Quiz: Think You’re a Musical Theater Fan? Finish These Famous Song Titles

A great musical theater song both moves the plot forward and includes an unforgettably catchy refrain. Whether they’re opening numbers, heartbreaking ballads, or hilarious patter songs, all the tunes featured in this quiz do both of those things more than adequately, and have managed to become eternal parts of the musical theater pantheon. How well do you know your classic musical theater song titles? Test your knowledge with the quiz below!

How did you do? Are you a musical theater expert ready for your own big break on Broadway, or is it time to queue up the soundtracks to your favorite shows once again? 

The Rise of the Modern Musical

Musical theater has existed in various forms since time immemorial. Classical Indian musical theater has been traced back to 400 BCE or earlier, and Chinese opera became popular in the third century CE. Ancient Mayan cultures also celebrated feasts with musical pageants that told stories about their rulers, and African cultures have performed musical scenes that tell stories about their lives for centuries as well. Ancient Greek cultures also featured dramas that told stories through music and dance.

Musical theater as we know it today emerged around the late 19th century in the United States, when performances drew elements from minstrel shows, vaudeville, opera, and burlesque to create something entirely new. The first modern musical is widely considered to be The Black Crook, which premiered in New York in 1866. The Pirates of Penzance, which premiered in 1879, is one of the most well-known musicals from that time.

Musicals hit their stride in the 1920s, thanks to iconic shows like Cole Porter’s Anything Goes and Ira and George Gershwin’s Of Thee I Sing. In 1943, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma became a smash hit and inspired an explosion in the world of musical theater. The ‘40s and early ‘50s, meanwhile, are often called the “Golden Age of Musicals,” and shows from this era, like Carousel and On the Town, also remain popular. 

The types of musical theater songs

There are a number of different types of songs that tend to appear across musicals. There’s usually an opening number that introduces viewers to the world of the show in some way, of course. Most musicals also contain an “I wish” or “I want” song, in which the main character expresses their dreams or desires. These typically take place near the start of the show and help viewers connect to the character and understand their motivation. Famous “I want” songs include “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz and “If I Were a Rich Man” from Fiddler on the Roof.

Many musicals also contain at least one comic song that adds even more laughter to comedies, or a bit of comic relief to tragedies. A comedic song that features extremely fast-paced wordplay and often alliteration and tongue-twisters is sometimes known as a “patter song.” Examples include “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General” from The Pirates of Penzance and “The Worst Pies in London” from Sweeney Todd.

Then there’s the classic “11 o’clock number.” In Broadway’s early years, musicals typically began at 8:45 and would be nearing their ends around 11. The 11 o’clock number, therefore, was often an emotional and powerful moment in the show that often finds characters at their lowest, undergoing an emotional crisis that will be wrapped up at the show’s conclusion. These songs also tend to allow the lead performer to truly show off their range one final time. Famous 11 o’clock numbers include “Rose’s Turn” in Gypsy, “Gimme Gimme” in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and “And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going” in Dreamgirls.

Of course, there’s usually also a musical number to close out Act I, to open Act II, and to finish the entire show. These numbers are also typically high-impact and high-emotion. In particular, numbers that feature at the end of Act I tend to be extremely powerful; think “Defying Gravity” from Wicked and “A New Argentina” from Evita. 

Naturally, all these rules and tropes can be broken, but there’s a reason why so many musicals follow them—they work, and keep us coming back to the theater and singing along over and over again.