From beloved classics to new award-winning musicals, these shows will complete your holiday trip experience
The Holiday season is around the corner and we are all busy filling up our calendars with family dinners, parties, and vacation trips. For theatre enthusiasts, watching musicals is certainly on your itinerary. The best place to watch them? At the Big Apple, New York City. With 41 theaters showing different plays, Broadway offers a quintessential experience. From classics like the Wicked to something new like Hadestown, this list gives you an idea of which musical to watch with your loved ones.
Hadestown
For enthusiasts of classic Greek mythology, this Tony Award winner of Best Musical in 2019 is a definite watch on your list. The hyperactive musical explores the mythic tales of Orpheus and Eurydice. When the latter unknowingly enters a contract with Hades, Orpheus embarks on a journey into hell and back to bring his lover home. Yet what one may expect as a simple story of music and love takes a contemporary approach. The underworld is a factory town that forces incessant labor of tenants to build a wall around Hades’ city. The character of Eurydice is played by award-winning Filipino actress and singer Eva Noblezada. She shot the lead role of Kim in the Broadway revivals of Miss Saigon in 2014 and 2017. Set with a gorgeous rock score, Hadestown handles modern themes of death, rebirth, and art in a capitalist world.
Dear Evan Hansen
An enduring classic, Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of a high school student with a social anxiety disorder. He fabricated a lie about being close to a classmate who committed suicide. As the lie evolved, Evan is gradually thrust into social relevance while he questions his own conscience. The story tugs at the hearts of anyone who felt or feels out of place, finding their position in life. Tony winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul penned the fast-paced score and incorporated social media elements in the set. These turn the musical into a contemporary and deeply moving story for the wandering souls.
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Moulin Rouge
Set in the Belle Epoque of Paris, Moulin Rouge follows Christian, a young composer who falls for the Moulin Rouge star and cabaret actress Satine. The revolutionary film comes to life in this performance that depicts and explores the world of glamor, romance, and glory. Moulin Rouge combines these and tells the encounters between different classes like the aristocrats and Bohemians. What makes the musical truly spectacular is the lush sensory overload. From the dazzling set and costumes of beaded corsets and dandy tailcoats to the thrilling, off-the-charts energy, this musical is indeed a delightful spectacle.
Hamilton
A modern classic that took the world by storm, this musical delves into the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton. His ambition and determination led him to realize the American Dream. It is an inspiring story of overcoming challenges in a life filled with dramatic turns. Incorporating the hip hop genre in exploring the political mastermind of Hamilton, this musical is significant in this decade and certainly unforgettable.
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The Book of Mormon
Tackling themes of faith and religion in a hysterical and satirical script, the musical’s protagonists Elder Price and Elder Cunningham struggle to convert Ugandan citizens into the Mormon religion. Encountering a population facing poverty, AIDS epidemic, and famine, the two missionaries fight for the salvation of the citizens while dealing with their own doubts, urges, and expectations. A nine-time winner of Tony Awards, The Book of Mormon will have audiences falling for the flawed characters that emphasize their mortality.
Apart from these modern classics and new Broadway Musicals, make your New York trip worthwhile by watching beloved classics. From Wicked to Chicago, to The Phantom of the Opera, these timeless musicals deserve a rewatch. Themes of love, identity, friendship, and sacrifice do not age, especially when laced with complex intricacies like that of Les Misérables. Together with award-winning scores and scripts, these classics have become a musical phenomenon. Everyone, even the yet-to-be-initiated into the theatre scene must watch once in their lifetime.
Photos from Broadway
