In no particular order of greatness, here are 16 underrated contemporary baritone roles, with “contemporary” meaning anything from “Rent” onward:

1. Rocky Balboa from ‘Rocky the Musical’

Andy Karl (“Groundhog Day,” “Legally Blonde,” “9 to 5”) played the iconic boxer in the 2014 Broadway production of the musical.

2. Tommy Korman from ‘Honeymoon in Vegas’

A wealthy gambler, Tommy Korman falls in love with Betsy, who bears a strong resemblance to his late wife.

3. Iván from ‘Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown’

The seductive male lead of the show, Iván is Pepa’s lover but is secretly involved with Paulina.

4. Coalhouse Walker, Jr. from ‘Ragtime’

Famously created by Brian Stokes Mitchell, the character Coalhouse is a musician in Harlem who seeks justice for his lover’s death.

5. Arnaud du Thil from ‘Martin Guerre’

Loosely based on the real-life figure, Arnaud assumes the identity of the title character after Guerre leaves home to fight the Huguenots.

6. Man in the Yellow Suit from ‘Tuck Everlasting’

The main antagonist in the musical, the Man in the Yellow Suit pursues the Tucks to receive immortal life.

7. Count Dracula from ‘Dracula: the Musical’

Based on the famous character by Bram Stoker, Count Dracula is a vampire who uses supernatural abilities to fulfill his dark desires.

8. Death from ‘Death Takes a Holiday’

The lonely spirit of Death becomes a handsome young prince to relate better to human emotion.

9. Jackie from ‘Billy Elliot’

Billy Elliot’s father, Jackie, is not supportive of his son’s newfound passion for dance, and is engaged in riots against police during the 1984–1985 Coal Miners’ Strike.

10. Richard from ‘A New Brain’

Richard is a kind, compassionate doctor who dwells on his past regrets.

11. Gleb from ‘Anastasia’

A new character created for the stage version of the 1997 film, Gleb is a Bolshevik general who falls in love with Anastasia while being demanded to complete a fatal task.

12. Mr. Lethe from ‘Jasper in Deadland’

One of the many villains in the show, Mr. Lethe is a scheming multimillionaire whose water bottles make everyone in purgatory feel better.

13. Edward Bloom from ‘Big Fish’

A dying travelling salesman, Edward Bloom has led a fantastical life that his son Will struggles to understand.

14. Robert Kincaid from ‘The Bridges of Madison County’

A photographer for National Geographic, Robert has an unforgettable encounter and affair with Francesca in Madison County, Iowa.

15. Frank Cioffi from ‘Curtains’

Frank is a Bostonian detective who had secretly wanted to be a musical theatre star his whole life. He develops feelings for Nikki, a naïve ingénue.

16. Jason from ‘Ordinary Days’

Jason tries to advance his relationship with his girlfriend Claire, who resists his advances until she reveals a big secret near the story’s end.

Did we leave out your favorite overlooked recent baritone role? Let us know in the comments…

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1. “The Kid Inside” from Is There Life After High School?

This musical, whose characters recall high school experiences, premiered on Broadway in 1982. The opening song “The Kid Inside” was recorded by Barry Manilow for his album Showstoppers. This song is best suited for more lyrical baritones, especially those in their 20s and early 30s. Range: B2-G4 (in falsetto).

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2. “It Took Me A While” from John & Jen.

This two-person musical by Andrew Lippa ran Off-Broadway in 1995, and was revived in New York last year. This song plays as John comes of age and decides to join the Navy. This show’s style is reminiscent of other Off-Broadway shows such as The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown. Range: B2-F#4. 

3. “No Other Way” from Tarzan.

This adaptation of Disney’s Tarzan (1999) premiered on Broadway in 2006. A new song written for the musical, “No Other Way” is sung by Kerchak after he exiles Tarzan from the gorilla clan. This number is great for robust baritone voices seeking to eventually play roles such as Javert or the Phantom. Range: C3-Gb4. 

4. “Love Sneaks In” from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

This musical, based on the 1988 film of the same name, premiered in San Diego in 2004 before transferring to Broadway in 2005. The character Lawrence sings “Love Sneaks In” after he takes the soap queen Christine to the train station, and realizes he has feelings for her. This crooner-type of ballad is appropriate in auditions for baritone-heavy shows such as The Music Man and Guys and Dolls. Range: G2-D4.

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5. “Why Does She Love Me?” from Love Never Dies.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to his long-running musical The Phantom of the Opera on West End in 2010. This song, sung at the start of Act II, is about Raoul contemplating his troubled marriage with Christine. This song is a safe choice for auditioning for pop-opera shows such as Les Miserables. Range: Bb2-F4. 

6. “In Every Age” from Titanic.

This musical by Maury Yeston opened on Broadway in 1997. The opening number “In Every Age” is sung by the Titanic’s designer Thomas Andrews, who marvels at Titanic being humanity’s next great accomplishment. Range: A2-G4. 

7. “I Rise Again” from On the Twentieth Century.

This musical premiered on Broadway in 1978 and was revived last year in New York. The song “I Rise Again” is sung by Oscar, a selfish impresario who tries to convince his colleagues that he will regain success even after four flops. This song is great for more classical shows and operetta such as Gilbert and Sullivan. Range: B2-E4. 

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8. “Funny” from City of Angels.

This musical, inspired by film noir motion pictures, premiered on Broadway in 1989. In the number “Funny,” the character Stine experiences the collapse of his real and fictional worlds. The conversational nature and slight dissonance both make this song fitting for a Sondheim or Jason Robert Brown audition. Range: Bb2-F4. 

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9. “At Night She Comes Home to Me” from Baby.

The musical Baby, which opened on Broadway in 1983, is about three couples each expecting a child. In the song “At Night She Comes To Me,” the sports instructor Nick sings about his free-spirited and athletic wife, Pam. Range: Db3-Eb4. 

10. “Guido’s Song” from Nine.

This musical premiered on Broadway in 1982, was revived in 2003, and became a feature film in 2009. In this song, Guido Contini, a film director suffering from a midlife crisis, struggles to distinguish his ambitious interior world from reality. This song is not only great for auditions, but it makes a showy cabaret number, as well. Range: G#2-G4. 

Is there a song that you think should be on this list? Let us know in the comments below…

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