Details: I saw it when it was on Broadway in 2016. You can find the playbill at http://www.playbill.com/production/in-transit-circle-in-the-square-theatre-2016-2017
In Transit is a musical that is performed purely A Capella. There is no background music. Everything is performed by voice. While I enjoyed the show, it did remind me just how much I enjoy live instrumental music.
Details: The original won a bunch of Tony Awards. I saw the 2006 revival version. The playbill can be found at http://www.playbill.com/production/a-chorus-line-gerald-schoenfeld-theatre-vault-0000009540
A Chorus Line is one of those legendary musicals that made a bunch of money, won a bunch of awards, but came out decades ago. I had a chance to watch the 2006 revival a while back and, though some of the subject matter is dated, I really enjoyed it.
Details: There is currently a revival of Miss Saigon on Broadway, but the version I saw originally had Lea Salonga in the lead role. The playbill says that it opened on Broadway in 1991. You can find the playbill for the original Broadway performance here: http://www.playbill.com/production/miss-saigon-broadway-theatre-vault-0000012256
When I think about the show Miss Saigon in the context of the current public and political discourse, it’s hard not to feel some discomfort. Miss Saigon is a musical that gave a lot of Asians a chance to perform on Broadway, a place with few if any roles for that ethnic group. Lea Salonga, now a Broadway legend, was discovered through Miss Saigon. On the other hand, Miss Saigon is your classic “white savior” story that takes place mostly in a whore house and has a lot of scantily clad Asian women running around on stage for a lot of the show.
Details: Won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2008. Opened on Broadway in 2008. You can find the playbill at http://www.playbill.com/production/in-the-heights-richard-rodgers-theatre-vault-0000003064
In the Heights is the musical that first brought Lin Manuel Miranda to fame. It’s an entertaining show, though personally, not my cup of tea. You can see Lin Manuel’s fingerprints all over the show, but it’s no Hamilton.
Details: Nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2016. The playbill for the original Broadway cast can be found at http://www.playbill.com/production/school-of-rock-the-musical-winter-garden-theatre-vault-0000014098. The official site is https://schoolofrockthemusical.com/
School of Rock is a musical based on the movie of the same name. Like Sister Act and Legally Blonde, this is a fairly shallow musical that isn’t great for adults looking for something better than your average musical. This is a good show to bring your family to though.
Details: The playbill can be found at http://www.playbill.com/production/legally-blonde-palace-theatre-vault-0000009139.
Legally Blonde is a musical based on the movie of the same name. If you’re familiar with the source material, you won’t be surprised to hear that this is a lighthearted, if not shallow show that I found surprisingly funny.
Details: Nominated for the Tony Award for best musical in 2011. You can find a playbill for the original Broadway cast http://www.playbill.com/production/sister-act-broadway-theatre-vault-0000013729
Sister Act is a musical based on the movie of the same name. I loved the movie, but I wasn’t really excited to see this show until I saw Patina Miller and the rest of the cast perform on the Tony Awards. They were great. And so I went and watched the show, which was very funny and entertaining, though not groundbreaking in the slightest.
Details: The above trailer does not have Idina Menzel or Kristin Chenoweth, who were the leads in the original Broadway cast. Nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2004. The official site is https://wickedthemusical.com/broadway-tickets/ You can find a playbill for the original Broadway cast at http://www.playbill.com/production/wicked-george-gershwin-theatre-vault-0000011020
In the last couple of years, exemplary Broadway musicals have come out that do not rely on stage effects or armies of dancers and, instead, have relied on the talents of a relatively small cast as well as great music and great writing. While Wicked had two amazing leads in Idina Menzel (Elsa from Frozen) and Kristin Chenoweth, Wicked is a big budget Broadway musical that is good because of its talent as well as its budget.
Details: Won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2007. Official site is https://www.springawakeningthemusical.com/ The playbill for the original Broadway cast can be found at http://www.playbill.com/production/spring-awakening-eugene-oneill-theatre-vault-0000004687
I saw this show years ago and, admittedly, I don’t remember every detail. I watched some clips and read some stuff to help refresh my recollection, but I can’t say that I remember everything. Which says something about how I feel about this musical since I remember a lot about Avenue Q even though it came out before Spring Awakening. While I remember enjoying Spring Awakening and definitely think it deserved the Tony for best musical that year (especially when considering the other nominees), there are some things I didn’t love
Muse Bank 