Over the past few years, I’ve been able to expand my horizons and listen to musicals I may not have been interested in when I first got into theater. With musicals being as versatile as they are, there were bound to be new sounds and experiences that would be enjoyable to hear. I wanted to share a few of my favorite “lesser-known” shows in the hopes that those both new and used to theater can find something fresh to enjoy!
1) Fly by Night
I think I could go on for a million years about Fly by Night. This show is kind of difficult to follow just by the album alone, but the music is so wonderfully written that I don’t even mind. The show is set in 1965 New York during the northeast blackout (multiple states lost power entirely for over 12 hours). It follows two sisters and their individual romances with a sandwich maker, which doesn’t really sound interesting, but the more I listened to the show, the more hooked I got. The music and book are written by Kim Rosenstock, Michael Mitnick, and Will Connolly. Even though this musical never made it past its off-Broadway run, it’s a fun and simple show that has owned a place in my heart for years.
2) The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
This is probably the most well-known of the musicals on this list. Spelling Bee is exactly what it sounds like—it follows the 6 finalists, typically adults playing 12-year-olds, of the Putnam County Spelling Bee. Although this show follows characters that are meant to be children, it doesn’t shy away from occasionally crude humor (see the song My Unfortunate Erection, which is exactly what you think it is). When seen live, audience members are taken on stage to participate in the bee, and once they lose, they are given a juice box and escorted off-stage by the comfort counselor. This is far funnier to see in person, although the songs the comfort counselor gets are fantastic as well. With lyrics by William Finn (who is most commonly known for Falsettos) and a book by Rachel Sheinkin, this show is well-crafted and super fun for any individual looking for an early-2000s musical to bop along to in their free time.
3) In Pieces: A New Musical
Finally, there’s In Pieces: A New Musical. This show isn’t like the previous ones I’ve mentioned as there’s very little plot to follow. Rather, each individual song on the album is its own mini-story. It takes Joey Contreras’ music and fits it into a more theater-appropriate setting, and it’s one of the most beautiful and fun albums I’ve listened to in a long time. Many (if not all) of the songs have to do with romance/friendship, which I’ll admit I’m a sucker for. Because each song is its own story, there’s no real listening order to go by, which I personally enjoy when I’m in a bit of a rush and don’t have the time to sit and listen to a musical from beginning to end. I love In Pieces and would highly recommend it to anyone who’s a bit on the busier end, but would still like to listen to some theatrical tunes. Some honorable mentions are Joe Iconis’ Things to Ruin and Ryan Scott Oliver’s 35MM: A Musical Exhibition, which are similar to In Pieces in their mini-stories being interwoven with each other without having an overarching plot.
There are so many other musicals I could’ve added to this list, but I think the three I mentioned are really good starting points. Although they’re all on the newer end, they all have pretty different vibes and can be listened to at any point. Heavier topics may be mentioned, but nothing is particularly triggering by any means. I think they’re all great for both newer theater fans and those who have been interested in the art for a longer period of time but are looking for some musicals that may not be spoken about as much.