Hello, and welcome back!
Last week we talked about things returning to some sense of normalcy as well as the importance of taking a break. This week, we’re going along with that theme…kind of. We here at MPT love theater, especially musicals. We love getting the opportunity to go see live shows and have both experienced the disappointment of COVID ruining our plans to do just that. It was also recently announced that Broadway is allowed to reopen in September and shows have been starting to announce their new opening dates. Also, theaters in England are reopening as soon as next week!
So, we decided to have some fun and geek out over musicals. So, here are our favorite shows that we’ve seen and the ones we really want to see.
Favorite Musicals We’ve Seen
We’ve seen some pretty amazing shows and it was hard to narrow things down. It should also be mentioned that not all of these are Broadway productions (only Rent). Broadway isn’t the end all be all for theater. Support your local theaters and tour casts and see shows wherever it’s both physically and financially accessible for you to do so.
Amanda’s Picks
Rent
This rock musical loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Boheme was written by Jonathan Larson and premiered in 1996 at the New York Theatre Workshop. It tells the story of a group of friends living in Lower Manhattan in the early 1990’s, struggling to make ends meet and struggling with the AIDS/HIV crisis. The show depicts characters living real experiences and making the most out of life. Through the power of music Larson teaches the audience that love is really the most important part of life and can get you through anything. If you were to ask me what my favorite song is from the show I would say “All of them”. To put into perspective how much I love this show, when the touring production in 2019 I cried as soon as Roger walked on stage; before any words were sung or music was played.
Come From Away
This musical tells the true story of what happened when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, after the attacks on September 11, 2001. The characters in this show are based on, and even share the names of, real residents of Gander, Newfoundland who helped the 7,000 stranded travelers. This show first premiered in 2013 in Ontario and reminds audiences of the capacity of human kindness. The love this show exudes is something we see now, in those who are helping others during the pandemic. It is currently playing on Broadway and is set to return September 21st of this year. Not only will their stage production return in September, but there are plans to release a filmed version of the stage show in September!
Fiddler On the Roof
First premiering in 1964 this show is set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in about 1905. It is based on tales by Sholem Aleichem, including Tevye and his Daughters. The story is about Tevye who is a milkman in Anatevka and tries to balance his changing family dynamics, his religious and cultural traditions, and the cruelty Jews were facing in that time from the Tsar and his officers. The music in this musical is beautiful and tells a magnificent story. The best part has to be the amazing bottle dancing during a wedding. It’s most recently been on tour in the United States and on the West End in England and had an adaptation entirely in Yiddish!
Marissa’s Picks
Newsies
This musical is based on the 1992 movie which is loosely based on the newsboys’ strike of 1899 in New York. Like the actual events, this tells the tale of a group of newsboys in New York who rally together against Newspaper giant Joseph Pulitzer who, along with the other newspaper giants of the time, raised the prices of newspapers. The newsies want their voices to be heard against unfair treatment and band together and go on strike. The show is full of fun songs, incredible dance numbers, and an important message. It teaches us that even though we may be the little guys, we can still stand up for ourselves and make a difference. Also, after wanting to see the show for years, I was able to go see the tour on my birthday which just made it extra special. And yes, I did cry when the music started playing but I quickly pulled myself together so I wouldn’t miss anything.
Six
Six takes the six (ex-)wives of King Henry VIII, brings them to present day, and reimagines them as a pop-group. The show is set up like a concert and we, the audience, are attending their “Divorced, Beheaded, Live!” tour. The queens compete to see who should be the leading lady of the group based on who had it worse with Henry. This fun, lighthearted, and upbeat show gives history a remix and gives a voice to the amazing women our history books often leave behind. This show also embraces diversity and teaches valuable and empowering messages. I was a relatively new fan of the show when I saw it. I had been listening to the soundtrack a bit and got an ad announcing dates for the North America tour and it was coming to my area. I got the tickets on a whim…well I was working at camp so my mom ordered them. We got to see the current Broadway cast (aside from one character) before they were on Broadway which has never happened to me before. I cried as soon as the Queens walked out on stage and proceeded to cry during the entire opening number (which is over five minutes long)…that’s how excited I was.
Pippin
This is a show my mom introduced me to. She bought the original soundtrack on CD and we listened to it all the time in the car. I knew nothing about the plot, only what I could kind of piece together from the songs. It was years later when we were able to go see it on tour with the original Pippin returning to the show to play Pippin’s dad. I went into it not knowing what to expect and was totally floored. I don’t want to give too much away because I want you to be able to have that same experience one day, so here is a brief description. Pippin tells the story of a young man trying to find his place in the world. People expect certain things of him, but he’s not too sure if that is what he really wants. The show follows Pippin as he tries to find his way. I also used a lyric from this musical to decorate my graduation cap when I graduated from college. Pippin is such an underrated, hidden gem of a musical.
Musicals We Want To See
It was difficult for us to narrow down our list of musicals we want to see to only three for each of us. We really just want to see every musical to ever exist. Is that too much to ask?
Amanda’s Picks
Company
On March 12, 2020 I had tickets to see the newly imagined Company on Broadway. Unfortunately, the pandemic ruined those plans and Governor Cuomo shut down Broadway just 5 hours before my show time. Therefore, this show is #1 on my list to see. This Sondheim show first premiered in 1970 and has won six Tony Awards. The show is a “concept musical” and follows a theme rather than a plot. It features several vignettes that are linked by a celebration of the main character Robert’s 35th birthday. Robert is a single man who is unable to commit to a steady relationship and we follow how his feelings about marriage and commitment evolve as he ages. The new production of this show, set to premiere in March 2020, is a gender-bent version with “Bobbie” being played by the talented Katrina Lenk. With previews beginning again on December 20, 2021 I am very excited to try and get tickets again! Fun Fact: since first writing the previous sentence, I have acquired tickets!!
Tick…tick…BOOM!
This show is an autobiographical musical written by Jonathan Larson (are we seeing a theme here?) and tells the story of Jon(athan) struggling to have a career in performing arts. You hear the ticking down of time as Jon approaches his 30th birthday and contemplates the choices he’s made about his career and relationships. He is torn between following his dream of being a composer and finding a steady career that provides job security and the ability to start a family. This show has only ever been Off-Broadway, but that fact only has to do with the size of the theater and not the size of the talent. I hope it is revived soon so I can buy tickets immediately, but the movie adaptation, being directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, that is planned to be released later this year will have to hold me over.
Falsettos
This sung-through musical was written by William Finn and James Lapin and premiered on Broadway in 1992. The two acts of this show, March of the Falsettos being Act I and Falsettoland being Act II, were originally the last two installments of a trio of one-act musicals that premiered Off-Broadway. The story follows Marvin who has recently left his wife to be with his male lover, Whizzer, and has a really hard time keeping his family together. To add fuel to the fire, they are in the midst of planning their son’s Bar Mitzvah. This musical is full of great music and explores Jewish identity, gender roles, and the AIDS epidemic. It was most recently on tour in 2019 and I am hoping it comes back near me in the near future!
Marissa’s Picks
The Addams Family
This is a show I’ve wanted to see for a few years now. It’s the familiar cast of characters with a few new faces. An 18-year-old Wednesday invites her boyfriend Lucas’ family over for dinner so their families can meet. Lucas and his family seem to be the opposite of the macabre Addams, so it comes as a big surprise when Wednesday and Lucas announce their engagement. Shenanigans ensue (including magical potion-induced shenanigans) as both families grapple with this bombshell announcement.
& Juliet
This show is presently only in London, so who knows if I’ll ever get the chance to see it. It reimagines the classic tale of Romeo & Juliet and poses the question, “What if Juliet never died?” The show features music from Max Martin and is just a fun pop explosion! You’ll be dancing in your seat to songs like “I Want It That Way”, “Roar”, and “It’s My Life.” To top it all off, this show has pretty good representation. The cast is all different races and sizes and the characters are different sexualities and gender expressions (Juliet’s best friend is non-binary).
Mean Girls
If you look at my most listened to songs on Spotify from this year and last year, you will find a lot of songs from this show. I was hooked from the moment I first listened to the soundtrack. We even talked about it in one of our early posts last year. This is the musical version of the cult classic film. Speaking of films, the musical will be adapted to film but I don’t believe there’s a release date just yet.
Honorable Mentions
Like we said, it was hard for us to narrow things down so here’s a quick list of even more shows we, collectively, want to see!
- Anastasia
- Beetlejuice
- Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Cinderella
- Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
- Dear Evan Hansen
- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
- Frozen
- Hamilton
- Hadestown
- Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations
- Jagged Little Pill
- Mrs. Doubtfire
- The Prom
- Matilda
- School of Rock
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- In the Heights
- Pretty Woman: The Musical
- Legally Blonde The Musical
- Funny Girl
What are your favorite musicals that you’ve seen? What are the ones that you want to see? Let us know!
Until next time, wear a mask, wash your hands, and listen to some musical theater!
Love,
Amanda & Marissa
P.S.
Enjoy the Moosicals!
