Broadway: Musicals & Theatres

Items

• Anastasia

  Anastasia opened at the Hartford Stage in Hartford, Connecticut on May 27, 2016 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anastasia_(musical)). The show closed on Broadway after 808 regular and 34 preview performances (https://www.playbill.com/production/anastasiabroadhurst-theatre-2016-2017). Synopsis from Playbill.com: "Inspired by the beloved films, Anastasia transports audiences from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family." (https://www.playbill.com/production/anastasiabroadhurst-theatre-2016-2017) Run time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, with one intermission (https://www.playbill.com/production/anastasiabroadhurst-theatre-2016-2017) Tony Awards Year: 2017 Number of nominations: 2 Number of wins: 0 (https://www.playbill.com/production/anastasiabroadhurst-theatre-2016-2017)
• Shucked

  Shucked opened at the Pioneer Memorial Theatre in Salt Lake City on October 28, 2022 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shucked). The show closed on Broadway after 327 regular and 28 preview performances (https://www.playbill.com/production/shucked-broadway-nederlander-theatre-2023). A U.S. tour, West End production, and feature film adaptation are currently planned (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shucked). Synopsis from Playbill.com: "What do you get when you pair a semi-neurotic, New York comedy writer with two music superstars from Nashville? A hilarious and audacious farm-to-fable musical about the one thing Americans everywhere can’t get enough of: corn. Shucked is the new musical comedy that proves sometimes tearing down a few walls, rather than growing them, is the only way to preserve our way of life. Shucked is about to turn Broadway on its ear and offer a kernel of hope for our divided nation." (https://www.playbill.com/production/shucked-broadway-nederlander-theatre-2023) Run time: 2 hours and 15 minutes, including one intermission (https://www.playbill.com/production/shucked-broadway-nederlander-theatre-2023) Tony Awards year: 2023 Number of nominations: 9 Number of wins: 1 (https://www.playbill.com/production/shucked-broadway-nederlander-theatre-2023) Cast member Alex Newell became one of the first two openly non-binary performers to be nominated for and win a Tony Award, with their win for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shucked).
• Moulin Rouge!

  Moulin Rouge! is a jukebox musical that premiered at the Colonial Theatre in Boston on July 10, 2018 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q51879470). It is still currently running on Broadway (https://www.playbill.com/production/moulin-rouge-the-musical-hirschfeld-theatre-2019-2020). Synopsis from Playbill.com: "Set in Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France, at the turn of the century, a world of indulgent beauty and unparalleled extravagance, of Bohemians and aristocrats, of boulevardiers and mademoiselles, Moulin Rouge! The Musical tells the fictional story of an ambitious, lovesick writer, Christian, and a dazzling, entrancing chanteuse, Satine. Their lives collide at the Moulin Rouge with its many characters, including the host Harold Zidler, the brilliant and starving artist Toulouse-Lautrec, the greatest tango dancer–and gigolo–in all of Paris, Santiago; the tempting Nini; and The Duke of Monroth, the wealthy and entitled patron of the club who thinks he can buy anything he wants...including love. "(https://www.playbill.com/production/moulin-rouge-the-musical-hirschfeld-theatre-2019-2020) Run time: 2 hours and 35 minutes, including one intermission (https://www.playbill.com/production/moulin-rouge-the-musical-hirschfeld-theatre-2019-2020) Tony Awards year: 2020 Number of nominations: 14 Number of wins: 10 (https://www.playbill.com/production/moulin-rouge-the-musical-hirschfeld-theatre-2019-2020), the most for the evening, including Best Musical (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moulin_Rouge!_(musical))
• & Juliet

  & Juliet is a jukebox musical that premiered at the Manchester Opera House in Manchester, England on September 10, 2019 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%26_Juliet). It is still currently running on Broadway (https://www.playbill.com/production/juliet-broadway-stephen-sondheim-theatre-2022). Synopsis from Playbill.com: "Created by the Emmy®-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. & Juliet asks: what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way. Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including Since U Been Gone‚ Roar, Baby One More Time, Larger Than Life‚ That’s The Way It Is, and Can't Stop the Feeling—all from the genius songwriter/producer behind more #1 hits than any other artist this century. Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there’s life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it." (https://www.playbill.com/production/juliet-broadway-stephen-sondheim-theatre-2022) Run time: 2 hours and 30 minutes including one intermission (https://www.playbill.com/production/juliet-broadway-stephen-sondheim-theatre-2022) Tony Award year: 2023 Number of nominations: 9 Number of wins: 0 (https://www.playbill.com/production/juliet-broadway-stephen-sondheim-theatre-2022)
• Hamilton

  Hamilton is a sung-and-rapped-through biographical musical that opened at Public Theater in Lower Manhattan on February 17, 2015 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19320959). It is still currently running on Broadway (https://www.playbill.com/production/hamilton-richard-rodgers-theatre-vault-0000014104). Synopsis from Wikipedia: "The musical covers the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and his involvement in the American Revolution and the political history of the early United States. Composed over a seven-year period from 2008 to 2015, the music draws heavily from hip hop, as well as R&B, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes. It casts non-white actors as the Founding Fathers of the United States and other historical figures. Miranda described Hamilton as about 'America then, as told by America now'" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_(musical)). Synopsis from Playbill.com: "From bastard orphan to Washington's right hand man, rebel to war hero, loving husband caught in the country's first sex scandal to Treasury head who made an untrusting world believe in the American economy, Hamilton is an exploration of a political mastermind. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Eliza Hamilton, and lifelong Hamilton friend and foe, Aaron Burr, all attend this revolutionary tale of America’s fiery past told through the sounds of the ever-changing nation we've become." (https://www.playbill.com/production/hamilton-richard-rodgers-theatre-vault-0000014104) Run time: 2 hours and 45 minutes, including one intermission (https://www.playbill.com/production/hamilton-richard-rodgers-theatre-vault-0000014104) Tony Awards year: 2016 Number of nominations: 16, record Number of wins: 11, including best musical Other awards: Grammy®, Olivier Awards, the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors (https://www.playbill.com/production/hamilton-richard-rodgers-theatre-vault-0000014104).
• Beauty and the Beast

  Beauty and the Beast premiered at The Music Hall in Houston, Texas on November 28, 1993. It ran at the Palace Theatre until September 5, 1999 then transferred to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 11, 1999. The show closed on Broadway after 46 previews and 5,462 regular performances, becoming Broadway's sixth longest-running production in history at the time of closure. To date, it is still the tenth longest running Broadway show. It has also become a popular choice for junior, amateur, and high school productions (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beast_(musical)). The Broadway musical potential of the film was clear and Disney CEO Michael Eisner was encouraged to venture into Broadway. All eight songs from the animated film were put in the musical, including a resurrected musical number which had been originally cut. Original songwriter Menken composed six new songs for the production with lyricist Rice, who replaced Ashman since Ashman had died during the production of the movie. Storylines and characters from the film were expanded upon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beast_(musical)). Synopsis from Playbill.com: "This summer, fall under the spell of this “tale as old as time” based on the Academy Award-winning Disney film. Dazzling production numbers, including the beloved title song and "Be Our Guest," will fill the Courtyard Theater, making your heart soar. The beloved fairytale recounts the story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out. If those lessons aren’t learned soon, the Beast and his household will be doomed for all eternity." (https://www.playbill.com/production/beauty-and-the-beast-palace-theatre-vault-0000009145) Run time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission (https://beautyandthebeastmusical.com.au/about-the-show/#:~:text=Beauty%20and%20the%20Beast%20is%20approximately%202.5%20hours%20long%2C%20including,gunshots%2C%20violence%20and%20strobe%20lighting.) Tony Awards Year: 1994 Number of nominations: 9 Number of wins: 1 (https://www.playbill.com/production/beauty-and-the-beast-palace-theatre-vault-0000009145)
• Hadestown

  Hadestown is a sung-through musical that premiered Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop on May 6, 2016. The original version of the musical was produced in 2006 and premiered in Barre, Vermont. After a 10-city tour in New England in 2007, Mitchell—unsure about the future of the musical—turned it into a concept album, released in 2010 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadestown). It is still currently running on Broadway (https://www.playbill.com/production/hadestownwalter-kerr-theatre-2018-2019). Synopsis from Playbill.com: "Welcome to Hadestown, where a song can change your fate. This acclaimed musical by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and director Rachel Chavkin is winner of 8 Tony Awards(R) including Best Musical and the Grammy Award(R) for Best Musical Theater Album. It intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — as it takes you on an unforgettable journey to the underworld and back. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, singers and dancers, Hadestown invites you to imagine how the world could be." (https://www.playbill.com/production/hadestownwalter-kerr-theatre-2018-2019) Run time: 2 hours and 25 minutes with one 15 minute intermission (https://www.playbill.com/production/hadestownwalter-kerr-theatre-2018-2019) Ton Awards year: 2019 Number of nominations: 14 (the most for the evening) Number of wins: 8 (https://www.playbill.com/production/hadestownwalter-kerr-theatre-2018-2019) including Best Musical and Best Original Score (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadestown)
• Merrily We Roll Along

  Merrily We Roll Along premiered on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre, now known as the Neil Simon Theatre. Instead of the typical out-of-town tryout production, the show had an extended preview period on Broadway that acted as a tryout. Previews were extended twice before it eventually premiered. It closed after 16 performances and 44 previews (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrily_We_Roll_Along_(musical)). In subsequent years, the show has been extensively rewritten, with new songs written by Sondheim, and enjoyed new productions. The 2022 Off-Broadway production at New York Theatre Workshop transferred to Broadway in fall 2023, becoming the first Broadway revival of Merrily. The revival stars Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez and is directed by Maria Friedman. A film adaptation starring Paul Mescal, Beanie Feldstein, and Ben Platt is currently in development (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrily_We_Roll_Along_(musical)). Synopsis from Playbill.com: "Spanning three decades in the entertainment business, Merrily We Roll Along charts the turbulent relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two lifelong friends — writer Mary and lyricist & playwright Charley. An inventive cult-classic ahead of its time, Merrily We Roll Along features some of Stephen Sondheim’s most celebrated and personal songs. Maria Friedman first directed the musical at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory – a production that subsequently transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre, where it garnered the most five-star reviews in West End history before going on to win the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival. The story of how a composer's idealism and friendships were corrupted by success is told backwards, starting with the disillusioned present and ending with their optimistic college years, in Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's musical, which is suggested by the George S. Kaufman-Moss Hart play." (https://www.playbill.com/production/merrily-we-roll-along-broadway-2023) Run time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission (https://www.playbill.com/production/merrily-we-roll-along-broadway-2023) Tony Award year: 1982 Number of nominations: 1 Number of wins: 0 (https://www.playbill.com/production/merrily-we-roll-along-alvin-theatre-vault-0000000877) Tony Award year: 2024 Number of nominations: 7 Number of wins: Pending (https://www.playbill.com/production/merrily-we-roll-along-broadway-2023)
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

  Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (often referred to simply as Sweeney Todd) premiered on Broadway at the Uris Theatre (now known as the Gershwin Theatre). It has been revived in many productions including three Broadway revivals, and even inspired a film adaptation ((https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweeney_Todd:_The_Demon_Barber_of_Fleet_Street)). The third Broadway revival closed after 399 regular and 27 preview performances (https://www.playbill.com/production/sweeney-todd-broadway-lunt-fontanne-theatre-2023). Synopsis from Playbill.com: "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a deliciously thrilling story of revenge and retribution, continues our celebration of the titan of musical theater: Stephen Sondheim. After 15 years in exile, Sweeney Todd, an unsettling man with a mysterious past, arrives in a dark and gritty London, hungry for vengeance against the judge who destroyed his life. Todd joins forces with Mrs. Lovett, the unhinged proprietress of a failing pie shop, and together they develop a spinetingling plot to exact revenge. When the lights go down and the curtain goes up, you won’t dare look away." (https://www.playbill.com/production/sweeney-todd-broadway-lunt-fontanne-theatre-2023) Run time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission (https://www.playbill.com/production/sweeney-todd-broadway-lunt-fontanne-theatre-2023) Tony Award year: 1979 Number of nominations: 9 Number of wins: 8, including Best Musical and Best Original Score (https://www.playbill.com/production/sweeney-todd-uris-theatre-vault-0000011061 Tony Award year: 2023 Number of nominations: 8 Number of wins: 2 (https://www.playbill.com/production/sweeney-todd-broadway-lunt-fontanne-theatre-2023)
• Spamalot

  Spamalot (also known as Monty Python's Spamalot: A Musical (Lovingly) Ripped Off from the Motion Picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail) premiered at the Shubert Theatre (now the CIBC Theatre) in Chicago on December 21, 2004. The original Broadway production ran for 1,575 performances, was seen by more than two million people, and grossed over $175 million. Tim Curry starred as King Arthur in both the original Broadway and West End productions (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spamalot). The Broadway revival closed after 164 regular and 17 preview performances (https://www.playbill.com/production/spamalot-broadway-st-james-theatre-2023). Synopsis from Playbill.com: "Lovingly ripped from the film classic, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot has everything that makes a great knight at the theatre, from flying cows to killer rabbits, British royalty to French taunters, dancing girls, rubbery shrubbery, and of course, the lady of the lake." (https://www.playbill.com/production/spamalot-broadway-st-james-theatre-2023) Run time: 2 hours and 20 minutes, including one intermission (https://www.playbill.com/production/spamalot-broadway-st-james-theatre-2023) Tony Award year: 2005 Number of nominations: 14 Number of wins: 3, including Best Musical (https://www.playbill.com/production/spamalot-shubert-theatre-vault-0000010462) Tony Award year: 2024 Number of nominations: 1 Number of wins: pending (https://www.playbill.com/production/spamalot-broadway-st-james-theatre-2023)
• Into the Woods

  Into the Woods premiered at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego on December 4, 1986. The musical has since been produced many times including a 2022 Broadway revival (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Woods) which closed after 179 regular and 44 preview performances (https://www.playbill.com/production/into-the-woods-broadway-st-james-theatre-2022). In 2014 Rob Marshall a film adaptation that grossed over $213 million worldwide, and received three nominations at both the Academy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Woods). Synopsis by Playbill.com: "Little Red has strayed far from the path, Jack’s found a second beanstalk, Prince Charming’s eyes are wandering, and there’s a Witch living next door. Stephen Sondheim’s most popular musical turns the world of fairy tales topsy-turvy, reminding us that granted wishes often bring complications. Filled with exquisite music and brilliant lyrics, this innovative new production is sure to enchant as it ventures beyond 'happily ever after.'" (https://www.playbill.com/production/into-the-woods-broadway-st-james-theatre-2022) Run time: 2 hours and 45 minutes, including one intermission (https://www.broadway.com/shows/into-the-woods/) Tony Award year: 1988 the same year as Phantom of the Opera (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Woods) Number of nominations: 10 Number of wins: 3 (https://www.playbill.com/production/into-the-woods-martin-beck-theatre-vault-0000008219) Tony Award year: 2023 Number of nominations: 6 Number of wins: 0 (https://www.playbill.com/production/into-the-woods-broadway-st-james-theatre-2022)