A private karaoke room is exactly where show tunes belong. No audience to judge the dramatic entrance, the arms, the faces. Just your group, the big songs, and the freedom to commit completely.
Every song below is in our catalogue at The Old School Yard, London Bridge.
The Big Hitters
Grease — Summer Nights / You’re the One That I Want / Greased Lightnin’ / Hopelessly Devoted / Sandy
Summer Nights is one of the greatest karaoke duets ever written — split the room in two for the call-and-response. You’re the One That I Want for the dance break. Greased Lightnin’ because someone will do the whole performance and they should be encouraged.
The Greatest Showman — This Is Me / A Million Dreams / Rewrite the Stars / Never Enough
This Is Me is an anthem built for voices. A Million Dreams for the quieter, emotional version. Rewrite the Stars as a duet. Never Enough for the singer who actually wants to demonstrate what they’ve got.
Les Misérables — I Dreamed a Dream / One Day More / On My Own / Do You Hear the People Sing?
I Dreamed a Dream is one of the most powerful ballads in musical theatre. On My Own for the sustained, solo moment. One Day More as the group finale — everyone gets a part.
Phantom of the Opera — Music of the Night / All I Ask of You
Music of the Night rewards a singer who can use the full dynamic range — the whispered sections versus the full-voice sections. All I Ask of You as the romantic duet choice.
Wicked — Defying Gravity / Popular
Defying Gravity is a showstopper — the build to the final note is one of musical theatre’s great karaoke moments. Popular for when someone wants to be completely over the top, which is always correct.
Hamilton — My Shot / Wait for It / Alexander Hamilton
My Shot for the energy and the rapid delivery. Wait for It for the smoother, more emotional version. Both reward knowing the lyrics — which Hamilton fans always do.
Films & Movie Musicals
A Star Is Born — Shallow (the duet that still destroys rooms)
Frozen — Let It Go, Into the Unknown, Do You Want to Build a Snowman
The Lion King — Circle of Life, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Hakuna Matata
Moana — How Far I’ll Go, You’re Welcome
Encanto — We Don’t Talk About Bruno, Surface Pressure (We Don’t Talk About Bruno is one of the best ensemble karaoke moments)
Aladdin — A Whole New World (still one of the great karaoke duets)
The Little Mermaid — Part of Your World, Under the Sea
Beauty and the Beast — Be Our Guest, Tale as Old as Time
Classic Musical Theatre
Rocky Horror Picture Show — Time Warp, Sweet Transvestite, Dammit Janet (Time Warp is mandatory if anyone in the group has seen it)
Chicago — All That Jazz, Cell Block Tango (Cell Block Tango in a private room is extraordinary)
Cabaret — Cabaret, Maybe This Time
Mamma Mia — Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, SOS, Waterloo (the films gave ABBA a whole second life in karaoke)
Sound of Music — Do Re Mi, My Favourite Things, Edelweiss
Mary Poppins — Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, A Spoonful of Sugar
West Side Story — Tonight, Somewhere, America
Oliver! — Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself
Annie — Tomorrow, It’s a Hard Knock Life
Hairspray — You Can’t Stop the Beat, Good Morning Baltimore
Moulin Rouge — Lady Marmalade, Come What May
Dirty Dancing — Time of My Life
Footloose — Footloose
Fame — Fame
Cats — Memory
Rent — Seasons of Love
Newer Shows
Six — Ex-Wives, Don’t Lose Ur Head (Ex-Wives is a group ensemble built for exactly this format)
Matilda — Naughty, When I Grow Up
Dear Evan Hansen — You Will Be Found, Waving Through a Window
Sing Street — Drive It Like You Stole It
Musical Theatre Karaoke Tips
Assign roles before Grease. Summer Nights and You’re the One That I Want are duets — split the group and decide who’s Danny and who’s Sandy before the song starts.
Cell Block Tango in a private room. Each section is a different character with a different story. In a group room, assign each character to someone. It rewards rehearsal, but rewards commitment even more.
One Day More is a group song. Les Mis fans know that every character has their own part. It’s one of the few karaoke songs where a larger group has a genuine structural advantage.
We Don’t Talk About Bruno. Everyone in the room already knows every word of this. It’s one of the fastest-adopted karaoke songs in recent years and the vocal parts are perfectly designed for groups.
Let the big notes happen. Defying Gravity, I Dreamed a Dream, Shallow — there’s a moment at the end of each where you just have to go for it. The room will carry you even if the note doesn’t come.
Book Your Show Tunes Night
Our private karaoke rooms in London Bridge have the full musical theatre catalogue — films, stage shows, classics and new releases.
See also: Best Karaoke Duets → | Big Ballads → | Hen Party Songs → | Full Song List →
The Old School Yard | 111 Long Lane, London Bridge, SE1 4PH