These shows will go on. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most critically acclaimed, awarded, and popular Broadway musicals ever.
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00:00And the show is...
00:04Kid.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:07And today, we're counting down our picks for the most critically acclaimed, awarded, and popular Broadway musicals ever.
00:13Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya.
00:17Tomorrow, you're always a day away.
00:24Number 20. Cats.
00:26I tell you, a cat is a name that's particular, a name that's peculiar, and more dignified.
00:34This musical deserves a mention for its costume design alone.
00:38Each unique jellicle cat brings their own pizzazz to the stage, dancing intricately to an award-winning and catchy score composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
00:46Though they're all cats, each character has their own individual personality, and their own unique voice.
00:52Even if you're skeptical about a musical with felines, we guarantee you'll get choked up by memory.
00:57You'll understand what happiness is.
01:05As of 2024, Cats claims the spot as the fifth longest-running Broadway show of all time.
01:11But watching these kitties run around never gets old.
01:14Jellicles do cat, jellicles cat.
01:17Jellicles can and jellicles do.
01:19Jellicles cats and jellicles cats.
01:22Jellicles old and jellicles new.
01:24Jellicles song and jellicles dance.
01:27Number 19. The Sound of Music.
01:29Rogers and Hammerstein's biomusical about the von Trapp family singers covers a lot of ground for such a squeaky clean show.
01:48Although the music is lilting and lovely, it takes place amid the rise of Nazism in Europe.
01:53Novice nun Maria is sent to be the governess for a stern Austrian navy man and his seven children.
02:11She instills in the kids a love of music and eventually falls for their father, Captain von Trapp.
02:16The musical became even more famous when it was adapted to film in 1965.
02:21Since then, it's become a favorite of theatergoers across the world.
02:39Number 18. Into the Woods.
02:41The crisp, wit, and beautiful melodies of composer Stephen Sondheim come together to tell this spin on classic fairy tales.
02:56Characters like Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood round out a cast of stock characters trying to find their happily ever afters.
03:03But they'll have to contend with a witch, a big bad wolf, and an angry giant first.
03:11Into the Woods may be inspired by fairy tales, but its themes of loss, grief, and coming of age are anything but fantastical.
03:26Its large cast and ever-relevant content have made it a standard for school productions, and has seen it revived several times since its premiere in the 80s.
03:42And to get what you wish, only just for a moment, these are dangerous words.
03:49Number 17. Fiddler on the Roof.
04:02In the Ukrainian village of Anatevka, traditional and old-fashioned values still rule.
04:11Tradition! Tradition! Tradition! Tradition! Tradition! Tradition!
04:21Tevye the milkman is forced to confront modern ideas of love and marriage when his daughters threaten to buck tradition and wish to choose their own husbands.
04:29Watching him wrestle with his beliefs is just as hilarious as it is heartbreaking.
04:34Ultimately though, it's a show about how precarious life, and a way of life, can be as time goes on.
04:39goes on. Hailed for its incredible choreography and its representation of Jewish culture on
04:44stage, Fiddler on the Roof is a long-standing Broadway classic. Sometimes, it even shows
04:49up in surprising places.
04:5116. Oklahoma
05:12Before Rodgers and Hammerstein's first collaboration, musical theater looked very different. Most
05:17shows were largely fluff, low-stakes, and thin on characterization. Oklahoma started
05:22with a bang. Cowboy Curly McLean's first song is a joyous opener that tells us exactly who
05:28he is.
05:29Oh, what a beautiful morning. Oh, what a beautiful day.
05:38The rest of the musical is a classic story of characters caught up in love triangles,
05:42square dances, and the pleasures of country life. Its large cast and relatively tame plot
05:48contents make it perfect for audiences and performers of all ages. However, recent productions
05:53have taken more risks, including a controversial 2019 Broadway revival that exposes some of
05:58the show's subtext.
06:0715. The Producers
06:23Mel Brooks knew his 1967 comedy would make a great musical, but he needed the right person
06:28for the songs. Then, award-winning composer-slash-lyricist Jerry Herman suggested Brooks write them himself.
06:35It turned out to be the right call. The Producers is an incredibly wacky musical about two Broadway,
06:41well, producers, looking to make a quick fortune on a terrible show of their own.
06:45We can do it. You won't rue it. Say goodbye to petty clerk. I'm producer. Yes, producer.
06:55Its big, bawdy, and tacky numbers take aim at everything from the theater business to
07:00Hitler himself. Box office hit doesn't even begin to cover it. The Producers made bank
07:05and cleaned up at the 2001 Tonys, winning 12 statuettes, a record for the ceremony.
07:2314. My Fair Lady
07:38Julie Andrews' star rose when she became Eliza Doolittle, the Cockney flower girl who was
07:42taken in by the stuffy linguist Professor Henry Higgins. She learns how to speak proper
07:47English and he falls in love.
08:02They spend most of the show softening each other's edges and making some pretty hilarious
08:06blunders along the way. My Fair Lady was an immediate smash with critics and audiences.
08:11Based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, its blend of timeless songs and romantic comedy
08:16also made it ripe for revivals in the years since its premiere.
08:19Not only is this show an amazing, lush, musical delight and beautiful visuals, but it's also
08:27a piece for today.
08:28This piece relates to what's happening in our society and in our culture right now.
08:33In 1964, Audrey Hepburn starred in the well-known film version.
08:3813. Gypsy – A Musical Fable
08:51Inspired by the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the real standout of this quintessential Broadway
08:55musical is her mother, Rose. There's a reason Rose is one of the most sought-after roles.
09:01Her stubborn and fierce determination to make her daughter's stars drives the entire story,
09:06and it also makes one of the most complex musical leads.
09:09For some hum-drum people to be, but some people ain't me.
09:22From Ethel Merman to Patti LuPone, some of the greatest actresses ever to appear on Broadway
09:27have played the matriarch. With music by Julie Stein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Gypsy
09:31has incredible songs and dramatic weight that puts it miles ahead of many others of
09:37its kind.
09:3812. Hairspray
09:49Based on the 1988 film of the same name, Hairspray is a story about overcoming societal expectations,
10:09as well as confronting racism, all the while delivered through optimistic and energetic
10:14song and dance. With lovable characters left and right, infectious musical numbers, as
10:19well as poignant statements about acceptance, Hairspray has something for absolutely everyone.
10:34From the opening number, Good Morning Baltimore, the audience is transported to a changing
10:38world in the early 60s, and by the time the musical ends, you'd better believe you can't
10:44stop the beat.
10:5811. Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
11:17Stephen Sondheim's gothic horror comedy about a vengeful barber and a deranged pie maker
11:22set a new standard for weirdness on the Broadway stage. Sweeney Todd returns to London after
11:27years in prison to settle an old score. Mrs. Lovett is in need of something to make her
11:31pies more appetizing.
11:42They come up with a novel solution that you have to see to believe. Haunting, darkly funny,
11:47and beautifully written, Sweeney Todd has captivated audiences across the world since
11:52its 1979 Broadway premiere. It has since added several successful revivals and a movie
12:08adaptation to its name.
12:2110. Rent
12:26Taking on just about every controversial topic under the sun, Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer
12:31Prize-winning Rent tackles the difficult subject of living under the shadow of HIV-AIDS. Following
12:37a ragtag group of starving artists, the stories of their relationships and their ideas on
12:41life and mortality are beautifully told through song — sometimes with hope and optimism,
12:46and others with depression and a sense of defeat. With subject matter like sexuality,
13:03being unhoused, substance use, and death, this show is not for the faint of heart. But
13:08for those who open themselves up, they might just start to measure their lives in love.
13:129. A Chorus Line
13:40At one time, it was the longest-running production on Broadway. A Chorus Line is the thrilling
13:45but depressing story of a group of dancers vying for limited spots in a show's chorus.
13:50The stakes couldn't be higher for these performers. As we get to know each one, they
14:06fade into the anonymity of the pack almost as quickly as they make themselves known to us.
14:10With its ensemble structure and look into how the sausage is made,
14:13A Chorus Line was unlike anything audiences had seen before. In fact,
14:17it won nine Tony Awards at the same ceremony where the original production of Chicago was
14:22among the nominees.
14:238. Wicked
14:53We all think we know the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, but have we ever stopped to
14:57listen to her side? Wicked recounts the friendship that blossoms between Elphaba and Galinda,
15:02before they became the Wicked and Good Witch respectively. The songs composed by legend
15:17Stephen Schwartz give depth to characters we all thought we knew, and present a unique
15:22peek into the world of Oz before a certain girl from Kansas came along. With something for both
15:27younger audiences as well as adults, this musical has already asserted itself as a Broadway staple.
15:337. Hamilton
15:54Hamilton proves that theater is anything but dead. The musical, with music, lyrics,
15:59and book by Lin-Manuel Miranda, hit Broadway in 2015 and was met with universal acclaim.
16:05It gives a unique slant to the story of one of America's original — but forgotten — founding
16:10fathers, Alexander Hamilton, by featuring a mash-up of musical influences ranging from
16:15musical theater to hip-hop. The high-energy production
16:29showcases an inclusive and diverse cast to contrast the historical figures that they portray,
16:34and speak to what the America of the 21st century actually looks like.
16:38Even though it's a younger show, Hamilton shows no sign of throwing away its shot.
16:436. Cabaret
17:02A writer and a nightclub singer meet at the Kit-Kat Club, a seedy cabaret presided over
17:06by the mysterious master of ceremonies. What follows is a dizzying descent into
17:11immorality and fascism in Berlin, set to some of the best show tunes ever written.
17:16Come hear the music play. Life is a cabaret, old chum. Come to the cabaret.
17:30John Kander and Fred Ebb's immortal show first transported audiences back in 1966.
17:35Songs have been added, and whole subplots dropped since that first production,
17:39and the overall aesthetic of the show has changed to reflect the times.
17:43However, the story still has the power to horrify and dazzle in equal measure.
17:475. The Lion King
18:04Even though the task of bringing beloved animated stories to the real-life stage is daunting — like
18:21when they first adapted Beauty and the Beast — Disney somehow finds a way to do it well.
18:26The Lion King, a theatrical adaptation of the classic 1994 film, is no different.
18:31It's one of the longest-running and well-liked shows Broadway has ever presented.
18:50It features dramatic choreography and graceful performances by dancers,
18:54as well as impressive puppetry to bring life to the animals.
18:57The amount of musical and physical talent crammed into this production
19:01makes it a favorite of both the young and young at heart.
19:04There's virtual reality and automation and CG and very simple storytelling with puppets of
19:13strings and just very simple mechanisms. It just has magic and still resonates with people.
19:184. Les Miserables
19:21A stirring tale of courage, war, and moral strength, Les Miserables was inspired by
19:31Victor Hugo's novel of the same name. Set against the backdrop of France on the verge of rebellion,
19:37Jean Valjean, or Prisoner 24601, escapes the watchful eye of Inspector Javert
19:42and makes a better life for himself by taking in Cosette, the daughter of Fantine.
19:46As the narrative unfolds over years, love blossoms and patriotism grows,
19:51keeping audiences spellbound the entire time.
20:10With action, romance, and drama, Les Mis has something for every theater-goer.
20:163. West Side Story
20:42This modern-day Romeo and Juliet story marked a turning point in theater.
20:46The beginning of legend Stephen Sondheim's Broadway career, West Side Story could have
20:50been all too predictable for audiences if not for the iconic musical motifs like I Feel Pretty,
20:56America, and Maria. With the Jets pitted against the Sharks, tensions are high throughout the
21:15performance as the characters of Tony and Maria fall in love. West Side Story manages to cram in
21:33social commentary on gang warfare, violence, and murder with passionate music and sharp
21:38choreography. The musical's end, however, is nothing short of heart-wrenching.
21:432. Chicago
21:57Based on the true stories of accused Chicago murderesses in the Roaring Twenties,
22:02Chicago is one of Broadway's longest-running shows. Filled with murder and manipulation,
22:07the narrative of Roxy Hart and Velma Kelly desperately grasping and competing for fame
22:12is an enduring classic. The musical has notably taken home a Tony for Best Revival,
22:26as well as a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album, and for good reason.
22:31Chicago has a whole lot of glitz, blood, and all that jazz.
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23:001. The Phantom of the Opera
23:16How could we not mention the longest-running Broadway show of all time?
23:19With nearly 14,000 performances, Andrew Lloyd Webber's story of love,
23:24kidnapping, and murder has been captivating audiences for decades.
23:31Dark, dreamy, and mysterious, the haunting melodies performed by the cast,
23:47as well as the awe-inspiring set design, keep the performance locked into the Broadway halls
23:52of fame. Regardless of how much time passes, this classic tale doesn't ever lose relevance,
23:57a fact critics and theatergoers are more than happy to hear.
24:11Did your favorite musical make the list? Tell us in the comments.
24:15I believe that God has a plan for all of us. I believe that plan involves me getting my own planet.
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