Top 10 Greatest Male Broadway Duets

This semi-autobiographical musical is about composer Jonathan Larson’s attempts to become a Broadway composer. His fictional counterpart’s ongoing tension between making a living as an artist and making a living at all is summed up perfectly in “No More.” Jon’s friend Michael left the arts to pursue a more traditional career, and his material life has become much better as a result. The two essentially clown their way through the song. Though played for laughs, the reality behind it is also pretty profound. Jon has to choose his art over living well, which is especially hard when an easier life seems just within reach.

We love an emotionally devastating reprise. Throughout “Next to Normal,” Dan is unable to relate to his wife’s mental health struggles. After losing their son years ago, Diana has become undone by the grief to the point that she hallucinates their son’s spirit. Dan has simply ignored his grief for too long. Reprising the song he sang to his wife at the end of the first act, Dan is reduced to tears as he finally confronts their son’s death. In the end, left with only his thoughts, he sees his son for the first time.

Near the end of this beloved and tear-jerking musical, Roger and Mark have to decide what really matters to them. The song lays bare their disillusionment at living in an uncaring and dispassionate world, concerned only with materialism, status, and money. But this soon turns into something else. “What You Own” isn’t just a list of complaints. It’s two people on the edge of complete hopelessness fighting to find meaning in what they’ve lost. Instead, they come away with a new resolve to honor the people they love through the power of community and art.

Marvin and Whizzer’s love story is not without its ups and downs. By the end, they’ve found their way back to each other only for Whizzer to pass away due to an unnamed illness that’s presumably HIV/AIDS. Left alone, Marvin ponders what his life would’ve been like without Whizzer. But they get one last chance to sing together when Whizzer’s spirit appears on stage. As much as they lament the future they’ve been robbed of, they decide together that if they had to do it over, the pain and the heartache would all be worth it.

Mixing beautiful music with thrilling suspense, this duet sees the barber, Sweeney Todd, and Judge Turpin, the unsuspecting target of his revenge, singing the praises of beautiful women. The judge has no reason to think they’re not on the same page here. All the while, Todd scrapes ever closer to his mortal enemy’s jugular. The song fakes us out several times, only to tease the coming death even more. As the music crescendos, we can tell Todd is savoring the moment. The tension builds as they whip themselves into a musical frenzy. What happens next? Well, we wouldn’t want to give it away.

Victor Hugo’s original novel and the blockbusting musical is about redemption and oppression. There’s no room for Jean Valjean’s redemption in the eyes of Inspector Javert, who has an unwavering faith in an unfair system. This intense confrontation occurs when Javert finally finds Valjean some ten years after he fled from justice. As the two talk, or rather sing, past each other, they engage in combat, and we hear Javert’s side of this pursuit. He has seen the worst of human nature and believes Valjean’s moral transformation is a sham. When done well, it’s incredibly explosive. When played for laughs, it’s also incredibly funny and melodramatic.

Placed near the end of the first act, this gentle number is a markedly peaceful moment in the midst of “Hamilton’s” drama. Composer Lin-Manuel Miranda described it as a “calm in the storm.” For all their political differences, this is the moment Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr are on the same page, although they don’t know it. Both become new fathers in “Dear Theodosia,” and make promises to their children that lays bare their shared mission. Though they have different approaches, they want to make America a place where their children can live happy and prosperous lives. It highlights the tragedy of what will come.

Stephen Sondheim’s famous musical puts an irreverent and heartbreaking spin on classic fairy tales. One of its greatest and most hilarious moments is “Agony,” a duet between two handsome princes desperate to prove they’re suffering more to connect with their respective princesses. The lyrics make them look completely ridiculous and conceited. They ask themselves what woman could resist a man as charming, handsome, kind, and humble as they are. As they wax poetic about how unfair it is that they should have to win these women over, they don’t just make us laugh. They also make us wonder how the heroines of our favorite fairy tales could live happily ever after with these fools.

Written and composed by the creators of “South Park” and Robert Lopez, this irreverent musical follows Elder Price, a Mormon who starts out as a self-involved missionary. He has scored a challenging mission to Uganda. His pal, Elder Cunningham, will also be there. So concerned with blowing God’s mind with how good he’s about to spread the word, Price immediately treats Cunningham like his sidekick in their mission. It’s a great comic set piece. “You and Me (But Mostly Me)” lets its actors play off of each other with ease. Price’s grinning narcissism and Cunningham’s panting desire to hang out with him are baked beautifully into the song.

Telling the classic story of Mary, a young English girl sent to live with her mysterious and haunted uncle, Archibald, “The Secret Garden” has a sweeping and romantic score. Mary’s resemblance to her long-dead aunt, Lily, presents a problem. Arguably its most famous number, “Lily’s Eyes” sees Archibald and his envious brother, Neville, mourning over Lily, who Neville was also in love with. Mary’s resemblance brings out their longing for her. Their tortured memories awaken something different in both of them. Not only emotionally resonant, the song’s climactic harmonies make it a sumptuous and intense number.

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