Top 100 Musicals

Top 100 Greatest Musicals Poll – Number 10 – Hairspray

Features, Hairspray the musical, News
The cast of NBC's hairspray Live

Based on the 1988John Waters film of the same name, Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman and book by Thomas Meehan and Mark O’Donnell. The original production was directed by Jack O’Brien and choreography by Jerry Mitchell. Hairspray is the story of Tracy Turnblad, a plus-size teen who dreams of dancing on a local networks tv teen show. Tracy becomes a celebrity overnight when she wins a role on the Corny Collins show, and using her celebrity seeks to integrate the show. Hairspray exploded onto Broadway on 15 August 2002 starring Harvey Fierstein where it ran for 2,642 performances closing on January 4, 2009. The show was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards winning eight including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score. When the show opened in London with Michael Ball in the role of Edna it received eleven Olivier … Read more

Top 100 Greatest Musical Results: 20-11

Features, News
Vote for the 100 greatest musicals of all time

20. Jesus Christ Superstar Jesus Christ Superstar was the second work from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Superstar began life as a rock opera in double concept album form. Looking at the last days of Jesus Christ from the viewpoint of Judas Iscariot, the rock operas route to the stage was never assured but a concert staging in front of 13,000 in Pittsburgh paved the way for a Broadway staging that opened in October 1971. Jesus Christ Superstar arrived at the palace Theatre London in 1972 where it remained for eight years. The show has since played around the world continually since that time most recently winning a 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival. Book tickets for Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre 19. Cats One of the most unlikely musicals ever to reach the stage, Cats was the brainchild of Andrew Lloyd Webber who … Read more

Top 100 Greatest Musicals Results: 40 – 31

Features, News, Video, West End
Top 100 Musicals of All Time Poll Results

We’re almost done with this massive project to identify the Top 100 Greatest Musicals as judged by our readers and musical theatre fans around the world. In this latest instalment Alan Menken, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Kander and Ebb all make repeat appearances. Don’t forget to let us know your thoughts on the results. 40. Little Shop Of Horrors Long before Alan Menken became Mr Disney, he and writer Howard Ashman wrote an Off-Broadway musical that over the years has become one of the world’s favourites. Little Shop Of Horrors was based on the 1960 low budget black comedy that starred a young Jack Nicholson. Premiering Off Off Broadway, then moving to Off Broadway, the show ran for five years before moving to London and Sydney amongst other locations. Frank Oz of The Muppets fame made a great movie adaptation of the film bowing to studio pressure … Read more

Top 100 Greatest Musicals Results: 90 – 81

Features, News
Top 100 Musicals of All Time Poll Results

Welcome to our second instalment of votes from our Top 100 Greatest Musicals of all time poll. There are a few new entries and some bona fide classics in this part of the list. Congratulations to all those who are listed in our roll call of truly great musicals. Did your favourites make the Top 100? Don’t forget to let us know your thoughts in the Comments section below. 90. Sweet Charity One of the first Fellini movies to be adapted as a musical, Sweet Charity brought together some of the greatest musical theatre talent of all time, starting with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. Sweet Charity was directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse and starred his then wife Gwen Verdon. The show was nominated for 9 Tony Awards and is well know for showstoppers including Big Spender, If My Friends Could … Read more

Top 100 Greatest Musicals Results: 100 – 91

Features, News
Top 100 Musicals of All Time Poll Results

Over the past few months, we’ve invited you to take part in our first poll to choose the Top 100 Greatest Musicals. Tens of thousands of votes were made and the competition was fierce. Votes came in from musical lovers around the globe, some of you were extremely specific even going down to the productions you liked. In many cases,  just a single vote separated each show. Did your favourites make the Top 100? Don’t forget to let us know your thoughts in the Comments section below. 100. Fun Home Fun Home is a relatively new show on the musical theatre scene. Adapted by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron from Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel of the same name, Fun Home was nominated for twelve 2015 Tony Awards, winning five including Best Musical. 99. Elisabeth https://youtu.be/MOS1VwEWhog Elisabeth is one of the most successful German-language musicals of all time. The musical is … Read more