Not every musical gracing a New York City stage can become the next Hamilton, Rent, Lion King or Wicked. With smash hits often forcing other musicals to take a back seat, we think these epic shows have fallen through the cracks. If you’re digging for new show tunes to add to your iTunes docket, check out these 15 Broadway shows for musical theatre gold.
1. Miss Saigon
Schönberg and Boublil are most well-known for a little musical tragedy called Les Mis. Their second show, however, chronicles a love story between an American soldier and a native from Vietnam, and is just as tragically beautiful.
2. The Wild Party
Andrew Lippa’s roarin’ twenties musical carries a powerful story and has graced the stage with a number of big-name Broadway talent. Though overshadowed by big productions opening on Broadway the same year such as Jesus Christ Superstar, The Music Man and Kiss Me, Kate (all revivals), it definitely deserved more attention than it received.
3. Sunday in the Park with George
Fans of Sondheim know that this Tony Award/Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece is one of the composer’s best. Unfortunately, popular Hollywood adaptations of Sondheim’s other works (i.e., Sweeney Todd or Into the Woods), Sunday in the Park seems to be overshadowed.
4. Ragtime
Nominated for Best Musical in 1998, Ragtime is believed–by many in the theatre community–to be snubbed. Weaving together a group of African Americans, European immigrants and American upper-class during the early twentieth century, this show combines spectacular music and a thought-provoking glimpse into history.
5. The Light in the Piazza
There’s no other musical quite like Piazza. It is based on the book by Elizabeth Spencer, and was written by Adam Guettel (the grandson of a little composer by the name of Richard Rodgers). This show is beloved by fans for Guettel’s unique songs. It blends classical-style music, opera and Italian as it tells a story about romantic love and the undying love of a mother.
6. Assassins
As another Sondheim ‘hidden gem,’ this musical recounts the assassination attempts of various U.S. presidents…as told by the culprit. With the structure of a revue show and music styles spanning across decades, this morbid piece is flawlessly executed (no pun intended).
7. The Drowsy Chaperone
What’s better than a musical that parodies a musical? This whimsical comedy gives audiences that ‘classic Broadway’ feel, and for that we love it. Plus, there are plenty of catchy tunes and snappy dances to go around.
8. She Loves Me
Fans of the iconic 90’s chick flick, You’ve Got Mail, are in for a treat. As the musical that inspired the Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks staple, She Loves Me is delicious in every way. Set in a time before e-mail (in this version, our protagonists are pen pals), we’re sure this show is sure to become a new favorite.
9. The Last Five Years
Breaking free from traditional Broadway style, The Last Five Years gives audiences a detailed look into modern relationships. Told from two very different perspectives, this musical is known for its innovative structure: From Cathy, the aspiring actress, we hear about the demise of the relationship; from Jamie, a successful writer, we hear about the romantic beginning.
10. The Secret Garden
This musical captures the heartfelt magic of the classic novel. It may not be a ‘mainstream’ hit, but hosts a collection of good music, good storytelling and gorgeous costumes. It also took home Best Book of a Musical back in 1991.
11. Bridges of Madison County
What do you get when you combine a Meryl Streep classic, the incomparable music of Jason Robert Brown, and modern-day Broadway stars, Kelli O’Hara and Steven Pasquale? Fabulousness. Reminiscent of both folk style and classic opera, Bridges may have been ahead of its time.
12. The Wedding Singer
This musical doesn’t exactly follow the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore movie, but it does keep that fun and outrageous spirit. With plenty of upbeat music and an easy-to-love storyline, this underrated musical is totally one you need in your music library.
13. On the Twentieth Century
If you like your dazzling Broadway spectacle whacky and wild, On the Twentieth Century is your cup of tea. Created to parody a classic operetta, this hilarious musical follows a train from Chicago to New York City. Obviously, chaos ensues.
14. Pajama Game
This Adler and Ross classic isn’t one you hear about often–but it’s full of fantastic dance numbers and songs you’ll be humming. This Broadway musical spawned popular numbers such as “Steam Heat” and “There Once Was A Man”.
15. Funny Girl
While this astounding musical received plenty of acclaim in its time, we still think it’s severely underrated. Barbra Streisand (QUEEN!) originates the role of Follies girl Fanny Brice, both on Broadway and in the 1968 film version. For millennials, it doesn’t ring a bell like Hello, Dolly!, but remains a staple musical for both Babs and Broadway in general.
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