Low male voice repertoire in contemporary musical theatre: a studio and performance guide of selected songs 1996-2020 by

Musical 
Music Lyrics 
Range 
Tessitura 
Title (Year of Production) 
Composer Lyricist Low-High 
High (H) 
Medium-High (MH) 
Medium (M) 
Medium-Low (ML) 
Low (L) 
Musical Theatre Style 
Song Type/Feel 
Tempo 
(Contemporary) 
Rock 
Pop 
Jazz 
Legit 
Other 
Dramatic Function, 
Music Type, or 
Music 
____bpm 
Vocalism 
Breathy Speech-like 
Character Belt Legit 
Operatic 
Bolded & Italicized – frequent use Italicized – sporadic use Crossed-out – not utilized 
Tessitura is approximate based on my review of the score or analysis of cast recording as an 
effort to provide the reader with a sense of vocal stamina requirements. In reference to the table, I have 
chosen to use abbreviations in parentheses to note traits for portions of each song (something that can 
prove beneficial if a singer was looking to make a 32-bar cut), and would note an example portion of a 
song as so: pre-chorus – MH. High tessitura would refer to a portion of a piece that consistently lies in or 

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above the bass passaggio, medium tessitura could include work just above the first register break, low 
would be for something that lies almost entirely below the first register break, with MH and ML being 
subjective options in between. Selected repertoire with significant portions of song with high tessitura 
would be recommended either for a more mature low voice with significant training to navigate above 
their secondo passaggio, or for transposition as the original key would be considered difficult for a 
beginning voice student. Something that is missing from this table is the recorded or expected quality of 
the extreme high range. Because musical theatre is an amplified art, one could use falsetto or mix to great 
affect and thus negate the challenge of singing in full voice at the extremes of one’s range. Examples of 
contemporary works where falsetto in that manner is found in cast recordings include “Itzik’s Lullaby” 
from The Band’s Visit, “And she’d have Blue eyes” from Floyd Collins, and “Left Behind” from Spring 
Awakening. While those examples are for baritone or bari-tenor roles, falsetto can be an acceptable 
choice for the LMV should it strengthen or uphold a piece’s emotional journey or intended affect. 
Transposition. Within the musical theatre field, transposition has become a commonly accepted 
practice within pre-professional training, summer stock, and even within the audition setting. Particularly 
when in pre-professional training it is often hard for low voices of any gender to find material that does 
not present significant vocal challenges. In a callback setting for specific roles, auditionees are often 
given sides and vocal excerpts from that role to prepare. It would be a crucial error in that scenario to 
audition with a lowered transposition of an excerpt or song, as it would not accurately showcase your 
capabilities in the role. Still, in some cases transpositions can be ordered by administrative teams in 
professional or educational settings for a higher cost through companies like Music Theatre International.
Outside of a production, it is often easy for an educator or collaborator to transpose for their vocalist; this 
can be done through the key options provided by online retailers, through using a transpose button on a 
keyboard, or through modifying the key of a backing track using audio software like Audacity.

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Transposition is also an accepted practice in some competitions which feature music from the 
musical theatre canon. The Lotte Lenya Competition showcases singing actors for their “dramatically 
and musically convincing” performances in repertoire “ranging from contemporary Broadway scores to 
opera/operetta”, and has total cash prizes exceeding $75,000 through the Kurt Weill Foundation for 
Music.
6
Two of the four required selections for video application are from the musical theatre canon, one 
for repertoire prior to Hair, the other from 1968 to present day. The competition allows for transposition 
of a stage version of a song (piano-vocal score), but any transposition “should not be so extreme as to 
alter the perceived age, type, or character of the role.”
7
These instances establish a precedent which 
allows for a greater wealth of musical theatre material to be studied and performed by bass-baritones and 
basses. Baritone song lists from sources such as So You Want to Sing Music Theatre, The New Broadway 
Song Companion, Cross-Training in the Voice Studio, Mastering College Musical Theatre Auditions, 
Musical Theatre Song: A Comprehensive Course in Selection, Preparation, and Presentation for the 
Modern Performer, and The Broadway Song: A Singer’s Guide, should now be surveyed a second time 
applying the scope of transposition to range, tessitura, and character requirements. 
6
“The Lotte Lenya Competition,” accessed September 3, 2020, https://www.kwf.org/pages/lotte-lenya-
competition.html. 
7
“Frequently Asked Questions,” accessed September 3, 2020, 
https://www.kwf.org/pages/faq.html#rep_perf. 

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