyrics by Don Black & Christopher Hampton | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
22. “Days and Days” from Fun Home (2015)
Music by Jeanine Tesori; Lyrics by Lisa Kron | Song Type/Tempo: Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
23. “How Glory Goes” from Floyd Collins (1996)
Music & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: Audra McDonald Songbook
[Sung by a tenor/baritone character in the show but frequently performed by treble voices out of show context]
24. “Once Upon a Dream” from Jekyll & Hyde (1997)
Music by Frank Wildhorn; Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
25. “How Many Tears?” from Martin Guerre (1996)
Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg; Lyrics by Alain Boublil & Stephen Clark | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
26. “The Crimson Kiss” from Lestat (2006)
Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: see full score
27. “After Midnight Dies” from The Wild Party (2000)
Music & Lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
28. “May I Have a Moment?” from Lend Me a Tenor (2011)
Music & Lyrics by Brad Carroll et al; Lyrics by Peter Sham et al | Song Type/Tempo: Comedic Uptempo | Sheet Music: see full score
29. “Back to Before” from Ragtime (1998)
Music by Stephen Flaherty; Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
30. “Never Again” from King David (1997)
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Tim Rice | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
31. “When I Look At You” from The Scarlet Pimpernel (1997)
Music by Frank Wildhorn; Lyrics by Nan Knighton | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
32. “Is It Too Late?” from My Life with Albertine (2003)
Music by Ricky Ian Gordon; Lyrics by Ricky Ian Gordon & Richard Nelson | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: Vocal Selections
33. “I Believe My Heart” from The Woman in White (2005)
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by David Zippel | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
34. “Let Go” from Mrs. Doubtfire (2021)
Music & Lyrics by Karey Kirkpatrick & Wayne Kirkpatrick | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: TBA
35. “Serenity” from Triumph of Love (1997)
Music by Jeffrey Stock; Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: see full score
36. “Whistle Down the Wind” from Whistle Down the Wind (1996)
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by Jim Steinman | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
37. “A Place Called Home” from A Christmas Carol (1994)
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by & Lynn Ahrens | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
38. “A Little Bit Less Than” from It Shoulda Been You (2015)
Music by Barbara Anselmi; Lyrics by Brian Hargrove | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
39. “Old Clothes” from John & Jen (1995)
Music & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: Vocal Selections
40. “Sunday Lost (The Lover on Avenue A)” from Alphabet City Cycle (2016)
Music by Georgia Stitt; Lyrics by Marcy Heisler | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: Vocal Selections
41. “Princess” from A Man of No Importance (2002)
Music by Stephen Flaherty; Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
42. “I Had a Dream About You” from December Songs (1991)
Music & Lyrics by Maury Yeston | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
43. “Christmas Lullaby” from Songs For a New World (1995)
Music & Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
44. “My House” from Matilda (2013)
Music & Lyrics by Tim Minchin | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
45. “Far Too Late” from Bad Cinderella (2023)
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by David Zippel | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
46. “My Most Beautiful Day” from Tuck Everlasting (2014)
Music by Chris Miller; Lyrics by Nathan Tysen | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
47. “Tuesdays, Thursdays” from Far From Heaven (2013)
Music by Scott Frankel; Lyrics by Michael Korie | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
48. “Waiting” from The Addams Family (2010)
Music & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa | Song Type/Tempo: Comedic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
49. “Without a Word” from A Tale of Two Cities (2009)
Music & Lyrics by Jill Santoriello | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
50. “How Could I Ever Know” from The Secret Garden (1991)
Music by Lucy Simon; Lyrics Marsha Norman | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
51. “A Stranger” from Giant (2012)
Music & Lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
52. “What Do You Call a Man Like That?” from The Bridges of Madison County (2014)
Music & Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
53. “Fable” from The Light in the Piazza (2005)
Music & Lyrics by Adam Guettel | Song Type/Tempo: Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
54. “I Still Believe” from Amazing Grace (2015)
Music & Lyrics by Christopher Smith | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
55. “Two Men in My Life” from Big Fish (2013)
Music & Lyrics & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
56. “Look At All the People” from Chaplin (2006)
Music & Lyrics by Christopher Curtis | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
57. “Who Is This Man?” from Death Takes a Holiday (2011)
Music & Lyrics by Maury Yeston | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
58. “He’s There” from Doctor Zhivago (2015)
Music by Lucy Simon; Lyrics by Michael Korie & Amy Powers | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
59. “Poor Monty“ from A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (2013)
Music by Steven Lutvak; Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman & Steven Lutvak | Song Type/Tempo: Comedic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
60. “The Finer Things” from Jane Eyre (2000)
Music & Lyrics by Paul Gordon | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
61. “How Can I Lose You?” from Myths and Hymns (1998)
Music & Lyrics by Adam Guettel | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: Vocal Selections
62. “Around the World” from Grey Gardens (2006)
Music by Scott Frankel; Lyrics by Michael Korie | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
63. “All That Matters” from Finding Neverland (2015)
Music & Lyrics by Eliot Kennedy & Gary Barlow | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
64. “Look With Your Heart” from Love Never Dies (2010)
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by Glenn Slater | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
65. “Higher” from Allegiance (2015)
Music & Lyrics by Jay Kuo | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
66. “Crossing a Bridge” from Anastasia (2017)
Music by Stephen Flaherty; Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
67. “Special Time of Day” from Amour (2002)
Music by Michael Legrand; Lyrics by Jeremy Sams | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: see full score
68. “Some Things Are Meant to Be” from Little Women (2005)
Music by Jason Howland; Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
69. “The Secret of Happiness” from Daddy Long Legs (2015)
Music & Lyrics by Paul Gordon | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
70. “What Do You See” from An American Victory (2015)
Music by Louis R. Bucalo | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: see full score
71. “The Mist” from Dracula (2004)
Music by Frank Wildhorn; Lyrics by Don Black & Christopher Hampton | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: SheetMusicDirect
72. “Once I Was” from Bright Eyed Joy (1990)
Music & Lyrics by Ricky Ian Gordon | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
73. “Through the Mountain” from Floyd Collins (1996)
Music & Lyrics by Adam Guettel | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
74. “In His Eyes” from Jekyll & Hyde (1997)
Music by Frank Wildhorn; Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
[A duet in the show, but a solo version is available in The Singer’s Musical Theatre Anthology and elsewhere]
75. “Woman” from The Pirate Queen (2006)
Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg; Lyrics by Alain Boublil, Richard Maltby Jr & John Dempsey | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
76. “I Never Knew His Name” from The Civil War (1999)
Music by Frank Wildhorn; Lyrics by Jack Murphy | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
77. “Thinking of Him” from Curtains (2007)
Music by John Kander; Lyrics by Fed Ebbs | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
78. “Losing Roberto” from Death Takes a Holiday (2011)
Music & Lyrics by Maury Yeston | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
79. “Your Daddy’s Son” from Ragtime (1998)
Music by Stephen Flaherty; Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
80. “When in Love” from King David (1997)
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Tim Rice | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: see full score
81. “Only Love” from The Scarlet Pimpernel (1997)
Music by Frank Wildhorn; Lyrics by Nan Knighton | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
82. “If It Is True” from My Life with Albertine (2003)
Music by Ricky Ian Gordon; Lyrics by Ricky Ian Gordon & Richard Nelson | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: Vocal Selections
83. “All for Laura” from The Woman in White (2005)
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by David Zippel | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
84. “When There’s No One” from Carrie: The Musical (1988/2012)
Music by Michal Gore; Lyrics by Dean Pitchford | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
85. “Like Other Girls” from Daddy Long Legs (2015)
Music & Lyrics by Paul Gordon | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
86. “Heaven Knows” from Far From Heaven (2013)
Music by Scott Frankel; Lyrics by Michael Korie | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
87. “What Am I Feeling?” from Galavant (2015)
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Glenn Slater | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: see full score
88. “What They Never Tell You” from It Shoulda Been You (2015)
Music by Barbara Anselmi; Lyrics by Brian Hargrove & Jill Abramovitz | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
89. “The Road Ends Here” from John & Jen (1995)
Music & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: Vocal Selections
90. “In a Restaurant By the Sea” from Grateful (1999)
Music & Lyrics by John Bucchino | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: Songwriter Website
91. “Tell Me Why” from A Man of No Importance (2002)
Music by Stephen Flaherty; Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
92. “Flight” from Cast of Thousands (1998)
Music & Lyrics by Craig Carnelia | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
[Score available as a solo or duet version]
93. “Now That I’ve Seen Her” from Miss Saigon (1991)
Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg; Lyrics by Alain Boublil & Richard Maltby Jr | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Power Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
94. “I’m Hopeless When It Comes to You” from Stephen Ward (2023)
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by David Zippel | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
95. “Voices of the Angels” from Amazing Grace (2015)
Music & Lyrics by Christopher Smith | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
96. “Build a Bridge” from Build a Bridge (2006)
Music & Lyrics by Adam Guettel | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: Vocal Selections
97. “God Is There” from Dream True (1999)
Music & Lyrics by Ricky Ian Gordon | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: see full score
98. “You’ll Never Be Alone” from A Tale of Two Cities (2009)
Music & Lyrics by Jill Santoriello | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Ballad | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
99. “Hold On” from The Secret Garden (1991)
Music by Lucy Simon; Lyrics Marsha Norman | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
100. “This Place is Mine” from Phantom (1991)
Music & Lyrics by Maury Yeston | Song Type/Tempo: Dramatic Uptempo | Sheet Music: MusicNotes
Need more musical theatre song suggestions? Check out my professional repertoire guides here.
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