The Most Underrated Theatre Songs That Deserve More Spotlight

Let's face it: theatre fans love a big showstopper. "Defying Gravity," "One Day More," and "Waving Through a Window" are practically part of the musical theatre national anthem by now. But what about the songs that never got their flowers? The hidden gems tucked into Act Two, or buried on original cast recordings that deserve to be just as well-known?

"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. Rarely included in concert programmes.

"Corner of the Sky" from Pippin

Stephen Schwartz wrote this yearning opening number about the desire to find your place in the world. Its simplicity is its genius.

"Giants in the Sky" from Into the Woods

Probably the most honest song ever written about adolescence — Sondheim's meditation on the terrifying and exhilarating nature of experience and growth.

"I've Heard It All Before" from The Scottsboro Boys

A devastating number from one of Kander and Ebb's greatest and most overlooked shows.

"Everybody Says Don't" from Anyone Can Whistle

Sondheim's defiant, soaring anthem for nonconformists — almost never performed, absolutely should be.