These musicals are ideal for spooky season. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the stage musicals that promise to be creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky. So come up to the lab and see what’s on the slab!
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00:00Why so silent, good messier?
00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the stage musicals that promise to
00:09be creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky. So come up to the lab and see what's on the slab.
00:16I see you shiver with anticipation.
00:23Number 10. Heathers. High school can be a scary place, but Westerburg High is more
00:29murderous than most. The eponymous clique of Heathers rule the school,
00:33until someone starts bumping off the popular kids.
00:36Hi, I'm sorry. Technically, I did not kill Heather Chandler,
00:41but hey, who am I trying to kid, right? I just want my high school to be a nice place.
00:47Homicide, 80s fashion, and teenage chaos prove a killer combination in this black comedy,
00:53which quickly became a cult classic. In 2014, the Heathers musical made its off-Broadway debut,
00:58later transferring to London's West End.
01:01In here, it's beautiful. Let's make this beautiful.
01:09It worked for me.
01:11The dark comedy we love from the film remains perfectly intact, and we're happy to say the
01:15same about the characters, even while they're singing the poppiest of show tunes. The catchy
01:20songs from Laurence O'Keefe and Kevin Murphy keep the energy high despite the heavy subject matter.
01:25Hey, you're Westerberg, tell me what's that sound?
01:29Here comes Westerberg, coming up to shoot you in the ground.
01:34Number nine, Jekyll and Hyde.
01:36Who is this creature that I see?
01:45The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde got the musical treatment in 1990,
01:50over a hundred years after the novella was published. Unsurprisingly, Robert Louis
01:54Stevenson's gothic mystery makes a sinister spectacle.
02:07As Hyde stalks the streets of Victorian London, the audience is treated to some stunning songs
02:12by Frank Wildhorn, Leslie Bricus, and Steve Kewton. Chilling titles such as Murder, Murder,
02:17Lost in the Darkness, and Here's to the Night, conjure up the perfect spooky atmosphere.
02:22The spine-chilling stage show has also been reimagined as a concert version,
02:27and it's rumored that there may be a movie musical in the works.
02:43Number eight, Young Frankenstein.
02:45That's Frankenstein, my name. It's pronounced Frankenstein.
02:51The 1974 horror parody Young Frankenstein was a big success back in the day,
02:55and remains a comedy classic. With its high camp tone and some memorable musical moments,
03:00it seemed destined for a musical adaptation.
03:03Come let's mix where Rockefellers walk with sticks or rumberellas in their midst.
03:13The new Mel Brooks musical, Young Frankenstein, opened on Broadway in 2007.
03:17It follows Victor Frankenstein's grandson, Frederick Frankenstein, or is it Froderick,
03:23a New York doctor who inherits a castle in Transylvania but wants nothing to do with
03:28the family legacy. However, after meeting Igor, the grandchild of Victor's henchmen,
03:32and lab assistant Inga, Frederick is soon tinkering with his grandfather's experiments.
03:37Slapstick, a little smutty, and totally unserious, it's loads of fun,
03:42especially for fans of the film.
03:48Why are you talking?
03:50Number seven, Beetlejuice.
03:52And all you gotta do is say my name three times,
03:55three times in a row, it must be spoken unbroken. Ready?
03:58Yeah.
03:59Okay, go.
04:00Also known as Beetlejuice the musical, the musical, the musical,
04:03this high octane show takes the beloved 80s classic of the same name and dials up the sound
04:08and the spectacle. It's the story of a dead couple and the devious demon they enlist to
04:13chase new inhabitants off their property.
04:15Together we'll exterminate assassins!
04:17The finer points can wait, but first you gotta say my name.
04:20Fake cartwheel.
04:21It's a bizarre and creative comedy horror,
04:24full to bursting with visual effects and quick-fire gags.
04:27And of course, there's the nostalgia factor for fans of the original.
04:30The songs, by Australian singer-songwriter Eddie Perfect, are energetic and witty,
04:35and it's all surprisingly feel-good for a musical that's mostly about death.
04:39So just relax, you'll be fine, drink your $50 wine and take a breath.
04:45Do a show about death.
04:48Number 6.
04:49Carrie the Musical
04:50Poor, praying Carrie, they'll see the new me and they might even say,
04:57Look, it's Carrie!
04:59Based on the book by Stephen King and partly inspired by the movie adaptation,
05:03Carrie the Musical is a cult success all its own,
05:06despite being one of Broadway's most expensive flops.
05:09It may have died the death on its original run,
05:12but it's since gained a passionate fan base
05:14and is a popular production for schools to put on.
05:17See Riverdale.
05:29The high school horror focuses around the unfortunate Carrie White,
05:32who leads a miserable existence until she discovers she has telekinetic powers.
05:36She eventually takes vengeance on her tormentors,
05:39unleashing horror, havoc and bloodshed.
05:42It's a bleak story, with some dramatic songs by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford,
05:46and even more dramatic special effects.
05:54Number 5.
05:56The Addams Family
06:02Originally created by American cartoonist Charles Addams back in 1938,
06:06the Addams Family have haunted our screens since the 60s.
06:09They made their stage debut in 2009 in this musical comedy.
06:21The show is quirky and creepy, with a lot of laughs,
06:25a bit of romance, and all the familiar characters we know and love.
06:28The songs, by Andrew Lippa, are tailored to each family member,
06:32so Gomez's numbers have a Spanish flavor,
06:34Uncle Fester's are in a vaudevillian style,
06:37and Wednesday's music is more contemporary.
06:40Despite lukewarm reviews from critics,
06:42the show was a big success with audiences and has only gotten bigger and better.
06:52Number 4.
06:53Little Shop of Horrors
07:05Before Howard Ashman and Alan Menken brought their songwriting magic to the Disney renaissance,
07:10they teamed up to tell this surreal musical tale.
07:13When shop assistant Seymour Krelborn discovers a new breed of plant,
07:17his luck changes for the better.
07:19Unfortunately, the little plant craves blood, and its appetite is insatiable.
07:35Loosely based on a 60s hammer horror of the same name,
07:40the musical takes inspiration from rock and roll and Motown to create its sound.
07:45From the catchy opener,
07:46to musical theater classics like Suddenly Seymour and Somewhere That's Green,
07:50it's the songs that really make the show.
07:52That, and Oren the dastardly dentist.
08:05It's swell though they tell me I'm maladjusted.
08:09Number 3.
08:10The Phantom of the Opera
08:11Based on the novel by Gaston Leroux,
08:13The Phantom of the Opera is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's best loved musicals.
08:17Brimming with melodrama and spectacle,
08:20this atmospheric show has delighted and terrified audiences for decades.
08:34Disaster beyond your imagination will occur.
08:39The setting is the Paris Opera House,
08:41where soprano Christine Daae comes to the attention of the so-called opera ghost,
08:45who whisks her away to his lair.
08:47The eponymous phantom makes a compelling yet creepy antihero,
08:51and Lloyd Webber's music takes the spine-chilling story to another level.
09:05The title track is iconic,
09:07and the lavish period costumes add to the fabulous gothic vibe.
09:11It's a great piece of theater, and also a lot of fun.
09:22Number 2.
09:23Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
09:35This macabre musical made its Broadway debut in 1979,
09:47bagging eight Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical.
09:50The character of Fleet Street's Demon Barber first appeared in serial form
09:54in a popular Victorian penny dreadful.
09:56Sweeney Todd has captured the public's imagination ever since.
10:05The grisly tale follows Todd and the widow Mrs. Lovett,
10:10who bake some rather undesirable meat into pies
10:13and flog their wares to the good people of London.
10:15The musical also gives Todd a dark backstory that helps explain his wicked ways.
10:20With songs by Stephen Sondheim and a quirky operatic style,
10:24it's a uniquely sinister show that will have you gripped.
10:35Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:48American Psycho. Patrick Bateman gets his musical debut.
10:59Ride the Cyclone.
11:01It's death by rollercoaster for these teens, who must sing for their chance to live again.
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11:29Number 1.
11:30The Rocky Horror Show. A loving send-up of sci-fi and horror B-movies,
11:34The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a Halloween staple and a cult classic.
11:39Both the book and the songs were written by Richard O'Brien,
11:42who also stars in the movie version as Riff Raff.
11:45This chaotic show tells the story of Brad and Janet, two young squares who stumble upon the
11:50secret lab of the mad scientist, the fabulous Dr. Frankenfurter.
11:54Tim Curry originated the role of Frank on stage and also gave an iconic performance
11:59in the movie adaptation.
12:00The movie's main character, Dr. Frankenfurter, is a young man who is
12:03obsessed with science. He's obsessed with science, and he's obsessed with science.
12:07He's obsessed with science, and he's obsessed with science, and he's obsessed with science.
12:11Rocky Horror became well-known for its culture of audience participation,
12:14its signature dance, the Time Warp, and its celebration of sexuality and gender non-conformity.
12:20But mostly, it's just a lot of fun.
12:23Which scary story do you think would make a great stage musical?
12:26Let us know in the comments.
12:53Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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