Finding musical theater songs for your young singer can be a challenge for a number of reasons including whether the song is vocally and/or emotionally appropriate for the individual singer. While there are some incredible songs written for teen characters, the subject matter, length or difficulty of the song, or the vocal range may not be the right fit for some young singers. In fact, many teen roles on Broadway are played by adult actors. Alternatively, a song written for an adult character might be the best choice for the vocal growth in a young singer. Nevertheless, selecting songs for young musical theater actors can be quite the journey.
In anticipation for our Musical Theather Workshop for Teens scheduled for this summer 2024, we have compiled a list of musical theater songs that can be broadly appropriate for tweens and teens, as our workshop is geared towards youth ages 11-18. This list is not exhaustive of the plethora of repertoire available in the musical theater genre, but it does provide a start to aid your young singer in finding songs that can fit their voice and they will enjoy performing. There is a considerable difference between the voice and emotional level of an 11 year old versus an 18 year old, so not all songs on this list will be appropriate for every young singer. We have cultivated this list with the following criteria taken into consideration of each song: subject matter, duration (keeping it around 3 minutes or under with a few exceptions), vocal range, and difficulty of the music.
The songs are separated into specific categories with the vocal range indicated for each song to help you determine if your voice can navigate to the highest and lowest pitches of the song. If you are not sure what the vocal range means, here is a quick visual guide to the pitch numbers with the corresponding note on the piano:
Below is the list of songs with a recording link (accessed by clicking the title) to listen and explore!
Song Suggestions for Teens—Female-Presenting Characters
A Little Bit in Love (from Wonderful Town) - (Vocal Range (C4-C#5)
Alyssa Greene (from The Prom) - (Vocal Range: Ab3-Db5)
Children Will Listen (from Into the Woods) - (Vocal Range A3-F#5)
Come To Your Senses (from Tick, Tick… Boom!) - (Vocal Range: 3-C5)
Far from the Home I Love (from Fiddler on the Roof) - (Vocal Range C4-D5)
Flowers (from Hadestown) - (Vocal Range: F#3-C#5)
Goodnight, My Someone (from the Music Man) - (Vocal Range B3-E5)
Green Finch and Linnet Bird (from Sweeney Todd) - (Vocal Range C4-G5)
I Am Not That Girl (from Wicked) - (Vocal Range: E3-B4)
I Could Have Danced All Night (from My Fair Lady) - (Vocal Range B3-F5)
I Feel Pretty (from West Side Story) - (Vocal Range C4-G5)
I Have Confidence (from the Sound Of Music) - (Vocal Range D4-Eb5)
If I Loved You (from Carousel) - (Vocal Range C4-F5)
In my dreams (from Anastasia) - (Vocal Range: A3-D5)
In My Life (Les Miserables) - (Vocal Range Bb3-F#5)
Live Out Loud (from A Little Princess) - (Vocal Range: C#4-C#5)
Much More (from The Fantasticks) - (Vocal Range B3-F5)
My Friend, The Dictionary (from the 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee) - (Vocal Range: B3-D5)
My House (from Matilda) - (Vocal Range: F3-D5)
On My Own (from Les Miserables) - (Vocal Range: F3-C5)
On the Steps of the Palace (from Into the Woods) - (Vocal Range A3-E5)
Once Upon a Dream (from Jekyll & Hyde) - (Vocal Range: B3-C#5)
Part of Your World (from The Little Mermaid) - (Vocal Range: C4-C5)
Popular (from Wicked) - (Vocal Range A3-C5)
Reflection (from Mulan) - (Vocal Range: G#3-D5)
Shy (from Once Upon a Mattress) - (Vocal Range: B b3-C5)
Simple Little Things (from 110 in the Shade) - (Vocal Range B3-E4)
Someone Like You (from Jekyll & Hyde) - (Vocal Range: G3-E5)
Take Me to the World (from Evening Primrose) - (Vocal Range Bb3-Eb5)
The Beauty Is (from The Light in the Piazza) - (Vocal Range: Cb4-G5)
The World Above (from The Little Mermaid) - (Vocal Range: D4-D5)
Think of Me (from Phantom Of the Opera) - (Vocal Range D4-A5)
True Love (from Frozen) - (Vocal Range: F3-D5)
Watch What Happens (from Newsies) - (Vocal Range: A3-E5)
Whispering (from Spring Awakening) - (Vocal Range B3-A4)
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again (from Phantom Of the Opera) - (Vocal Range A3-G5)
Song Suggestions for Teens—Male-Presenting Characters
After All (from Glory Days) - (Vocal Range: Bb2-Ab4)
All I Need Is the Girl (from Gyspy) - (Vocal Range: E3-G4)
Do I Love You Because You are Beautiful (from Cinderella) - (Vocal Range: D3- E4)
Edelweiss (from The Sound of Music) - (Vocal Range: variable)
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables (from Les Miserables) - (Vocal Range: A2-G4)
Enjoy the Trip (from Bring It On) - (Vocal Range: C3-Ab4)
Everything to Win (from Anastasia) - (Vocal Range: C3-F4)
Fight from the Heart (from Rocky) - (Vocal Range: C#3-E4)
Freeze Your Brain (from The Heathers) - (Vocal Range: Db3-G4)
Go the Distance (from Hercules) - (Vocal Range: Bb2-Ab4)
Good Kid (from The Lightening Thief) - (Vocal Range: D3-Ab4)
Good Thing Going (from Merrily We Role Along) - (Vocal Range: C3-F4)
Her Voice (from The Little Mermaid) - (Vocal Range: D3-F#4)
I Believe (from The Book of Mormon) - (Vocal Range: C3-Ab4)
If Ever I Would Leave You (from Camelot) - (Vocal Range: A2-D4)
If the World Turned Upside Down (from Finding Neverland) - (Vocal Range: E3-E4)
Love, I Hear (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) - (Vocal Range: B3)
Luck Be A Lady Tonight (from Guys & Dolls) - (Vocal Range: D3-Eb4)
My Next Story (from The Glory Days) - (Vocal Range: C♯3 – B4)
My Petersburg (from Anastasia) - (Vocal Range: C3-A4)
Neverland (from Finding Neverland) - (Vocal Range: C3-F4)
Oh, What a Beautiful Morning (from Oklahoma!) - (Vocal Range: D3-E4)
Once Upon a Time (from Bare) - (Vocal Range: C3-F♯4)
Proud of Your Boy (from Aladdin) - (Vocal Range: E3-F#4)
Role of a Lifetime (from Bare) - (Vocal Range: A2-G4)
Sante Fe (from Newsies) - (Vocal Range: B2-A4)
Stars (from Miserables) - (Vocal Range: B2-E4)
Take a Chance on Me (from Little Women) - (Vocal Range: B2-B4)
When Words Fail (from Shrek) - (Vocal Range: B2-E4)
Wild Uncharted Waters (from The Little Mermaid) - (Vocal Range: Ab2-Ab4)
Song Suggestions Appropriate for Younger Singers
Castle on a Cloud (from Les Miserables) - (Vocal Range: A3-C5)
Crossing a Bridge (from Anastasia) - (Vocal Range: G3-D5)
Giants in the Sky ( from Into the Woods) - (Vocal Range: C4-F5)
Home (from Beauty & The Beast) - (Vocal Range: A3-F#5)
Home (from Wonderland) - (Vocal Range: A3-C5)
How Far I’ll Go (from Moana) - (Vocal Range: B3-D5)
I Know Things Now (from Into the Woods) - (Vocal Range: C4-Eb5)
In My Own Little Corner (from Cinderella) - (Vocal Range: D4-D5)
It’s Possible (from Seussical) - (Vocal Range: D4-B4)
Journey to the Past (from Anastasia) - (Vocal Range: B3-C#5)
Maybe (from Annie) - (Vocal Range: Bb3-D5)
My Favorite Things (from the Sound Of Music) - (Vocal Range: B3-C5)
Part of Your World (from The Little Mermaid) - (Vocal Range: C4-C5)
The Girl I Mean to Be (from The Secret Garden) - (Vocal Range: Ab3-C5)
Tomorrow (from Annie) - (Vocal Range: A3-D5)
When Will My Life Begin (from Tangled) - (Vocal Range: G#3-E5)
Duets for Female Characters (originally)
Defying Gravity (from Wicked)
Does Anybody Have a Map? (from Dear Evan Hansen)
For Good (from Wicked)
For the First Time in Forever (from Frozen the Musical)
I Can’t Lose You (from Frozen the Musical)
I Still Believe (from Miss Saigon)
In His Eyes (from Jekyll & Hyde)
Matchmaker (from Fiddler on the Roof) - 3 singers
Our Little World (from Into the Woods)
Perfect Strangers (from The Mystery of Edwin Drood)
Some Things Are Meant to Be (from Little Women)
What is this Feeling? (From Wicked)
Duets for Male Characters (originally)
Agony (from Into the Woods)
Alone in the Universe (from Seussical)
Dear Theodosia (from Hamilton)
Lily’s Eyes (from The Secret Garden)
We Can Do It (form The Producers)
You and Me (But Mostly Me) (from the Book of Mormon)
Duets for Female and Male Characters (originally)
Breaking Free (from High School Musical)
I Have Dreamed (from The King & I)
I'll Know (from Guys & Dolls)
We hope you enjoy exploring our list of musical theater songs for teens and tweens. A gentle reminder that not all songs listed here are appropriate for all ages of youth singers, but there are a number of gems that could be a good fit.
We still have a few spots open in our Musical Theater Workshop for teens, which will be held on August 19-23 from 1:00-5:00PM in Storrs, Connecticut with a Cabaret performance on the Sunday, August 25, after the workshop week where participants will perform.
To register, please visit: https://www.consonare-sing.org/workshops
The Musical Theater Workshop for Teens is sponosred by Consonare Choral Community, a non-profit organzation that works to build community through choral music in Connecticut. The workshop is led by Sarah Kaufold, Priyeshni Perera, Bobbi Giardina, and Kaitlyn Neumann.
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