If spring brings us playoff hockey, flowers, and warm weather, it also brings us a new crop of Broadway musicals. As original productions and revivals scramble to open before the Tony Award nominations, we are treated to some fantastic new songs, and some reimagined versions of classics. If you’ve become a fan of musical theatre through smash hits like Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen, here are some of the best cast albums from the 2017-2018 theatre season.
1. The Band’s Visit
Available Now
David Yazbek’s new musical hit Broadway at the end of 2017 after a successful Off-Broadway run, and is a contender for the 2018 Best Musical Tony. If you like musicals such as Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen, which don’t sound like “typical Broadway” you might enjoy the beautifully haunting music of The Band’s Visit.
2. Once On This Island
Available Now
If you were a fan of Glee, or any Disney movie from the 90s, you will want to check this one out! Alex Newell, who played Unique on Glee, and Lea Salonga, who provided the singing voice for Princess Jasmine and Mulan, both contribute vocals to this powerhouse cast album! And the Caribbean flair of the songs is perfect music to accompany dreams of summer vacation.
3. Prince of Broadway
Physical and Digital Release April 20
This revue, which played Broadway in fall 2017, is a great introduction to musical theatre for those who want more. Highlighting the work of legendary director Hal Prince, this show features songs from shows like West Side Story, Cabaret, She Loves Me, Fiddler on the Roof, and more, sung by some of today’s stars. You’ll recognize many of these songs, so feel free to sing along!
4. Mean Girls: The Musical
Digital Release: May 18
Physical Release: June 15
Mean Girls is a pop culture classic, and it’s on its way to becoming a classic of the Great White Way as well. Featuring a score by Tina Fey’s husband, and lyrics from Nell Benjamin, this updated adaptation is ready to deliver the girl power. So, grab your squad and give it a listen!
5. Frozen
Release TBA but slated for spring 2018
We just can’t let Frozen go…see what I did there??? About four years after Disney’s animated film took the world by storm, it’s arrived on Broadway! With even more songs from the original song-writing team, we’ll have to see if anything can match the power of “Let It Go.” And while there is no official release date for the cast album, four new songs from the show have been released and can be found on Spotify and iTunes!
Happy listening!