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Are you musical buff? If so, you probably have a running list of your favorite shows from the timeless classics to the new and noteworthy. If you’re a woman lucky enough to see these shows in person, then you know what an amazing experience it can be to go to the theater.
But with so many musicals to choose from, it can be difficult to pick just one or two to see in person. ENTITY has come up with a list of four timeless musicals everyone should see. From inspiring musical numbers and dance routines to fantastical sets and costumes, these musicals have it all.
For all you “Wizard of Oz” fans, “Wicked” is a must-see. This musical is an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s beloved novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.”
With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, “Wicked” tells the story of the wicked witch’s upbringing and early life many years before she meets Dorothy and Toto. The audience learns about the green girl during her time at Shiz University where she meets the popular Glinda for the first time. The play follows the two girls as they form an unlikely friendship after living together as roommates.
The Tony award-winning “Fiddler on the Roof” tells the story of a poor Jewish family living in the small Russian town of Anatevka at the beginning of the 20th century. The story follows the life of dairyman Tevye, his wife Gilda and their five daughters as the family negotiates the rise of anti-Semitism and the changing political landscape in Czarist Russia.
“Fiddler on the Roof” won many accolades for its inspiring musical numbers, including Broadway fan favorites “Tradition,” “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Sunrise Sunset.” Today, “Fiddler” has earned a spot as one of Broadway’s all time classics and has become a staple of Jewish American culture.
“Les Misérables,” or “Les Mis” as it’s commonly referred to by musical enthusiasts, is based on Victor Hugo’s historical novel originally published in 1862. The musical follows the difficult life of Hugo’s protagonist, Jean Valjean and his adopted daughter Cossette as they negotiate life during the French Revolution.
After 19 years in prison, Valjean seeks to redeem his life under a new identity as a factory worker and beloved mayor. The musical follows Valjean, his parole officer Javert and Valjean’s daughter.
Rent is one of those rare beloved cult classics that eventually became a musical phenomenon. Rent’s storyline is much simpler and more understated than the complex intricacies of “Les Misérables” or even “Wicked.” The musical, which is based on Puccini’s Italian opera “La Boheme,” traces one year in the lives of a group of struggling artists in what is now New York City’s East Village.
The group of friends struggle to survive while facing eviction during the AIDS epidemic of the late ’80s and early 1990s. Today, “Rent” is revered for its progressive stance on the AIDS epidemic and for its respectful representation of all those who lost their lives to the disease.
