AWNY’s Guide to the Best of Broadway

Theater lover? Us too! Broadway was hit badly by the pandemic, but things on the Great White Way seem to be back to normal and humming with old and new shows. To help navigate all these fantastic shows and decide on what to see, we’re sharing a list of some of the AWNY team’s favorites and when it’s best to see them.

For a Date Night Out to the Theater 

• Moulin Rouge: This musical, based on Baz Lurhman’s iconic movie, has been a success ever since it opened in 2019 even winning the Tony Award that year for Best Musical (one of its ten Tonys). It stays true to the movie while also updating some of the music to include more recent hits and artists including Adele and Sia.

• Hadestown: Is one of our AWNY team’s favorite musicals currently on Broadway! It is a contemporary retelling of two mythical tales and through the music of Anais Mitchell it has become a “love story for today…and always”.

Grab Your Besties for a Girl’s Night Out

• Six: This very creative musical is set as a contest where Henry VIIIth’s six wives compete to see who suffered the most as his wife. The show is short (90min, with no intermission), is very very funny and the music is great! It is the perfect show to see on a gal’s night out. Quick tip, there is a very cute jazz bar next door if you want to keep the night going!

• & Juliet: This new musical tells the story of Juliet had she not died with Romeo. In the vein of Moulin Rouge, it’s full of well-known pop songs, including hits from Kelly Clarkson, Brittany Spears, and the Backstreet Boys. This received a stack of Tony nominations and won Best Book, so it’s super popular.

For a Musical with Lots of Heart

• Kimberly Akimbo: This is the story of Kimberly Levaco (Victoria Clark), a 16-year-old girl with a condition that causes her body to age four-and-a-half times faster than most people. With Kimberly’s narcissistic mother Pattie (Alli Mauzey), alcoholic father Buddy (Jim Hogan), and criminal aunt Debra (Bonnie Milligan), this musical is set up to be a perfectly dysfunctional family story.

Big Hits to Impress the Out-of-Towners

• Hamilton: Those of us living in NYC pre-pandemic understands the eye roll moment when any out-of-town visitors would innocently ask you to get them Hamilton tickets for their visit the following week or, even worse, want to buy them from the TKTS half-price booth! Little did they know of our struggle to have the ticket release date in our calendar to try to snag some horrendously overpriced rear mezzanine seats. Or the disappointment of entering the lottery day after day with no luck! Since the re-opening of Broadway, it’s been a very different story. Though it has never been listed at TKTS, tickets are at least now affordable (currently, there are some deals for $99 tickets in January), and it’s possible to purchase tickets for most shows. If you’re in the mood to impress visitors, now is the time!

• Wicked: This musical, set as the prequel to the Wizard of Oz, has become a classic in its own right. It centers around the friendship between Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and made mega-stars of its original cast members, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. It has become a surefire Broadway classic and definitely one that will impress any visitor!

• Sweeney Todd: A revival of the original musical from 1979 (yet most may know the story from the movie starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter). This revival currently has Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford as the leads, but they will be stepping down on Jan 14, 2024, so grab your tickets soon.

Our Picks for Some Family-Friendly Fun

• Aladdin: A very fun adaptation of this classic tale is made even better by the stellar performance given by its current Genie, Michael James Scott! All your favorite songs are there, and some new ones—so make sure to get the vocal cords warmed up before the show.

• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: This is a play about the next generation of characters from the Harry Potter films. Full of magic and absolutely charming.

• The Lion King: This musical just celebrated its 26^th anniversary on Broadway and shows no signs of slowing down! Not too easy to get discount tickets for this one but it’s well worth seeing for kids of all ages!

AWNY tip – Look out for Kids Night on Broadway. This is a program where kids under 18 get a free ticket when accompanied by a full-paying adult. It occurs twice a year, generally in February and late August. The tickets for popular shows like The Lion King and Harry Potter disappear quickly, so you need to move fast once they are available.

For the Guys That Say They Don’t Like Musicals

• The Book of Mormon: The one thing you need to know before going to see this musical is that it was written by the creators of South Park. It is definitely NOT a PG show (so do not take the kiddos) but it is one of the funniest musicals around today which the men in your life will definitely enjoy—on the condition they are not easily offended.

• MJ: For anyone who ever wanted to see Michael Jackson live, this is the musical for you! It delivers all your favorite MJ songs, and the performances and dancers are more than worthy! The current lead, Myles Frost, won the Tony for Lead Actor in a Musical (beating out Hugh Jackman).

• Back to the Future: Based on the first movie of the Back to the Future series from the mid 80’s this showstopper is a load of fun. Produced by Aussie Neil Gooding and coming to Broadway having won the Olivier Best Musical Award for 2022, this show is positioned to do well in the Tony’s in the upcoming season. Special shoutout to the DeLorean.

Classics to Impress the Parents (And Grandparents)

• Some Like it Hot: Based on the classic Marilyn Monroe movie, this new Broadway production injects some of that incredible, old-school classic musical magic we haven’t seen in years. Think big, glittery musical numbers, amazing dancing (and choreography from Casey Nicholaw), and an absolutely stellar cast. It is very fun and upbeat, and we challenge anyone to go see this and not walk out with a massive smile on their face! This show has announced its closing date for December 30, so you’d better be quick to grab your tickets.

• A Beautiful Noise: This musical is Neil Diamond’s story told through his music, it’s jam-packed with hits from Diamond’s legendary career. Trust us, your parents and grandparents will love you for choosing this one!

When You Want to Laugh so Hard it Hurts

• Spamalot: This is a revival of the Tony Winning Best Musical from 2005. If you’re a Monty Python fan this one is not to be missed.

Shows Opening in 2024 We Cannot Wait For!

• An Enemy of the People: By Henrick Ibsen and starring Jeremy Strong of Succession fame and Michael Imperioli of The Sopranos. This will be at the Circle in the Square theatre and running for 16 weeks opening on February 27.

• Uncle Vanya: With Steve Carell at the Vivien Beaumont Theater at the Lincoln Center. Tickets go on sale on December 8 and previews begin on April 2.

With so many shows on offer, it can very quickly feel like it may break the bank, but our AWNY team has you covered! Catch our article on how best to get cheap Broadway tickets.