Tumultuous crowds gather as the lights dim inside the theatre; the show is about to begin. Dancers and singers rush the stage to deliver a performance that’s destined to be engraved in any mind that sees it. Broadway, often accused of being lame or weird, has more in store than it may appear to. Many have passed off Broadway as strange, and this may be because they don’t understand its appeal, but not understanding something is not an acceptable reason to ridicule it. In case you were wondering, Broadway offers multitudinous paths of joy, light, and laughter, and if you venture into the path, you’ll find things you never expected to see.

If you identify as one of the many people who don’t understand Broadway, and if you wish to learn what the so-called “hype” is surrounding it, have no fear, I am here to help. I have compiled a list of shows that demonstrate how appreciable Broadway is and serve as an easy path you can follow to understand it. These shows, I feel, will allow you to get your feet wet in the waters of theatre and get a taste of its admirable qualities.

Disclaimer: Some of the best shows, in my opinion, aren’t listed here because I’ve found that these ones are a good place to start as they have simple storylines accompanied by magnetic orchestrations. This list is only musicals because the best Broadway plays to see are  an entirely different discussion. Also, I only credit the people who created the stories that the musicals are based on and the lyricists. There are many other people involved in making these shows as great as they are.

1. Wicked by Winnie Holzman and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

“It’s just life, so keep dancing through.” This is one of the many valuable lessons you learn when you attend Wicked on Broadway. Wicked is an adventure full of plot twists, teary eyes, and green stuff. The all-too-well known story of the wicked witch is retold through a first-person point of view (it alternates back and forth between the two witches). Audiences learn how the wicked witch of the west earned her acclaimed title and how The Wizard of Oz spun it out of proportion. Wicked first premiered at the Gershwin Theatre in 2003 and last year celebrated its twenty-year anniversary, making it the 4^th longest running show in Broadway history. There is nothing more to say for this one other than it’s a classic; I would go as far as to call it the Godfather of modern Broadway. You are sure to leave the show with songs stuck in your head.

2. West Side Story by Arthur Laurents and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

   

“I like to be in America.” One of Stephen Sondheim’s greatest creations, West Side Story is a tale of two star-crossed lovers: Maria, a Puerto Rican, and Tony, an American . Much like Romeo and Juliet, Maria and Tony come from rival gangs and are forbidden to be together—thus the basis of their love’s appeal. You really can’t go wrong with a classic enemies-to-lovers trope, can you? If you agree, this one is for you. The soundtrack is lively, the dancing is infectious, and the lyrics are genius. This musical is very easy to follow and will pull at your heartstrings until they’re raw. Sadly, it is no longer playing on Broadway, but the cast recording is available wherever you stream music and there are multiple film adaptations.

3. Catch Me If You Can by Terrence McNally and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman

“Just make butter out of cream.” I would put this at the top of my list, but I’m trying to think about what other people may admire in a show than what I do. Catch Me If You Can, based on the 2002 film of the same name, is a perfect mix of jazz, satire, and dance you surely don’t want to miss. The show follows a man named Frank whose greatest desire in life is to be successful—even if he must commit numerous amounts of fraud to do so. This musical examines the twisted mind of a con man and the moral scruples of a police officer. With two Broadway gems, Aaron Tveit and Norbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You Can will have you sympathizing with people you’d typically abhor, and abhorring those you’d typically admire; it’s all in the way the story is spun. You can no longer catch this one on Broadway, but the cast recording is available wherever you stream music. I will recommend this one until I’m cold in my grave.

Here is a link to some highlights of Aaron Tveit’s performance as Frank in Catch Me If You Can (2011): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqqeCZoZdiA

4. Dear Evan Hansen by Steven Levenson and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

   

“I’ve learned to slam on the break before I even turn the key.” An inside look at the vulnerability of teenagers coping with loss, Dear Evan Hansen is about a high school senior who struggles with social anxiety. The story starts when Evan’s therapist tasks him to write letters to himself about the good things in life. The audience is then taken on a journey of friendship, loss, love, heartbreak, and healing. This show is sure to be popular with the youth dynamic as it explores young love and mental health. The show does contain topics that I feel require trigger warnings, such as suicide, so I would proceed with caution on this one. Nonetheless, the ballads of this show are soaring and quite catchy—they have a more modern, pop style than classical. This show is no longer playing on Broadway, but the cast album is available wherever you stream music and there is a film adaptation.

H ere is a link to Ben Platt, who plays Evan, singing “Waving Through a Window” at the 2017 Tony Awards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CC2818ahEw

5. Moulin Rouge! by John Logan and Baz Luhrmann and lyrics by various artists

“All you need is love.” Moulin Rouge is an excellent example of a jukebox musical—a show where all the music is sampled from tunes that already exist. Although the appeal of jukebox musicals can be controversial, this show would be a great first for newbies because audiences can enter without any prior knowledge and still know the music; sometimes a good way to feel part of the Broadway crowd is knowing the music. Moulin Rouge follows an American songwriter who moves to France and falls in love with a woman who sells herself. Simple, but effective. Songs in the show include “Material Girl” by Madonna, “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele and “Your Song” by Elton John. There are also classical pieces embedded such as “La vie en rose ” and pieces from Carmen and Orpheus in the Underworld. This “spectacle of savagery” is currently playing at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre and is a great reminder of why we shouldn’t take the amiable people in our life for granted. Additionally, t his one is credited for its dance numbers and stage lighting, if that intrigues you.

6. Newsies by Harvey Fierstein and lyrics by Jack Feldman

“I’m the king of New York.”  Large groups of pirouetting men—what more could you want? If

you like the sound of that, plus the art of news publication and politics, then Newsies is for you. This show takes place in the grungy parts of New York City and follows a Goliath newspaper company threatened by struggling David paperboys  . This one is full of power ballads and provides useful insight into the world of media journalism—there’s also a dance break every ten minutes. This one is simple to follow and is full of big scenes with lots of people on stage. Newsies is no longer playing on Broadway, but the cast album is available wherever you stream music and a live recording of it is available on Disney+.

Here is a link to Jeremy Jordan’s performance of, in my opinion, the best song in the Newsies show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CC2818ahEw

7. Sweeney Todd by Hugh Wheeler and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

“All good things come to those who can wait.” There’s no place like London, is there? Well, there’s certainly no place like Mrs. Lovett’s meat pie shop that doubles as a barber shop where people go to meet their makers. Sweeney Todd tells the tale of a barber who was exiled from London years ago but returns for vengeance on the man who sent him away. The barber teams up with the energetic, slippery, Mrs. Lovett who sells meat pies. Together, they make profit through secretly chopping people up and putting them into meat pies. Yep, you read that correctly, no need to revisit it. A tale of mischief, gore, satire, and innuendoes, Sweeney Todd will have you clutching your chest from laughter one moment to reaching for the tissues the next. Although this is one of my all-time favorites, I put this one further down the list simply because people have a hard time accepting the plot, which I understand. This is a darker one, what with all its talk of cannibalism and infidelity, but it’s worth it. The catchy lyrics and quick remarks mixed with the love story hidden beneath the blood is like nothing else on Broadway. This show first debuted on Broadway in 1979, but the version currently showing is a revival (a new recording with a different cast). The revival of this extraordinary show is currently at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre—but will be closing in May—and the original cast recording is available wherever you stream music, as is the revival cast recording.

8. Next To Normal by Brian Yorkey and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt

“ If you won’t grieve me, you won’t leave me behind.” This musical includes more vulnerable topics and a sizeable amount of suggestive

dialogue. Next To Normal features a mother struggling with bipolar disorder and the death of her son. It’s as heartbreaking as it is beautiful. Shows like these demonstrate the variety of Broadway and welcome so many new people to come and enjoy the show. I believe shows that highlight less family-friendly, happy-go-lucky, topics can provide incredible insight on crucial topics such as mental health and allow audiences to connect with the art of theater on a deeper level. This is a tough one to chew on. It takes a selective taste and an empathetic ear to really appreciate it. Though this show is no longer playing on Broadway, the cast album is available wherever you stream music.

H ere is a link to Aaron Tveit’s opening performance of the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em0j_kUFYRw

9. 

   Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber

“ Let your memory lead you.” First and foremost, I would like to say that, as an avid dog person, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Cats operates entirely on music; everything is sung. The cats don’t speak a word—so, obviously, it’s very realistic. Despite what the 2019 film adaptation may suggest, this story is very enjoyable. The cast performs in such a way that you feel you’re being taken along for the ride—you’re one of the cats. Some have considered this one boring—seeing as it’s just about cats being cats—but I disagree. Cats has some of the most touching ballads and is especially enjoyable if you can open your mind to put yourself in the cats’ shoes. This show, unfortunately, is no longer playing on Broadway, but there are various cast albums available wherever you stream music.

H ere is a link to Betty Buckley’s rendition of the song “Memory” from the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mlllRdIfqw

10. Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer

“ Do you hear the people sing?” As I stare into the cosmic void, I hear chants from thousands of armed soldiers prepared for battle. A

show full of heart and power ballads, Les Misérables is a classic for countless reasons. The story follows the lives of numerous French people: a slave, an officer, a budding soldier, an orphaned girl, and many more. As infamous as this musical is, I put it at the end of the list because it’s not a simple story to dive right into. The entire show is sung and the plot, although in timeline order, is tough to follow the first time because of how much happens. There are also a few time jumps, which I know can be tough for some. This may require more than one watch but after that, the themes of family, poverty, and patriotism are appreciable to even those who don’t love history (I am one of them). This show is no longer playing on Broadway, but the cast albums are available wherever you stream music. Numerous film adaptations are also available for streaming—I would recommend the 2012 one.

H ere is a link to a performance of various cast members singing a popular song from the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5PzJhU8iI0

Now, there are plenty of other musicals worth seeing/listening to; Hamilton, Something Rotten, Hadestown, Rent, and Heathers are good examples. The ones I’ve listed are, I feel, best for a newcomer looking to learn the ropes of Broadway. In other words, the shows I’ve listed can be absorbed easily and aren’t too long in running time. There are also many plays on Broadway worth seeing, but that’s a different story.

I believe this list will serve well as a guide to a proper introduction of Broadway, but I also think it will alleviate the pressure on topics surrounding theater. If people got to experience what Broadway really is, they wouldn’t be so quick to judge, or pressurize, it. I have first-hand experience with this negligence; people do not take proper action to truly understand the role theater can play in people’s lives. I, for one, felt more comfortable in my skin after learning that people just like me were being told about through stories of song and dance. While I grow up in a society that upholds values that contradict mine, Broadway is my escape. For many people, it’s the crowd they fit in with. I not only believe this ideal needs to be respected but also encouraged. If you follow my list but can’t find a source of comfort in Broadway, at least you had the courage to try. Now you will be better equipped with your own interests and will recognize what you admire and what you don’t.

Musicals and theater are just one example of how people’s lives can be changed through art.  Because the Broadway community has such an upfront message of acceptance, it attracts audiences who need that reassurance. Aaron Tveit said something when accepting his Tony Award in 2021 for Leading Actor in a Musical (Moulin Rouge!) that really stuck with me. He said, “What we do changes people’s hearts. It changes people’s minds.” I really love that he said this because it encapsulates exactly what I’m trying to get across here. Is Broadway for everyone? No. Can Broadway be the light at the end of the tunnel for some people? Absolutely? Should you judge people for getting in touch with their better selves on account of something you don’t agree with? Absolutely not. You don’t have to agree with something to respect it. You have the right to disagree, yes, but you shouldn’t draw accusations based on disagreements.

I hope that learning more about the Broadway experience will change your mind about how you view it. Yes, I know not everyone agrees with it or enjoys it, but it has helped so many people.  At the end of the day, our differences are what make us unique. Think about how boring the world would be if everyone liked all the same things