Musical theatre has given us some of the most emotionally affecting songs ever written — but for every "Defying Gravity" or "Send in the Clowns," there are dozens of extraordinary numbers that never quite make it onto the popular consciousness. Here are some of the most underrated gems in the theatrical canon.
"Back to Before" from Ragtime
One of the most devastating examinations of a woman realising she has been living someone else's life. Lynn Ahrens's lyric is achingly precise, and Stephen Flaherty's melody carries it like water. Yet it's rarely included in concert programmes or audition books.
"Corner of the Sky" from Pippin
Stephen Schwartz wrote this yearning opening number about the desire to find your place in the world — and somehow it remains far less well-known than "Magic to Do" or "No Time at All." Its simplicity is its genius.
"Sit Down, John" from 1776
Sherman Edwards's opening number for his musical about the drafting of the Declaration of Independence is a magnificent piece of sustained comic writing. The delegates of the Continental Congress complaining about John Adams's relentless advocacy for independence is funnier than almost anything in the more popular musical canon.
"Giants in the Sky" from Into the Woods
Sondheim's meditation on the terrifying and exhilarating nature of experience and growth, delivered by Jack after his adventures at the top of the beanstalk. It's probably the most honest song ever written about adolescence.
Musical theatre's riches extend far beyond the songs we know by heart — and the exploration of its deeper catalogue is one of the great pleasures available to any enthusiast.