[InaraSanguine]

Self explanatory:

Which composers must any self-respecting musical theatre performer have in their repetoire?

I know Sondheim is a must, as well as the obligatory Rodgers and Hammerstein piece.

What other composers do you consider important?

[pinkstiletto510]

I think R&H because their pieces can work for pretty much any traditional musical and lets face it, companies tend to play it safe these days (community theatres anyways)

[bwayluvor31]

I think in addition to Sondheim and R&H, you should have some of the famous, but lesser known composers like Lerner&Loewe, Jerry Herman, and (although not my favorite) ALW. The first two because their music is fantastic and it's good to have a variety of music to sing at an audition. ALW because he has so many shows out there right now, that it would be beneficial to know his music (actually, a lot of it is quite good, I just don't like him; he sells out).

[Marcellus]

Gershwin and Porter

[Chevstriss]

Schmidt and Jones
Kander & Ebb
Jule Styne
Irving Berlin

[MaryMag]

I know this isn't a complete list, by any means, but this is my list. It's based off of what composers' shows I think are performed most often. For example, Fiddler on the Roof is done so often that you MUST have a Bock and Harnick song, though they are not as prominent as R&H or Sondheim or Gershwin.

1) Rodgers and Hammerstein
2) Gershwin
3) Porter
4) Lerner and Loewe
5) Loesser
5) Sondheim
6) Weber
7) Gilbert and Sullivan
Bock and Harnick
9) Kander and Ebb
10) Styne
11) Berlin
12) A contemporary or 2 of your choice: Schwartz, Ahrens & Flaherty, Maltby & Shire, La Chiusa, Jason Robert Brown [I don't think you need a song from each of these contemporaries as it seems these shows simply are not performed as often as the older "classics." However, the REALLY well prepared person will have one song from each]

Thanks to Jazzy for most of this list. She taught me it.