The 20 Best Opening Numbers in Musical Theatre History

Posted on 2 Oct 2026

First impressions are important, so a show’s first song is key! But not all opening numbers are created equal. Some throw everything they have into those first three minutes. Some give you an intriguing snippet of upcoming themes. Some use wit and charm to set the scene. But what makes a good opening number? For us, an opening number should be memorable, introduce us to important elements like setting and characters, and leave us wanting more. So which musical has the best opening number? Well, it’s all down to taste but here are what’s widely considered to be the 20 best opening numbers in musical theatre history. ### **1. Hello - [The Book of Mormon](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/the-book-of-mormon-tickets)** You can’t beat simplicity, and what’s a better way to introduce a show than saying “hello”? The Book of Mormon’s opening number is not only hilarious and cheeky, it’s also incredibly clever. Giving us a taste of life as a Mormon Missionary while offering some crucial information about the Mormon religion, it perfectly sets the scene in both tone and story. ### **2. Willkommen - [Cabaret](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/cabaret-london-tickets)** And what’s a hello without a welcome? Cabaret’s opener is delivered by the Emcee - the evening’s host. It invites the audience to enter the world of the Kit Kat Club and leave the outside world outside where it belongs. It’s equal parts thrilling and unsettling. The legendary musical duo were masters of political storytelling, and Cabaret is a prime example. The celebration of individuality and love is laced with threat as the rise of Nazi Germany is waiting beyond the doors of the club, so the faux joviality of Willkommen is pure perfection. ### **3. All That Jazz -** **Chicago** What we’re learning from this list is that Kander and Ebb knew how to start a show! All That Jazz is a seductive, troubling number that gives us an insight into the inner workings of our characters and the upcoming events in the musical. Once again, it’s features political commentary. This time, it’s about the corruption of the justice system. ### **4. No One Mourns the Wicked - [Wicked](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/wicked-tickets)** If an unreliable narrative is your jam, then look no further than the opener of Wicked. No One Mourns The Wicked is a literal witch hunt for our show’s main protagonist, Elphaba. The citizens of Oz are trying to find the “Wicked Witch” to punish her for her misdeeds. It’s a powerful number that leans into our bias of the green witch we all love to hate from The Wizard of Oz. ### **5. Omigod You Guys -** **Legally Blonde** Possibly the catchiest song in musical theatre history, Omigod You Guys is the surprise entry on the best opening numbers in musical theatre history list. Don’t let all the pink deceive you. Legally Blonde is an important exploration into prejudice and sexism in a male-dominated world. But the opening song presents the social expectations of women. Plus it’s just really fun. ### **6. In The Heights -** **In The Heights** If you don’t get tingles when you hear those claves, you need to try again. The scene-setting opener from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s debut musical is exposition at its finest. It introduces the main players within the show and gives us an insight into life in The Heights. ### **7. I Hope I Get It -** **A Chorus Line** Big brass. Rousing percussion. A whole cast number. How could you not love the opener from A Chorus Line? Originally staged in 1975, it proves the undying desire starlets have to strike it big, and their universal experience. ### **8. What Do You Do With A BA In English? - [Avenue Q](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/avenue-q-tickets)** Do you know what’s refreshing? A healthy dose of realism. And that’s exactly what we get in Avenue Q. The show opens with Preston lamenting over the fact he has a useless degree, only for us to meet all his neighbours who have equally sucky lives. You’d think that would be depressing, right? Luckily it’s accompanied by a cheery melody, so it’s all fine. Everything is fine. ### **9. The Ballad of Sweeney Todd -** **Sweeney Todd** A musical about a murderous barber who bakes his victims into pies? Who thought that would sell tickets in the 1970s? Well, Stephen Sondheim did, and he’s a musical genius, so of course, he was correct. This retelling of the fictitious Sweeney Todd wowed audiences and critics. Its first Broadway run earned 17 Tony and Drama Desk Awards, and the West End production took home two Olivier Awards. The eerie yet alarming opener prepares you for all that is to come during the show. And we absolutely love it for that. ### **10. Good Morning Baltimore -** **Hairspray** We’ve had dark. We’ve had realism. Now it’s time for sunshine and optimism. And no one can compete with Tracy Turnblad when it comes to optimism. During Good Morning Baltimore, we accompany our leading lady as she welcomes the day and sees the bright side of everything… including street rats. It just makes you feel like we should all be a bit more Tracy.

### **11. What’s Inside? -** **Waitress** We have never wanted to bake a pie more. Sara Bareilles’ What’s Inside? is a delicate, dreamy melody that reflects on more than just what’s inside her famous bakes. It’s a beautiful metaphor that tickles the eardrums and leaves you wanting more. ### **12. Any Dream Will Do -** **Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat** Speaking of dreams, the opening number for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat will eternally have a place in the hearts of choir kids who had to “ah” their way through school assembly. The biblical tale is one of tragedy, abuse and trauma, but the opening number gives us hope. ### **13. Miracle - [Matilda The Musical](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/matilda-the-musical-tickets)** The satirical opening number of Matilda The Musical is a fun, tongue-in-cheek poke at parents who pamper their very regular children. It juxtaposes the treatment of the special yet neglected Matilda, whose parents barely acknowledge her existence. ### **14. Just Another Day -** **Next To Normal** When you have a complex cast of characters with complicated relationships, it can be tricky to get the dynamics across quickly. But Just Another Day from Next To Normal executes it beautifully. As we meet the family members, the truth about their lives starts to reveal itself as each new person is introduced, until a frantic and shattering event happens, revealing the family’s true situation. ### **15. Circle of Life - [The Lion King](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/the-lion-king-tickets)** If there is one line that will get you to sit down and listen, it’s the first notes of Circle Of Life from The Lion King. The Oscar-winning song by Elton John and Tim Rice is a poignant and life-affirming song about the realities of nature. And though it doesn’t explicitly summarise the show like many opening numbers, it gives us a hint at the themes. It’s also just a really good song. ### **16. Ex-Wives - [SIX](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/six-london-vaudeville-theatre-tickets)** Come on. The song starts “divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived.” Of course it’s one of the best opening numbers in musical theatre history. Ex-Wives gives us a quick overview of what to expect during the show and features an electro-pop remix of Greensleeves. Say. Less. ### **17. Welcome To The Rock -** **Come From Away** Come From Away is about a small town that was forced to welcome over 6,000 people when 38 planes were grounded following 9/11. The show’s opening song, Welcome To The Rock, helps establish the sense of community and familiarity found in the sparsely populated island. ### **18. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning -** **Oklahoma!** Potentially the most heartwarming and relaxing opening song in a musical theatre there ever was. This uplifting, optimistic declaration of joy from Oklahoma! really eases you into the show. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning was such a beloved song, it became a radio hit and found its way onto TV. ### **19. Alexander Hamilton - [Hamilton](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/hamilton-west-end-tickets)** Not many shows can get away with using the words bastard and whore within the first eight words, but here we are. Hamilton’s frank, direct, and witty opening song, Alexander Hamilton, doesn’t just give us a little taste of what’s to come, it tells us the history leading up to the show’s events, a short synopsis of the relationships within the show, AND a glimpse into his legacy. It’s quite a feat for a song that’s sub four minutes. ### **20. Road To Hell - [Hadestown](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/hadestown-tickets)** Road To Hell works hard. Not only does it introduce all of the characters and main themes of the show, it also features the musical motifs found throughout the musical. It sets the mood, tells you what to expect, and it does it with style. It’s the ideal way to enter Hadestown