There are those that will travel the globe to catch a spectacularly dazzling performance of some of the greatest shows to ever take the stage … and there’s no place quite like it than on Broadway!
If you’re pondering which tickets to purchase for your next (or new) visit to the iconic theater district in New York City, here is a multitude of the best Broadway shows to see right now!
As the birthplace of actors, creatives and some of the biggest stars of the entertainment industry, Broadway has been the home of playwrights since the 18th Century, and the original theatrical district in Manhattan is a landmark in its own right.
Flash forward to the 1930s and the official Broadway League formed in NYC (its members comprising theater owners, operators and producers).
Only official members of the League have productions officiated by Broadway and categorized as such. Among these are legendary theatrical plays, musicals and performances, from The Lion King to Chicago to more recent showstoppers like Hamilton.
Regularly updated, check out this list of the 30 best shows and musicals to see on Broadway currently showcasing in theaters. Whether you’re a musical fan or lover of a classic play, there’s a stage for all.
Reader’s tip: For a further in-depth look at the Broadway industry, check out our list of Broadway theaters.
1 – Wicked
Calling all you witches of the wicked west and far south … Prepare for a night of swooping broomsticks, spellbinding songs and dazzling special effects during the outstanding Broadway production of Wicked.
Taking inspiration from the book, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (written by author Gregory Maguire in 1995), the long-running show was headed up in 2003 by composer Stephen Schwartz, making its Broadway debut.
Similarly to Maguire’s version, Wicked tells the tale of a time long before Dorothy and the gang when the “Wicked Witch of the West” and the “Good Witch” of the south first met in the Land of Oz, became friends, and the events that unraveled thereafter when pinned against one another.
It’s the classic tale of good versus evil.
Having won too many awards to mention — including Tonys and a Grammy — the cast is revered for their impeccable acting and beautiful singing voices … it is a musical after all!
Witty, lighthearted and exciting, Wicked is ideal for the entire family.
2 – Hamilton
Taking not just the Broadway world, but the rest of the theater industry by storm; when Hamilton hit the stage in 2015, there was truly none like it before. What began as an idea for a hip-hop album transformed into one of the highest-grossing musicals of all time.
The storyline revolves around America’s Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton — but with a twist. The entire tale is acted out, rapped and sung with hip-hop, R&B and soul stealing the show’s limelight as its main music genres.
Ditching the usual Broadway ballads and concert-y tunes, Hamilton is so refreshing! It’s no surprise it immediately began racking in accolades and recognition from day one, moving from off-Broadway (where it premiered) to official theaters in no time!
It’s the brainchild of multiple award-winning composer, songwriter, actor, and playwright, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Just one year of opening, it received the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2016.
As put by Miranda himself, the production aims to showcase “America then, as told by America now.”
From its stellar cast, script and songs, this is one of the hottest hits of the century!
3 – The Lion King
Since 1997 (and with no plans for ending on Broadway any time soon), The Lion King continues to steal the hearts of both young and old audiences, from its emotionally charged soundtrack to its soul-touching story of Simba.
The original Academy Award (and Golden Globe) winning Disney film was an instant smash hit when it was released in 1994, and just three years later, the theatrical version came to life on stage.
Directed by Julie Taymor, the Broadway adaption enacts the same storyline, tracking Simba’s journey after he is banished from the Pride Lands by his uncle, Scar until he returns to claim his rightful throne as King.
During the 2.5-hour performance, expect to hear all of your original favorites … ‘Circle of Life,’ ‘I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,’ ‘Hakuna Matata’ and ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ are just a few to give you the goosies for now.
With spoken word and songs sung in six different African languages, including Zulu, Xhosa, Swahili, Sotho, Tswana and Congolese, the six-time Tony Award®-winning musical’s tracks are written and compiled by Elton John, Tom Rice, Lebo M., Hans Zimmer, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin and Taymor.
From Minneapolis to New York to tours around the world, the set at the Minskoff Theatre will blow your socks, with both actors dressed in costume as well as breathtaking puppetry work.
4 – The Book of Mormon
Are you in the mood for a good ol’ fashion Broadway musical, with all the elements of love, laughter, wit, tears, comedy, song and dance — and of course, a soundtrack you can’t get out of your head afterward?!
Winner of a whopping nine Tonys and a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album, The Book of Mormon is a unique tale from the usual Broadway-favored narratives, yet retains all the classic features that make a musical a winner.
Following two Latter Day Saint missionaries, as they travel to Uganda to spread the teachings of the Mormon faith, you’ll witness their personal story as they struggle to gain interest from the locals, who are dealing with their own social, political, cultural and economic problems.
Satire at its finest, the musical was written and produced by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and songwriter, Robert Lopez (who wrote the musical Avenue Q).
Conceptualization for the production began in 2003, and in 2011, the show officially opened at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre where it has had an open run ever since.
Racking in earnings that have beaten most shows on Broadway, the production is the 13th longest-running Broadway show.
5 – Chicago The Musical
From theaters to the big screen, the global phenomenon that is Chicago has torn up the stages and screens since its first performance in 1975 — and continues to woo audiences with its jazz numbers, raunchy lyrics and tap-dancing moves.
While it stands as the second longest-running musical on Broadway to ever take the stage, it’s officially the longest-run of an American-original musical on Broadway.
Throughout its revivals it has seen some of theater’s and entertainment’s hottest stars take on lead roles, from Mel B to Michael C.Hall to Bebe Neuwirth to Todrick Hall. Its current cast stars Tony-nominee Charlotte d’Amboise as Roxy, Lana Gordon as Velma and Ryan Silverman as Billy Flynn.
Audiences are in for a burlesque, jazz-inspired treat with the timeline set in the roaring 20s in Chicago.
If you’re new to the theater world (or have been living under a rock for the last few decades), the story centers on two ‘rival vaudevillian murderesses’ locked up behind bars at the Cook County Jail, with plans to make a hot return to showbiz — and with a bang!
Taking home the award for Best Revival of Musical in 1997, among five other Tony Awards® the same year, legend Bob Fosse was the show’s original choreographer and director, and much of his vision is still honored in the current production (directed by Walter Bobbie).
Interesting theater fact: The original play of Chicago was actually written in 1926 by Maurine Dallas Watkins as an assignment for Yale Drama School.
In the same year, it premiered on Broadway. Her original script was called ‘Brave Little Woman’ before settling on ‘Chicago’ and was later recalled ‘Play Ball’ when it chose to showcase again to avoid legalities and all that jazz.
6 – Aladdin
Another one of Disney’s 90s animated blockbuster movies converted into an award-winning theatrical spectacle, the curtains first raised for the stage of Aladdin back in 2011.
After its initial success and popularity, it was given the space to showcase on Broadway in 2014 at the New Amsterdam Theatre — remaining its permanent home ever since.
Based on the original narrative of a boy named Aladdin who falls in love with Princess Jasmine, finds a magic lamp and encounters a mystical Genie along the way, the theater has been the perfect space for the musical’s art deco set design and lavish stage.
Suitable for ages young and old, fall in love with its immersive features with help of crazy special effects from a flying carpet to the 360-degree stage.
So spectacular that it deserves its own standing ovation the costumes are dazzling. Constructed using 8,644 Swarovski® crystals per costume and fabrics imported from Turkey, Morocco, India and others, the performers shimmer on stage.
From ‘A Whole New World’ to ‘Friend Like Me,’ the show boasts all of the 1992 Disney soundtrack classics, as well as a few new songs written specifically for the Broadway musical.
Choreographed and directed by Casey Nicholaw, Aladdin is in the top 10 of the highest-grossing Broadway shows.
7 – Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Renowned for its tear-jerking performances and iconic lyrics to great love ballads, witnessing Moulin Rouge! on stage is quite special, to say the least.
For those that watched the movie, and were left to reimagine life in Paris in the 1900s, or have traveled since to the iconic Moulin Rouge itself to catch a glimpse of the reimagined cabaret show house in reality, your dreams have been brought to life!
Flashback to a world of bohemian nights, artists and love during the Broadway show that closely follows the primary plot written for the big screen by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce …
Based on the love story between a writer, Christian and a cabaret actress named Satine who meet at the Moulin Rouge in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris in 1900, it’s fitting that the Broadway production has been reimagined for the actual stage.
Opening on Broadway in 2019, it quite literally swooped in the awards in its first year winning across categories from best costume design to best performances to best lighting design, and and and!
A “Spectacular Spectacular” 2.5-hour extravaganza, this Broadway musical adaptation features all of the original smash hits but also has a few more iconic ballad mashups added to its lineup by artists like Adele and Beyonce.
8 – Back to the Future: The Musical
Imagine waking up one day and you’re suddenly 30 years back in the past. Well, if your name happens to be Marty McFly, you might discover yourself in this exact predicament … Except, in this case, the course of history as you know it has now altered too …
Go on a comedic journey with the cast of Back to the Future: The Musical, following the adventures of high schooler Marty and bizarre scientist Doc Brown (played by Roger Bart) as the two try to wangle their way back to the present day.
Based on the 1985 sci-fi blockbuster with the same name, the multiple award-winning musical made its theatrical debut on the West End in 2021, swooping up an Olivier and a WhatsOnStage Award a year later.
The movie’s original creators reimagined the storyline for the stage, with both Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis still as co-creators and producers, and this production is directed by John Rando.
Bop your head along to an original score by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri (both multi-Grammy Award winners) and be prepared for the journey of a lifetime.
9 – Hadestown
Stepping onto the scene at a perfect time for society — at the turn of a somewhat spiritual shift — prepare to fall down the spooky rabbit hole, in this case, the underworld, during an ever-captivating performance of Hadestown.
For its pure musical genius alone, the musical has experienced an overwhelming amount of success. Premiering back in 2006 (in Vermont, USA), the soundtrack was initially transmuted into an album, before the decision was made to showcase the play on Broadway in 2019.
(It showed off-Broadway in 2016.)
Borrowing characters from ancient Greek mythology, the production hinges on a story between two young lovers, Eurydice and Orpheus, whilst the subplot simultaneously enacts the tale coupling King Hades and his chosen wife Persephone, daughter of Zeus.
From the narrative to the song lyrics, the entire production was imagined and brought to life by Anaïs Mitchell and is directed by Rachel Chavkin.
Renowned for its ambient stage setting, excellent lighting design and talented cast that seem to have voices fit for the gods, the Greek tragedy is as bone-chilling as it is enthralling.
Naturally, it’s rather “dark” theme centered around the land of the dead isn’t suitable for young children.
10 – MJ The Musical
Calling all Michael Jackson die-hards! Whilst the King of Pop and one of the greatest performers to ever live may no longer be with us, his legacy lives on and MJ The Musical is a beautiful tribute to the legend.
Using MJ’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour as inspiration, the multiple-Tony Award®-winning concerted production reenacts the making of this iconic tour while providing a seamless taste of the icon’s signature dance moves and chart-topping hits.
This includes “behind-the-scenes” scripts and allows the audience to glimpse into the Mind (Is The Magic) of Michael Jackson.
Its cast and creative team are brimming with awardees and talent … Firstly, the show was conceptualized and created by Tony winner, director and choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and twice Pulitzer Prize winner, Lynn Nottage.
Playing MJ and opening the show, Tony Award® winner Myles Frost takes center stage.
Watching Frost transform into Jackson, almost carrying his spirit as he smoothly slides and glides across the floor, is truly mesmerizing.
Walking home with three Tonys for Best Choreography, Best Sound Design and Best Lighting Design, its original cast album was also nominated for a Grammy.
11 – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
At least when the Harry Potter anthology novels ended, there were the movies to look forward to. When the last installment of the films, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was released in 2011, Potter fans were devastated.
But when a cinematic experience is this great, you’ve got a 50% chance it could end up on Broadway, and much to the delight (and relief) of fans worldwide, the production made its way to the grand, live stage.
First cueing things off in London in 2016, and then two years later arriving in NYC, this adventure takes place 19 years after Harry, Ron and Hermoine’s last rendezvous, when they’re all grown up, married with kids and are working wizards, respectively.
It particularly centers around the relationship between Harry and his son, Albus Potter.
The play was written by Jack Thorne, who used one of J.K. Rowling’s unpublished stories (created with the intention of showcasing in theaters), and the story was co-written by Jack Thorne and theater director, John Tiffany.
The entire Lyric Theatre was transformed for the award-winning production, and you CAN expect to find magic around every corner — including the stage.
12 – Shucked
Jiving its way onto stages for the first time ever circa 2022, Shucked is a brand spanking new musical centered on country folk living that will have you clenching your stomachs with laughter … not because you’ve munched down on too many corn cobs …
It’s easy to see why it’s become an instant smash hit — Americans l.o.v.e. country music just as much as they do big cars and Superbowl Sundays. With its synopsis centered around a small Southern town and featuring one country music ballad after the next, the hilarious show is aptly suited for its Broadway debut.
Follow the lives of Maizy and Beau (and the rest of the townsmen from Cobb County) who have to postpone their wedding day when their prized corn crop is damaged.
With a score compiled by Grammy Award-winning songwriting duo Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, revel in the sounds of its original soundtrack, featuring numbers with apt titles like “Corn Mix.”
Already nominated for nine Tonys (including Best Book, Score and Musical), Shucked is directed by Jack O’Brien with the book by Robert Horn.
13 – SIX
An amalgamation of pop tunes and said to be one of the best musicals of the decades, SIX is taking the theatrical world by storm with its plot of history reimagined!
Stepping back in time to when King Henry VIII ruled over England, the musical recalls his six wives (Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr) — but with a mega-twist!
Not only are all six wives around at the same time, but each queen is part of the same sensational pop girl group, competing against one another to take the role as leader of the group.
Learn a little bit about each woman’s life through the 80-minute show, with the retelling captured in its song and dance.
Written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss (who were only in college when they wrote the script for SIX for a class project), when the smash hit opened curtain on Broadway it was an instant, INSANE success.
During the 2021/2022 award season, it won an incredible 23 awards, including Best Musical.
14 – My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?)
A coming-of-age tale, or rather, autobiography, about a child living life in full color, My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) is a joyous celebration about a family full of love and acceptance. And a child that loves all things Disney!
Making their theatrical debut at the mere age of nine (starring in Mary Poppins), Rob Madge grew up in the theater world.
Allowing their kid to live out their total queer dreams, travel back in time to childhood antics, performances and even Disney parades (put on by Madge) with dad working the Stage Manager and Sound Technician jobs while mum and gran play audience.
Identifying as non-binary, life has posed its ups and downs, but Madge expresses that there’s always a silver lining. Aiming to show us not to take life too seriously, the play is written by Rob Madge with songs by Pippa Cleary and Luke Sheppard on direction.
Transferring straight from London’s West End to Broadway, the one-person show’s debut back in 2021 (off-West End) was a rip-roaring success, winning awards in both 2022 and 2023.
Opening a doorway for any youth feeling perhaps the same way as Madge did, it portrays what happens when parents love their children unconditionally, no matter who they are.
15 – & Juliet
Have you ever wondered what would have happened to Juliet if she didn’t wake up, realize Romeo had downed that poison, and then followed a similar fate after daggering herself?
Well, the creators behind the musical sensation, & Juliet have done it for us, rewriting her future based on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.
But this time, there ain’t no such thing as a sad ending for Juliet, and instead, she packs up her things and heads for Paris with her best gal pals to rediscover herself and love at the same time.
The modernized jukebox musical is written by David West Read (writer of the Emmy-award-winning Schitt’s Creek television series) with music by five-time Grammy achiever, Max Martin. With these two names alone behind the scenes, it’s a no-brainer that this rendition is world-class.
A guaranteed laugh a minute, the production borrows some of the biggest pop songs to date for its musical lineup, from Baby One More Time to Roar.
16 – The Notebook
Stealing hearts back in 2004 with one of the greatest love stories of our generation, Allie and Noah are back — this time in theater form.
Based on the bestselling novel by Nicholas Sparks; follow two sweethearts on their journey navigating life, love and the trials and tribulations that come with young love circa the 1930s.
Allie hails from a wealthy background, while Noah is a salt of the earth kinda guy, growing up in a completely different environment. The teens meet when Allie is holidaying with her family, the two falling deeply and utterly in love.
Families get involved, the pair are separated and life moves on until years later. Reunited, they share that famous kiss in the rain — as goosebump-inducing on stage as on the screen.
Never before adapted for the stage, this brand-new musical is directed by Michael Greif and Schele Williams. Ingrid Michaelson heads up music and lyrics, with the book by Bekah Brunstetter.
The Notebook previews on Broadway at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre beginning of February.
17 – Gutenberg! The Musical!
A two-man show starring funnymen Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells as the leads, Gutenberg! The Musical! will leave you clutching your bellies in laughter with this brand-spanking new musical … about an ‘unintentionally hilarious new musical.’
Not their first rodeo together, the pair’s comedic chemistry is undeniable — and part reason why this production is what it is.
A blossoming friendship that began back in 2010 when the two actors starred together for the first time on Broadway for The Book of Mormon, they’ve remained tight pals ever since!
Longing to work together again on a new theatrical farce, it only seemed fitting they chose this very spectacle … about two best friends itching to put on a show together because they love each other “so damn much.”
Okay, there’s a bit more bulk to it; involving a storyline starring Johannes Gutenberg (who invented the printing press). But it’s the magic of life imitating art that really counts with this one, and you can trust the duo to bring the funny to an ordinarily “mundane” topic.
The two-hour performance is directed by Alex Timbers, with the libretto by Scott Brown and Anthony King (who together wrote the musical version, Beetlejuice).
18 – Prayer for the French Republic
Between 1944 and 2016, has really that much changed? This is the question you’re left asking yourself after this thought-provoking production.
Chronicling the lives of a multi-generational Jewish family living in Paris, Prayer for the French Republic is an introspective look into antisemitism through the eyes of one family throughout the different decades.
From the mind of Joshua Harmon (who exploded on the theater scene back in 2012 for his debut play ‘Bad Jews’), the production first premiered off-Broadway, sweeping in the awards for ‘Outstanding Play.’
We arrive in France in the 21st century, meeting the Salomon Benhamou family in their Parisian apartment (where they have lived since the 1940s).
Cousin Molly is visiting from the States when her cousin Daniel (son of Marcelle and Charles) appears with a bloody face after being attacked for wearing a yarmulke. The same recurring question arises; “Are we safe?”
During the three-hour performance, we switch between 1944 and 2016, covering a variety of topics stemming from such actions. It’s not all hard-hitting, and Harmon effortlessly fuses lighthearted commentary and comedy, breaking the sombreness.
Directing the original, David Cromer runs the Broadway show too.
19 – Some Like It Hot!
Film Gurus; the sensational 1959 comedy crime classic Some Like It Hot (starring Marilyn Monroe) has made it to Broadway!
Following the same storyline as the original MGM flick, the book for the musical comedy is written by Matthew López and Amber Ruffin.
Recreating on stage Chicago during Prohibition, this tale is of two musicians who are on the run … in disguise … dressed as women who join a band during the jazz age.
Interesting fact: The original film helped to break social norms in the film industry and weaken the barrier and hold that the Hays Code had then over the industry, which was then abolished altogether in 1969.
This musical comedy features music by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (both Tony Award® winners) and choreographer and Tony Award® winner Casey Nicholaw.
20 – Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Now that you’ve worked your way through that tongue twister…
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch may be a play dripping in delicious words and lyrically satisfying sentences when rolling off of the tongue, but it’s not just the script that steals hearts, rather the message behind the dialogue — which at times, can be a hard pill to swallow.
What’s even crazier is that its underlying message is still applicable to today’s society — 62 years since Ossie Davis’ original play. Ultimately, it’s about the fight for equality in a world where the color of your skin determines your privileges.
Davis took much inspiration for the text from his own experiences growing up as an African American in Georgia. Fast-forward to the 21st century, and the satire is the musical’s first Broadway revival in decades.
Sticking to the original book, simply titled ‘Purlie Victorious,’ we meet reverend Purlie Judson once again, joining him in his fight to win back his church. This time, Purlie is played by Tony Award® winner Leslie Odom, Jr. (Hamilton; Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery), with direction under Kenny Leon.
21 – Appropriate
A befitting title if ever we did see one, Appropriate leaves you with much commentary and plenty of contemplations. As an audience member, you find yourself asking (and deciphering) the parts of this intense family drama in many fragments.
Is the Lafayette siblings’ current behavior appropriate? Was their father’s? Are the consequences of their family’s actions appropriate karma coming back? And are the ghouls and ghosts of the past acting appropriately?
Making his Broadway debut with this dark family-feuding plot, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins sets the storyline in an Arkansas estate where decades of secrets, slavery and sour grapes are lifted to the surface upon the passing of senior Lafayette.
Leading the dramedy is a star-studded cast! Sarah Paulson (The Glass Menagerie, American Horror Story, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, Ratched) plays the role of the eldest child, Toni.
Bo (Corey Stoll) and Franz (Michael Esper) are her two brothers, and Elle Fanning is cast as River (Franz’s fiancee).
Fighting, ahem, working through the family estate poses more challenges than they’d ever imagined, and it’s Paulson’s chilling performance that shakes your bones.
22 – Kimberly Akimbo
Here’s a prediction: This hilarious tale of a smart, witty and funny teenager from Jersey, NYC — who looks like a 72-year-old lady instead of her real age — dealing with everyday life problems, family crises and multiple personalities around her, Kimberly Akimbo could easily be a smash hit television series too.
Written by Pulitzer Prize winner, David Lindsay-Abaire, the production first debuted on the scene back in 2001 as a play, however, its latest adaption is a full-blown musical.
A few years after it made its first appearance in California, Lindsay-Abaire and Tony Award®-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home, Shrek the Musical) decided on a collab after working together on a prior show, and adapted the playwright’s original book into a musical.
Premiering off-Broadway in 2021 and soaring to fame and popularity, the Broadway showcasing sees the original, full off-Broadway cast in the 2022 performance at the Booth Theatre starring Tony-Award® winner Victoria Clark as Kim, with direction by Jessica Stone.
23 – Harmony
Ever never heard about the six-man group known as The Comedian Harmonists? Don’t worry, that’s the whole inspiration behind Harmony — an original 1997 musical making its first-ever debut on the Broadway scene.
Based on the true story of an all-male German singing sensation, the group catapulted to fame in the 1920s, then suddenly, stopped performing altogether by 1935, never to be spoken about in the fame books again.
Appearing in motion pictures, playing sold-out concerts worldwide and selling millions of records, what happened to the Harmonists, and why did they abruptly vanish from the international music scene?
You’re about to find out in its revival on Broadway, this time directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. It sticks to the initial score by Barry Manilow, with the book and lyrics by Bruce Sussman, and the two are long-time collaborators.
Sussman won the Drama Desk Award for ‘Outstanding Book of a Musical’ for his work of Harmony in 2022.
The cast comprises Chip Zien, Zal Owen, Sean Bell, Danny Kornfeld, Eric Peters, Blake Roman, Steven Telsey, Sierra Boggess, Julie Benko, Andrew O’Shanick and Allison Semmes.
24 – Days of Wine and Roses
Flashbacking to an era when board games were a nightly ritual, wealth was on the rise and Barbie made her worldwide debut, Days of Wine and Roses is set in 1950s America, and is rather a tragic love story.
Following the lives of a newlywed couple, Kirsten Arnesen (played by Kelli O’Hara) and Joe Clay (Brian d’Arcy James) fall in love during the Golden Era.
Seemingly leading a glamorous life in New York, their marriage begins to crumble after odd nightcaps turn into a full-time activity. They’re trying to start a family, Joe convinces Kirsten to join him in drinking and once both can’t live without one, it all goes awry from there.
This new musical is making its first appearance on Broadway! Craig Lucas adapted the book from JP Miller’s 1959 teleplay of the same title. (This was also made into a film a few years later in 1962.)
Now showcasing at Studio 54, if you’re searching for a good old-fashioned gripping (somewhat heart-breaking) classic, this could be right up your alley.
Directing is Michael Grief (Rent, Dear Evan Hansen, Warpaint) with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel.
25 – Merrily We Roll Along
With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a star-studded cast of ridiculously talented actors both on and off the stage and screen (Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez), Merrily We Roll Along’s 2023 revival is anything but boring and is everything you dream of from a world-class play — the kind that reminds you so much why you simply love the theater!
(Plus, it’s ultimately the chance to relive a potent celebration of some of Sondheim’s greatest works — he is, after all, considered a father of 20th-century musical theater, composing his last until his final days in 2021.)
When the play first debuted in 1934, it was considered “ahead of the times” with no storylines like Momento, (500) Days of Summer or Betrayal for inspiration. It wasn’t until 1981 that Sondheim and George Furth (who compiled the book) converted it into a hit musical.
Based on the original play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, this version is directed by Maria Friedman.
Acted out and explored in reverse chronological time frames, follow three childhood friends over the course of 20 years of friendship, except it starts when they’re adults — and one is a big-shot Hollywood producer — and ends with them as youngsters again.
One of the reasons why audiences have loved this play for the longest of times is because of its relatability.
26 – A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical
“The music is key. It has the power to transport you. I go from being a slightly insecure, shy kind of a person offstage, to this super-confident, motivated, entity onstage. I don’t know who he is.” – Neil Diamond in a 2001 interview with the LA Times.
If you grew up listening to Neil Diamond, or you grew up listening to your parents listening to the legend, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical is going to pull on all those heart (guitar) strings — leaving you with all the nostalgic feels!
Recounting the American singer-songwriter’s insanely successful global career and who shot to fame in the mid-1960s, the Broadway musical also takes an introspective look into the life of the famed musician and icon.
Not only inaugurated into the Rock and Roll and Songwriters Halls of Fame, Diamond has won multiple Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Grammy.
Already a fan movie based on the singer for which he appeared, he joked about one day making a musical about his career.
The Broadway production opened in December after a successful off-Broadway run in Boston a few months earlier, and stars Will Swenson as Neil Diamond. It’s written by Anthony McCarten, choreographed by Steven Hoggett and with Michael Mayer as director.
And don’t worry, all the favorites are in there like ‘Sweet Caroline,’ ‘America’ and ‘Cracklin’ Rosie.’
27 – Spamalot
What’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word “spam?” Is it inundated emails? Online trolls? Advertisers? Or canned meat?
For long-time die-hard Monty Python fans, though, the first and only thing you’re thinking, ahem, we mean, singing, is: “We eat ham and jam and spam a lot. We’re Knights of the Round Table.” from the cult-classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Hitting stages for the first time circa 2004, the bizarre parody musical is a rip-off of the 1975 fantasy movie (circling the times of King Arthur), which is totally ironic… One parody mimicking another, but absolutely fitting for a Monty Python-centric extravaganza.
Ridiculous and utterly hilarious, expect armories of laughter from the Tony Award®-winning musical — quintessential Monty Python style! Sticking to its original score by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, Josh Rhodes leads as director.
The cast themselves are full of funny bones. Travel back in time with James Monroe Iglehart (King Arthur), Christopher Fitzgerald (Patsy), Taran Killam (Lancelot), Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Lady of the Lake), Ethan Slater (The Historian and Prince Herbert), Jimmy Smagula (Sir Bedevere), Michael Urie (Sir Robin) and Nik Walker (Sir Galahad).
28 – Doubt
What would you do if your morals were tested and everything you believed and stood for was shaken to the core? You’re about to find out in this season’s Broadway reboot of Doubt: A Parable.
Based on the original John Patrick Shanley play (appearing on Broadway for the first time in 2005 and later converted into the 2008 multiple Oscar-nominated film starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman), it’s one of those pieces that’s been staged across global nations.
It’s 1964 and most of the drama unfolds within the fictional St. Nicholas Church School in the Bronx, New York.
The school’s principal, Sister Aloysius, is posed with a serious situation when it comes to her attention that one of the students might be in trouble when the church’s priest, Father Flynn is accused of inappropriate conduct.
A perfect revival of Shanley’s drama, nearly 20 years later and the script and plot are kept intact — for any theater nerds. This time, however, the stage play is directed by Scott Ellis.
Six-time Emmy winner Tyne Daly (Cagney and Lacey, Judging Amy, Gypsy, The Seagull) leads as Sister Aloysius and Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan, Spotlight, Othello, Macbeth) plays the role of Father Flynn.
29 – Sweeney Todd
A long-time classic is set to make its return to the Broadway stage once more. Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for Sweeney Todd — a crowd-favorite thriller based on the original 1973 play; Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
With a few revivals of the show over the years, including a movie, this latest rendition of the infamous manic barber seeking revenge stars Grammy-award winner Josh Groban as Benjamin Barker and Tony-Award® winner, Annaleigh Ashford as Mrs. Lovett.
Whilst the first play to ever feature the character Sweeney Todd (released in 1846 and titled ‘The String of Pearls’) was considered a penny dreadful, the 2023 Broadway has been imagined as the opposite in terms of production.
Don’t worry, it’s still as horror-filled and gory as ever!
Directed by Thomas Kail and with choreography by Steven Hoggett, a 26-piece orchestra is part of this grand production, providing those perfect moments of melodrama and melancholy that Sweeney Todd is so well-known (and revered) for.
30 – How to Dance in Ohio
Uplifting, inspiring, moving … If this sounds like your cup of musical tea, How to Dance in Ohio will have your bodies shaking and grooving and your hearts singing and swinging after witnessing this soul-touching production!
Inspired and based on the award-winning HBO documentary of this same title, this fresh new musical is something all members of the family will appreciate!
The original documentary follows the lives of seven young autistic adults over 12 weeks as they prepare for their spring formal dance — while simultaneously navigating life and love, the ups and downs.
Based on this heartfelt true story, the book and lyrics are by Rebekah Greer Melocik, music is by Jacob Yandura and Mayte Natalio charges choreography. The musical’s cast is played by seven ASD actors.
We join a group of seven autistic people at a Columbus counseling center in Ohio, all getting ready for their dance, learning and practicing social skills with their group counselor.
Dance, laugh, cry and feel the power of music.
Final thoughts
From musicals to melodramas, a night out on Broadway never disappoints, and leaves audience members enthralled in the story, or captured in some sort of way — it just depends on your personal show preferences.
Witness some of your favorite Broadway stars on stage, as well as familiar celeb faces making their debut.
Don’t forget to regularly check out this list for an updated review of the best Broadway shows to see right now!
Made your choice? Book your Broadway tickets, sit back, relax and enjoy an evening of magic!