Musical Theatre Audition Songs for Tenors

Are you a tenor searching for a standout audition song for an upcoming musical theatre audition? Keep reading... With such a vast collection of tenor songs online, it can be difficult to choose. That's why I've curated my top musical theatre audition songs for tenors as an accompanist and music director.

I have broken them down into two categories: Classical (pre-1960) and Contemporary (post-1960); and within those categories, I have separated them into ballads and uptempo selections.

Classical Ballads (pre-1960)

1. “Lonely House” from Street Scene (Kurt Weill)
2. “Stranger in Paradise” from Kismet (George Forest, Music by A. Borodin)
3. “Almost Like Being in Love” from Brigadoon (Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe)

Classical Uptempo (pre-1960)

1. “Sit Down, You're Rockin’ the Boat” from Guys and Dolls (Loesser)
2. “Something's Coming” from West Side Story (Sondheim)

Contemporary Ballads (post-1960)

1. “The Old Red Hills of Home” from Parade (Jason Robert Brown)
2. “Mama, Look Sharp" from 1776 (Sherman Edwards)
3. “It Takes Two” from Hairspray (Marc Shaiman)

Contemporary Uptempo (post-1960)

1. “What Do I Need With Love" from Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jeanine Tesori & Dick Scanlan)
2. “Lost in the Wilderness” from Children of Eden (Stephen Schwartz)

As a professional accompanist, I have played many audition songs and I always enjoy having the chance to play these in the audition room and hearing them when I’m casting a show as a music director. To see which cuts I chose from these songs, do check out the official video version below!