Phantom of the Opera. Wicked. Dear Evan Hansen. We’ve all heard of Broadway musicals. You know, the one with the upbeat music, singing, and dancing? Always giving us that New York City Vibes. At least once in our life, we’ve heard and probably sang at least one song from a Broadway Musical. But unfortunately, not all musicals staged in the theatre can instantly become the next Hamilton, Les Misérables, or The Lion King. With Tony-award winning blockbusters forcing other musicals to gather dust in the shadows, some epic musicals have fallen through the cracks. No matter what the reason may be that these shows haven’t received all the love they deserve, they nevertheless still hold the joy and the spark of musical magic, both for adults, and children alike. Let’s check out below the list of some of the most underappreciated Broadway musicals of all time.
1. Big Fish
Big Fish tells the larger-than-life tale of Edward Bloom, a man who leads an extraordinary life—according to the stories he tells his son, Will. But Will, who is getting married and expecting a child of his own, doesn’t think there’s any truth to the extravagant tales his father tells about meeting witches, kissing mermaids or joining the circus. He doesn’t even believe the story of how his father proposed to his mother, Sandra, in a field full of daffodils. When Edward’s health begins to decline, Will visits his father and tries one last time to find out the truth behind the tall tales. As
Edward and Will’s relationship becomes increasingly strained, Will must decide whether to accept his father’s wild stories as fact or risk losing him completely. For the most part we get a mix of father-son story and spiralling fairytale that never achieves the moment of climaz we look for in a musical. With just the right taste of romance and drama, this has been one of the most underrated musicals of all time. “The score and choreography were beautiful, and Norbert Leo Butz had wonderful chemistry with Bobby Steggert. It was emotional without being saccharine” says Jonathan Mandell, a Broadway musical enthusiast.
2. The Secret Garden
When young Mary Lennox loses her parents to a cholera outbreak in India, she is sent to live with her uncle, hermit Archibald Craven, who lives in an imposing, secluded manor on the British heath. Since her aunt Lily’s death, Mary’s uncle has pushed away his surviving loved ones, leaving his bedridden son, Colin, alone. Sickly Colin, hidden away in the depths of the manner, bears the guilt of his mother’s death on his crippled shoulders. When Mary discovers her Aunt Lily’s hidden
garden, locked shot and overgrown with vines, stubborn Mary is determined to revive the beauty that once was. Surrounded by spirits from the past, who both warn and welcome her, determined Mary begins to peel away the layers of sadness that cover the house and the garden, showing us the power that “one small girl” can have when she “wants things to grow.” Based on the 1911 Victorian classic novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this musical captures the heartfelt magic of the hit novel itself. It may not be as popular as Cats or Chicago, but it still hosts a collection of good music, good storytelling and gorgeous vintage costumes. It also took home “Best Book of a Musical” award back in 1991.
3. Chaplin
We’ve all heard about the quintessential Chaplin. But have we ever wondered who he really is behind the screen? This musical introduces us a creative way of telling his life story. Chaplin the musical is based on the real-life story of Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, the iconic film comic actor, writer, filmmaker, and composer and one of the most important figures in the film industry. This musical is about Charlie’s entire career from his first performance to his ups and downs in life. The show documents the beloved actor’s rise to fame in the silent film industry, his childhood in the
Victorian era and the people who shaped his life. Chaplin tells the touching story of the man who makes the world laugh as his legendary screen persona, the Tramp, but struggles to find happiness in his own life. “The score was interesting, the performances great, costumes were wonderful, story was engrossing” says Jonathan Mandell. While Linda Winer from Newsday says “Rob McClure embodies more than seven decades of Chaplin’s life with a focused, altogether believable mix of gravity and light.” Truly, this was one of the most underrated musicals on Broadway.
4. Jekyll and Hide
If you’ve been to a library and browsed some books there for your SRC, or just for the pleasure of reading, you would find a dusty worn out copy of the book “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hide”. “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide” is a gothic novella written by the exemplary Scottish author, Robert Louis Stevenson and was first published and publicly distributed in 1886. Now, “Jekyll and Hide” is a beautifully crafted musical horror drama that gives life to the classic book as we know it. It is a tale of two men- the passionate and kind Dr. Jekyll; the other, a terrifying psychopath and madman. Dr. Jekyll is a man of science, that he made himself the subject for his own medical experiments without thinking. Thus, he unwantedly unleashed his alter ego, Mr. Hyde. A tale of love and life, battling inner demons, and resolving committed mistakes, this musical proves itself to be deserving on this list.
5. Finding Neverland
From books to movies, I’m pretty much sure we’ve all grown up loving Peter Pan in our hearts.
Originally, Peter Pan was a fictional character from the brilliant mind of the Scottish novelist and playwright, J.M. Barrie. Then, it became a Walt Disney Film in 1983, and became the Peter we all know as free spirited and mischievous, and became one of our vivid childhood memories that we all love. From the books and the movies, comes an underappreciated musical directed by Dianne Paulus. Finding Neverland is the fascinating musical tale that tells the story of how Peter became Pan and follows the breathtaking background story of J.M. Barrie as he summons the courage to follow his own dreams and be the writer he yearns to be. Soon enough, J.M. had his own sons, and was inspired by their imagination and escapades to write the story for original Peter Pan. The New York Times said “It is a show full of magic, excitement, and imagination. Overall, it’s a show not to be missed”.
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