The 10 Best & The 10 Worst Musicals To Ever Appear On Broadway
Must-Watch Musicals
Whether you love musical theater or are new to the idea, there are many shows out there that everyone should watch at least once. From the invigorating musical numbers to the high-energy settings to the deep storytelling, there’s a reason these songs live on and on in the hearts of fans.
1. Les Miserables
This renowned musical is based on a historical novel written by Victor Hugo in 1862. Known casually as Les Mis between fans, it's considered one of the best musicals to ever appear on Broadway due to its emotionally charged score, thought-provoking narrative, and immersive setting.
Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash
2. Hamilton
Hamilton made huge waves when it premiered on Broadway. Not only did it reinvent historical retelling with the use of hip-hop, R&B, and soul music, but it also added a new level of diversity to casting. Aside from that, it is known for its unique storytelling and incredible musical writing.
3. Wicked
With a sequel movie coming soon, it’s clear to see that Wicked is still very popular, and rightfully so. Playing off the success of The Wizard of Oz, Wicked tells the story of witches before the events of Dorothy’s arrival. It’s acclaimed for its powerful musical score and inventive story.
4. The Phantom of the Opera
This musical is also based on a book, but it arguably improved upon the work by adding romance and deepening character motivations. It follows a romance between a “ghost” and an opera singer. Known for its sweeping musical numbers and clever set design, it had some unforgettable moments, such as that chandelier crash scene.
5. West Side Story
If you like romance, and better yet, Romeo and Juliet, then you’ll love West Side Story. It tells that quintessential story of star-crossed lovers, but reinvents the setting with the backdrop of New York street gangs. The musical is admired for its emotional musical numbers and heartfelt storytelling.
6. The Sound of Music
Alongside the movie, there was also the Broadway musical, and they were quite adored by fans. For those that don’t know, this musical tells the story of a nun turned governess and her evolving relationship with her charges. Set against the events of World War II, the story uses powerful writing and charming songs to truly connect with audiences.
7. Chicago
Revitalizing the Roaring '20s, this musical is as jazzy and cool as it looks and sounds. It has a somewhat darker plot, following themes of crime and corruption, but to an unforgettable soundtrack.
8. The Lion King
This is a more modern Broadway show, but the original source material has been a Disney classic for a while. The show uses puppetry and vibrant costumes alongside iconic dance numbers to tell a powerful story about self-discovery.
9. Fiddler on the Roof
This story is full of tradition, but tells a heartfelt and relatable story, nonetheless. It follows a Jewish community being ostracized in Russia, but more so focuses on a father and his three daughters. As the world around them evolves, the father has to adapt more and more to appease his daughters, only to find that some traditions simply can’t be broken.
Otterbein University Theatre & Dance from USA on Wikimedia
10. Newsies
This musical follows newspaper hawkers set against the 19th century. It’s best known for its high-energy, invigorating dance numbers and catchy tunes. It captures that rebellious nature of musicals, and many audiences find it inspiring.
Now that we talked about the best musicals, here are 10 that fell short on all accounts.
Dennis Beck Broadway Tour on Wikimedia
1. Dracula
This musical sounds like it has everything needed to succeed, from a compelling plot to an interesting setting. However, it ran on Broadway from August 2004 to January 2005 and was criticized for its weird writing, strange casting, and lines like “Give me your mouth upon my mouth.”
2. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
There’s a reason superheroes don’t translate well to Broadway, but despite that, this show played on Broadway from June 2011 to January 2014. However, the show lost $60 million during its run due to poor story, weird scenes, and the fact that most people were hoping to see the actors get injured.
3. Bobbi Boland
This musical appeared on Broadway in November 2003 and was gone in a matter of a month. It was headlined by Farrah Fawcett; however, despite her star power, she wasn’t able to capture much of an audience. Due to poor marketing and show delays, most audiences were unimpressed.
4. Lestat
Dracula wasn’t the only attempt to bring vampires to Broadway, as Lestat did the same thing in May of 2006. However, this too was short-lived as the play was quite boring. Despite attempts to make a coherent plot of the source material, many found the play to be a snooze.
5. King Kong
This show is more modern, playing in 2018 to the dismay of audiences. The biggest issues might have been the giant puppet, which created more problems than solutions. Plus, the songs were rather depressing and the story fell short. Many consider the show more about special effects than actual plot or music.
6. Metro
This was a Polish rendition of A Chorus Line and was on Broadway for just April 1992. It was rather short-lived as there wasn’t much interest and the script didn’t translate well into English, creating a confusing story that didn’t make sense.
The original uploader was Cfbaf at English Wikipedia. on Wikimedia
7. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
This 2005 musical was based on the 1968 movie but never managed to capture the original magic. The entire show focused solely on the car and its effects, letting all other settings and story fall short, which didn’t please audiences.
8. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
In 1966, Broadway wasn’t quite done with Breakfast at Tiffany’s and took it to the stage. However, the show was closed after four previews because of infighting and bickering, creating a messy refund situation.
Paramount Pictures. Photographer not credited on Wikimedia
9. Dance of the Vampires
Broadway really tried with vampires, but hilariously, Dance of the Vampires goes down in history as the worst Broadway show ever made. So many things went wrong from 2002 to 2003 when this show ran, including bad translations, terrible music choices, and unflattering costumes.
10. Carrie
Horror has always had a home on Broadway, and so Carrie seemed like a smart direction to go in. Based on the Stephen King novel, this Broadway show played in May of 1988 but vanished shortly after due to strange set design and poor writing.
