With the Tonys on the horizon, here are the top 10 theatre productions that premiered on Broadway in the ’17-18 season.
Honorable Mentions: Three Tall Women, Lobby Hero, The Iceman Cometh, Travesties
10. Prince of Broadway- The only one on this list not nominated for a Tony, but this was an amazing tribute to Hal Prince, one of the greatest directors to work on the Broadway. Featuring talent from many talented actors (specifically Tony Yazbeck), this was one of the best revues in recent memory.
9. Frozen- While it didn’t garner much attention in the technical categories, it picked up some nominees for Best Musical, Book, and Score. Who doesn’t love some great Disney magic? I know I love it.
8. My Fair Lady- Not one of my favorites, but this recent Broadway revival was phenomenal. Great performances from the leading roles, and an orchestra oozing with amazing melodies and sounds.
7. Carousel- Another classic musical, Carousel was brought back to Broadway with an innovative new staging and beautiful choreography. Also, its lead performances in Jessie Mueller and Joshua Henry brought it a sense of passion and love that is expected with such a stunningly emotional show.
6. The Band’s Visit- One of the only original musicals this season, “The Band’s Visit” deals with a very powerful story and is acted just as powerfully. Garnering 11 nominations, this may not be the most exciting show on Broadway, but it is one of the most impressive.
5. Mean Girls- Once in a while, an adaptation comes along that is just as insanely fun as the original. Tina Fey adapted her hit movie onto the big screen and did an excellent job with the script, making her a frontrunner for the Best Book award. Bursting with fun, this is one of Broadway’s biggest crowd pleasers of the year.
4. Once on this Island- Not only did this musical bring innovative new direction to this classic tale, but the gender roles were changed, creating an innovative new take on this show. I grew up listening to music from this show, and I’m glad it is finally being recognized and given its proper spotlight in 2017/18.
3. Spongebob Squarepants- Who would have thought? Spongebob would be the bets musical of the year? It may not win, but it was certainly one of the most nominated, and has been taking both critics and audiences by storm. The music is amazing and the design is even more beautiful to look at. A smash hit for sure.
2. Angels in America- Told in two long parts, Angels in America is more of an experience than a play. Getting nominated for its music shows that Angels has broken boundaries set by previous plays, and showing that drama could be just as mainstream as musicals. Nathan Lane, Lee Pace, Denise Gough, and Andrew Garfield help bring this together to give one hell of a show. Go catch this before it closes!
1. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child- The best show on Broadway this year is also the most successful play in history. While it doesn’t have sung music, there is a lot of great whimsical moments of dance and movement that set this apart from other plays. Told in 2 parts like Angels in America, Harry Potter & The Cursed Child never feels its length and feels like more of an experience than anything else. Truly a magical show indeed, and my personal favorite theatrical experience of recent memory. Oh, and give Anthony Boyle a Tony please.
THE BAND'S VISIT IS THE ACTUAL BEST...should be #1 tbh but these are all good choices. I've seen Mean Girls and it's very entertaining/funny but not the most original or memorable show in the world. Can't wait for the Tonys!
With the Tonys on the horizon, here are the top 10 theatre productions that premiered on Broadway in the ’17-18 season.