Duets are musical compositions for two performers and have been part of the structure of musical theatre from the earliest shows in the 20s until now. Duets serve many purposes. They may involve a conversation between two characters; express love or strong emotions; and generate or resolve a conflict. Duets are particularly popular in comic scenes.
If you focus mostly on solo singing, studying and performing a duet with a friend will significantly enhance your musicianship. In fact, you never really learn to sing in tune, until you can sing your part against another. To help you choose, this blog post offers a list of 56 musical theatre duets ranging from early shows (1927) through to the modern era. I’ve included duets for every combination of males and females and a multitude of styles, from legit to rock.
Female Duets
- Any Day from The Three Musketeers (1928) lyrics by Clifford Grey and P. G. Wodehouse, and music by Rudolf Friml.
- The Apple Doesn’t Fall Very Far From the Tree from The Rink (1984). Lyrics by Fred Ebb and music by John Kander
- Bosom Buddies from Mame (1966) by Jerry Herman
- A Boy Like That/I Have A Love from West Side Story (1957). Music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
- The Grass Is Always Greener from Woman Of The Year (1981). Music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb
- For Good from Wicked (2003). Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
- How the Other Half Lives from Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002). Music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan
- I Know Him So Well from Chess (1986). Music by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus. Lyrics by Tim Rice
- Marry the Man Today from Guys and Dolls (1950) music and lyrics by Frank Loesser
- The More You Ruv Someone from Avenue Q (2003). Music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx
- Sisters from White Christmas (2000). Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.
- Single Man Drought from I Love You’re Perfect Now Change (1996). Lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music by Jimmy Roberts
- Take Me of Leave Me from Rent (1996). Music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson
- Unsuspecting Hearts from Carrie (1988). Lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and music by Michael Gore
Male Duets
- Agony from Into the Woods (1986). Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
- I’m All Alone from Monty Python’s Spamalot (2004) by Eric Idle, John Du Prez & Neil Innes
- All for the Best from Godspell (1971). Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
- Alone in the Universe from Seussical (2000) by Stephen Flaherty
- Are You There from Bare: A Pop Opera (2000) lyrics by Hartmere and music by Intrabartolo.
- The Confrontation from Les Miserables (1985) music by Claude-Michel Schönberg
- Dear Theodosia from Hamilton (2015). Music, lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Dirty Rotten Number from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
- I am the One (Reprise) from Next to Normal (2008). Lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt
- Lily’s Eyes from The Secret Garden (1991). Lyrics by Marsha Norman, music by Lucy Simon
- On the Right Track from Pippin (1972). Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
- River in the Rain from Big River (1985). Music and lyrics by Roger Miller
- You’re Nothing Without Me from City of Angels (1989). Music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel
- Where Did We Go Right? from The Producers (2001) Music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
- Worlds Apart From Big River (1985). Music and lyrics by Roger Miller
Male/Female Duets
- All I Ask of You from Phantom of the Opera (1986). Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe
- But I Don’t Want To Talk About Her from I Love You Because (2006) by Salzman & Cunningham
- Come to a Party from Dogfight
- Crazier Than You from Addams Family
- Falling Slowly from Once (2012). Music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
- I’d Give It All for You from Songs for a New World (1995). Music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
- Kiss Me from Sweeney Todd (1979). Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
- Last Night of the World from Miss Saigon (1989). Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and lyrics by Alain Boublil.
- Little Fall of Rain from from Les Miserables (1985) music by Claude-Michel Schönberg
- Love Song from Pippin
- Make Believe from Show Boat (1927). Music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein
- The Marriage Tango from I Love You’re Perfect Now Change (1996). Lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music by Jimmy Roberts
- Money Makes the World Go Around from Cabaret (1966). music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb
- Only Us from Dear Evan Hansen (2016). Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
- Salzburg from Bells are Ringing (1956). Music by Jule Styne
- Seven Wonders from Catch Me if You Can (2011). Music by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
- Say it Somehow from The Light in the Piazza (2003). Music and lyrics by Adam Guettel
- Schadenfreude from Avenue Q (2003). Music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx
- Sing from A Chorus Line (1975). Music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban
- Suddenly from Xanadu (2007) music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar
- Sunrise, Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof (1964). Music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
- It Takes Two from Into The Woods (1986). Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
- They Were You from The Fantasticks (1960). Music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones
- Too Many Mornings from Follies. (1971) Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
- The Touch of Your Hand from Roberta (1933). Music by Jerome Kern, lyrics and book by Otto Harbach
- In Whatever Time We Have from Children of Eden (1991). Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
- When the Children Are Asleep From Carousel (1945). Music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein
- With So Little To Be Sure Of from Anyone Can Whistle (1964). Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
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