underappreciated musicals: some recommendations!
If you like Be More ChillâŚ
âŚcheck out The Mad Ones! With quirky, conversational lyrics and impossibly catchy contemporary melodies, these two shows honor and celebrate the many struggles of adolescence. Like in Be More Chill, each song is almost a self-contained story, a mini-musical in and of itself, exploring platonic, romantic, and familial relationships in all their awkwardness and frustration. Because of the standalone quality of the individual songs, itâs also an excellent place to look to for recital pieces.Â
A musical highlight: the heart-pounding duet âGo Tonightâ and the tender concert staple âRun Away with Me.â
âŚcheck out Next to Normal! Like Falsettos, Next to Normal cuts deep into complex family dynamics. Itâs hard to pinpoint a âmainâ character, since each characterâs psychology is rendered with such depth, focus, and attention. And the lyrics! Falsettos won the Tony for Best Book of a Musical and Next to Normal won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, so youâre getting the best of the best here. Each line is a work of art. If youâre a wordsperson of any kind, Next to Normal will be a treat. (Or, more accurately, a five-course meal.)
A musical highlight: the intense âYou Donât Knowâ and âI Am the One.â
If you like The Last Five YearsâŚ
âŚcheck out Ordinary Days! Ordinary Days, like The Last Five Years, finds the large within the small. It is keenly attuned to the entire world to be found in a single relationship. The musicalâs four characters sing about the nuances of their lives in a style that is narrative and confessional. The focus is small-scale: memories, sensory details, private thoughts. The accumulated effect of these is momentous: whole lives changed over the course of the story. By the way, make sure to emotionally prepare yourself before:
A musical highlight: the revelatory, tear-jerking âIâll Be Here.â
âŚcheck out Tuck Everlasting! Calling Matilda a kidsâ musical would be a grave misstatement, and the same is true of Tuck Everlasting. Tuck Everlasting is whimsical, wholesome, and thoroughly moving, striking a poignant balance between the magic of youth and the wisdom of adulthood, never sacrificing either for the other. The scope of Tuck Everlasting is smaller than that of Matilda, but its shared spirit of mischievous innocence and buried longing will win your heart. Take the nostalgia as a bonus: it will transport you to a beloved book from childhood and bring its characters to life. (Also, prepare multiple tissues for the ending.)
A musical highlight: the wise, melancholy âThe Wheel.â
âŚcheck out Billy Elliot! From its endearing characters to its historical setting to its social justice underpinnings to its incredible, incessant choreography, Billy Elliot is the perfect musical for Newsies fans. Like Newsies, while the musical features a young protagonist, it can also be dark, heartbreaking, political, and disturbingly relevant, making it the perfect show to take your family to if you want to introduce them to musical theater but the only thing in town is Spring Awakening. (And thereâs a professionally filmed live version!)
A musical highlight: the soulful âElectricity.âÂ
âŚcheck out The Bandâs Visit! Musically, the two couldnât be more different. However, the hearts of these shows are in a similar place. Neither of them have firm plot structures; instead, all the drama arises from character interactions, in turns utterly hilarious and painfully vulnerable. The romance at the center is never quite realized, but the characters walk away as better people for having known each other. If you like shows with an intimate small town feel, featuring an unconventional love story thatâs about connection rather than romance, you canât go wrong with The Bandâs Visit.
A musical highlight: the rousing, surreal âAnswer Me.â
Do you have recommendations? Reblog away!
andulkaphoto
blakekathryn
vaporwave
titsay
yousharknotpass
