39 Best Musical Theater Audition Songs For Baritones

Songs for tenors are everywhere in musical theater, but finding perfect audition songs for baritones can take a little legwork. While more roles get written for tenors than the lower male voices, some songs written for tenors sit low enough to work very well for lower registers. Here are the top musical theater audition songs for baritones.

1. “Bring Him Home” from Les Misérables

Song Year: 1985

Jean Valjean sings “Bring Him Home” as a prayer for Marius, his adopted daughter’s beloved. It is arguably the most beautiful piece in all of musical theater. In addition to showing a baritone’s vocal range, an actor can put vulnerability on display.

This one takes some acting chops, solid higher notes, and breath support. That last note seems to go on and on and on.

2. “The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha

Song Year: 1965

Miguel de Cervantes' classic novel Don Quixote gave us the titular character who sings this song in the musical version of the book. It is one of the most popular songs for men to sing in theatrical settings. That’s good news in that you probably already know at least parts of it, but potentially bad news since you might not be the only one singing it at an audition.

The song requires a strong voice and the ability to convey a sense of hope and idealism.

3. “If I Loved You” from Carousel

Song Year: 1945

“If I Loved You” is a duet between Billy Bigelow and Julie Jordan. It details the characters’ troubled relationship, so an actor should be able to show the deep emotions and vulnerability that are part of the lyrics and inherent in the song’s context within the show. This allows actors to showcase both their acting and singing skills, and that’s all you can ask from an audition piece, right?

4. “Some Enchanted Evening” from South Pacific

Song Year: 1949

Emile sings “Some Enchanted Evening” as he falls in love with Nellie, and it provides a moment of tenderness in the show. The song is a good baritone choice since it takes a big voice, and it’s a good audition song because the performer should be able to impart to the audience a sense of romanticism and longing.

5. “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” from Oklahoma!

Song Year: 1943

The opening song in Oklahoma!, “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” is a piece of Broadway history.

The show bowed in 1943 and is often credited with revolutionizing the Broadway musical. The song makes a good baritone audition piece because, singing as Curly, the auditioner can show a director the power of his voice and his ability to act out a sense of joy and optimism.

6. “Soliloquy” from Carousel

Song Year: 1945

Our second piece from the classic show Carousel, “Soliloquy” finds Billy contemplating his impending fatherhood and what it means for his future. The song will sound best when sung by a powerful voice, like “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,” but it sits on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum. A successful audition will draw on the song’s introspective nature.

7. “Stars” from Les Misérables

Song Year: 1985

Javert is one of the great Broadway roles for basses and baritones, so it stands to reason that one of his songs would show up here. “Stars” furthers Javert’s story arc built on his obsession with catching Jean Valjean.

You need a big voice and a bigger range, and you must convincingly portray authority and determination to best evoke Javert’s singlemindedness that borders on megalomania.

8. “Maria” from West Side Story

Song Year: 1957

Leonard Bernstein’s and Stephen Sondheim’s classic retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet contains one of the more iconic male songs in theater.

Tony sings about his newfound love for Maria, so the song needs a sense of romanticism and longing. The baritone who sings this needs to have a solid upper range, and it may require the use of falsetto now and then. Baritones with limited ranges might steer clear of this one, but if you’ve got the notes, you can really make a splash here.

9. “Being Alive” from Company

Song Year: 1970

Bobby considers the pros and cons of being in a committed relationship when he sings “Being Alive” in the course of Company. The song requires introspection and vulnerability, as well as the ability to hit high notes with ease.

This is another piece not well suited to baritones with limited ranges. But it’s a powerful song if it works for the performer.

10. “This Is the Moment” from Jekyll & Hyde

Song Year: 1990

This cult classic show spawned some interesting moments in musical theater, and “This Is the Moment” anticipates one of them— when Dr. Jekyll prepares to drink his potion.

There are a few higher notes, but the main requirement of this song from an acting perspective is the demonstration of intensity and determination.

11. “Try to Remember” from The Fantasticks

Song Year: 1960

El Gallo narrates The Fantasticks, and “Try to Remember” is part of how he relays the tale to the audience. The lyrics are emotional, so the song needs to be sung by an actor who can handle portraying that. A less experienced actor, no matter how strong his voice is, might steer clear of this one so as not to tangle with any emotional weight they’re ill-equipped to act out.

12. “If Ever I Would Leave You” from Camelot

Song Year: 1960

The forbidden love between Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere forms the basis of “If Ever I Would Leave You,” a song that, like Camelot, became a classic nearly instantly. Expect high notes, romanticism, and the necessity of emoting a sense of longing.

13. “Not While I’m Around” from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Song Year: 1979

The great Stephen Sondheim gave us this inimitable show. In it, Tobias, worried about Sweeney Todd threatening Johanna, promises to protect her.

The melody is sweet and reassuring, and since Tobias is a young innocent, an actor singing this song should be able to show that in his audition. Tobias and Johanna are two points of light in a very dark show. Be warned, though: this one gets up there.