If you know me, you know that nothing gets me more excited than a stage full of performers performing a story. I have been a musical theater fan my entire life, so I cannot pinpoint the exact moment I became enamored with what I love to practice, learn, and write about. Maybe it was my first theater summer camp where I played the junior version of Golde in Fiddler on the Roof. Maybe it was the first time I saw the Wicked national tour in my hometown, finding something that made my young and frantic self sit down and pay attention to for two hours. All I know is that I have never not been passionate about the stage and what it can do for me. With my writing, something that I have discovered recently could serve this obsession with me. I hope to show people why and how much I love theater. I think and hope maybe one day I could be the reason someone listens to a show that will also change their life forever. I wanted to jumpstart that idea with this list today, not only showcasing my five favorite shows, but shows that have the potential to attract newcomers and welcome them into the world of musical theater. These are just the beginning of the show that never leaves my head.
1. Falsettos
I have never had a story move me as much as this one does. The craziest thing is that I have nothing in common with the characters in this story: they are a Jewish, blended, and an unconventional family living in the center of the cultural movement in the 80s in New York City. However, their personalities, arcs, and perspectives are so vivid that I can’t help but feel every emotion they are feeling. The story follows a traditional nuclear family: Trina and Marvin with their son Jason, however broken apart by Marvin who runs away with his secret gay lover, Whizzer. Other characters such as Mendel and the lesbians from next door also add love and life to the story of the blended family. The story explores the concepts of love, loss, and heartbreak within the world of toxic masculinity in may forms, while also tying in the AIDs crisis into the unique perspective of a nontraditional finding their footing while dealing with the troughs of life.
Favorite song: “This Had Better Come to a Stop.” This song explains all of the inner turmoil intertwined between every character in the musical in such an angry and chaotic way, but is also deeply emotional and allows you to truly see every perspective in a way that doesn’t put one character’s perspective over the other.
Favorite character: Mendel. I may be biased because I see myself in Mendel. He is a natural worrier who prides himself on his own opinions and falls deeply in love without even realizing he did so. He adds humor when the show desperately needs it, and also adds to the toxic masculinity aspect, yet making it human and charming.
2. Hadestown
This show is technically perfect. I fell in love with this one in the old fashioned way: listening to the cast recording and reading the synopsis on Wikipedia along with it. I had never been one to fall for the trap of Greek mythology, but I folded for this one. This is the story of the lovers Eurydice and Orpheus transported into the world of the Industrial Revolution, fighting to keep their love together as the temptation of the rich, but hellhole of Hadestown, ruled by Hades and his eccentric wife Persephone, trap the mortals just looking for an escape from the harsh world. Eurydice folds under the pressure, and it is Orpheus’s, along with the help of Hermes, to bring Eurydice back to the surface. Just like its universe, this story has layers. On the surface, the story speaks on unconditional love and the plight of the working class. However, as you peel back the layers it discusses the depth of humans’ deep-seeded distrust, insecurity, and doubt within ourselves and how poverty spearheads the manipulation of others for personal gain. I have also never seen a show that uses such poignant use of lighting and stage direction to tell a story, blowing me away with both talent of actors and stage/direction crew, something that is necessary to notice so heavily on Broadway.
Favorite song: “All I’ve Ever Known.” It is so incredibly difficult to pick the best song from this musical, but I have to go with the song that has haunted me from the minute I first listened to it. This song encapsulates love in the most human form: something that is scary, yet inevitable when the right person is in front of you. Eurydice explains what it’s like to be by herself until she finally finds someone to share her life with, wanting to unconditionally keep this person by her side, which is a theme throughout, ending in many scenes of both sadness and hope. This song pulls the heartstrings in all the right places and honestly I want it at my wedding, so my future partner better be a theater nerd.
Favorite character: Hermes. He commands the stage with his numbers and inner narration throughout. While his purpose is to lead us through the story, he brings such heart and personality to the storytelling that it is hard to forget he has zero stakes in the story. Andre de Shields won the well-deserved Tony for this role, creating a cult of personality for the character, meaning this character will forever be known for the acting and performance chops of whoever continues to play it.
3. Songs for a New World
This show is the newest addition to my favorites list, but it holds so much weight for its pure artistry. This musical is unique because it tells separate stories with every song but with the same connected theme of making decisions as individuals. The actors play separate roles throughout the song cycle, but continue their arcs as individuals, showing dynamic change throughout the show, coming to their decisions more fluidly as the show continues on. This show does not follow the usual theater scene, which I find more engaging and interesting than a musical that may have more of a traditional story arc. While the company of this musical is small, it is mighty with talent and the pure art of storytelling.
Favorite song: “Flying Home.” When I first listened to Mykal Kilgore sing this on the cast recording, I was immediately overwhelmed with its power in both Kilgore’s voice and the lyrics behind the voice. It follows a man who has just died, wanting to fly home into his mother’s arms, accepting death as peace, making his decision to go back to where he came from in his last moments. This song is insanely satisfying to belt and emotional to even hear.
Favorite character: Man 1. I may have a preference for any songs that Mykal Kilgore sings, but I am obsessed with his storytelling abilities even in the inflection of his voice along with his stories following religious undertones as well as abandonment, even in the abandonment of life itself. “King of the World” is a close second to the favorite song title because of how much passion he tells the story of being a fallen god trying to find his power again.
4. Hunchback of Notre Dame
There always has to be a Disney insert into a beginner Broadway playlist, and this is the best one by far. While never getting the Broadway run this show deserved with help of the Disney budget, it was the most deserved of attention. This show has the most depth of any kids movie turned into an adult musical. It follows the classic story of Quasimodo stuck in the bell tower under the thumb of his master Frollo while falling in love with the gypsy Esmeralda, on the run until she meets the soldier Phoebus. While the story is a character study on love and worth versus physical worth with Quasimodo, it also transfers universally to all of the characters and the ensemble, pulling the show together in the way the movie could not. All of the characters are charming and create an emotional connection with the audience, down to the ensemble and the choir that hangs over the stage, telling the story along with the leading players. My favorite theme that connected me to this story is the main message in the show that pops up a number of times: What makes a monster and what makes a man?
Favorite song: “Made of Stone.” In my opinion, this song is the emotional climax for Quasimodo. He has been burned so many times by life and even the one person he has ever loved in this moment is proving to him that he should be stone and undeserving of human privileges like his gargoyle friends, because no one treats him human anyways. The pain in this song is felt deeply and I can’t think of a better song that explains hurt and pain in a more descriptive way in the context of this musical.
Favorite character: Frollo. I love a good villain with layers, and this character takes it to another level. He has so many emotional, yet evil moments throughout the show, depicting his as tortured instead of purely malicious. This is the most dynamic villain I have seen in a Disney production while not deserving a redemption arc, but instead providing Quasimodo with a cross to bear: a gilded cage of the one person he has loved being his biggest obstacle.
5. Into the Woods
I had to put a Sondheim on this list because that man deserves all the accolades he can get. This is a fairytale, but it is far from your average storyline. This story utilizes all of the characters and themes of famous bedtime stories, but expands on the meaning of them, even exploring the quintessential players in a one-dimensional story by giving them arcs and showing depth in every character that has been portrayed only one-sided. It gives characters that we know and love a new ending: a human and realistic ending, playing on the idea of what a story should look like. It takes the lessons that children learn from these stories and applies them into the adult world. The main theme that stuck with me is the idea that children are impressionable and will listen to these stories and use the stereotypical tropes and apply them to real life, so we better tell them right.
Favorite song: “Giants in the Sky.” This song scratches a brain itch. It explores the child-like and adventurous psyche of children in the form of storytelling, and the character Jack pulls it off effortlessly. It depicts dreamlike fairy tales, while also emphasizing the power that they have over children.
Favorite character: Witch. The Witch is the most powerful character in the story, showing off layers of villain just like Frollo. Her moments in the show are full of both poise and attitude, as well as insane vocal talent and emotional range. Bernadette Peters originated the role and set it up to be one of the most iconic roles in Broadway history.
I think anyone that made it to the end of this article can tell how passionate and long-winded I can get about musicals. Every show holds its own message and theme we can learn from it. Every show on this list holds immense talent from both performers and those who created the content and acted on the stage. I am in love with theater because it continues to take a life of its own, transforming as it touches the ones around it.