musical

Every Thanksgiving, I look forward to an alphabetic game my family started a few years back that is now a tradition. The first person states something they are thankful for that begins with the letter A, the next person is thankful for something beginning with the letter B, and so on until we have reached the letter Z. I decided this year I would challenge myself to name a different musical for each of my turns. Then it occurred to me that I do not need to wait until Thanksgiving dinner to make my list. The choices below are not always my favorite musical starting with that letter, but each brings me joy for at least one specific reason.

Avenue Q – Not only does Avenue Q remain my pick for the funniest musical ever written, but its central theme – life does not always work out the way we planned – resonates as much today as it did two decades ago.

Book of Mormon – Josh Gad wrote in In Gad We Trust that Andrew Rannells’ performance of “I Believe” at the 65^th Tony Awards needs to be on any list of top 5 Tony performances. This hilarious showstopper provides a surprisingly universal ode for the power of faith.

Cats – Paramount Theater’s circus-themed production rejuvenated my enthusiasm for Cats, one of my earliest favorites. In particular, the Act I dance number “The Jellicle Ball” exploded with so much energy that I decided in that moment that I needed to see it again.

Drowsy Chaperone (The) – This crowd-pleaser about an avid theater fan narrating a musical while listening to its record is not produced enough. Theo Ubique’s upcoming revival is the production I am most looking forward to in the coming year.

Evita – I was a toddler when Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin belted their way through “A New Argentina” at the 34^th Tony Awards, so I am thankful that YouTube provides access to so many iconic performances.

Funny Girl – This old-school musical has some great songs, but what I enjoy most is watching the lead actress navigate the dramatic highs and lows of Fanny Brice’s careful-what-you-wish-for journey.

Godspell – This year’s production from Music Theater Works did not disappoint in their presentation of “We Beseech Thee” (led by Connor Ripperger), a song so infectious that it always makes me want to leap onto the stage with the actors.

Music Theater Work’s production of *Godspell*

Hadestown – Given the circular nature of this musical, which begins and ends at the same point, I have not tired of reliving the love story of Orpheus and Eurydice even after 11 viewings.

Into the Woods – Sondheim’s tonal shift from the impressively fast “It’s Your Fault” into the disquieting “Last Midnight” provides the most perfect two-song combination in any Broadway show.

Jersey Boys – The best jukebox musical excels because the songs propel a story that is worth revisiting again and again. As Nick Massi says in the denouement, “You sell 100 million records. See how you handle it.”

Kimberly Akimbo – I predict Kimberly Akimbo, with its small cast and expendable sets, is about to see a number of regional productions. Which Chicago actresses will step into the scene-stealing role of Kimberly’s criminal Aunt Debra?

Les Miserables – Last winter’s national tour of Les Mis reminded me of the chills that shoot through me every time I hear the greatest of all opening overtures. It is an off-to-the-races start for a musical that rarely slows until the closing curtain.

Maybe Happy Ending – I never imaged I could care so much about two robots on a road trip, but this 2025 Tony-winning Best Musical succeeds because there is nothing artificial about the ways Oliver and Claire navigate emotions including abandonment, love, and sacrifice.

Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 – The opening line tells us, “There’s a war going on out there somewhere,” but this brilliant Tolstoy adaptation proves that there is more than enough war within the social classes of Moscow’s elite to fascinate audiences. Kudos to the Jeff Awards committee for choosing Writer’s Theater’s production as their most recent Best Musical recipient.

Writer’s Theater’s production of *Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812*

Old Friends – Part of the joy of this musical revue (full title = Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends) is it matched Broadway veterans like Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga with songs against type, leading to original interpretations of Sondheim classics.

Pippin – “Morning Glow” is my all-time favorite Act I finale with Pippin envisioning a new dawn as he ascends to the throne. MadKap’s fall production carried an extra punch as the cast’s many voices engulfed the small space in the Skokie Theater.

Queen of Versailles (The) – I have not yet seen this current Broadway production, which received unenthusiastic reviews and has already set a closing date, but I remain hopeful that Kristin Chenoweth will deliver a good time as a rags-to-riches Florida socialite.

Ride the Cyclone – In preparation for an announced Paramount production, I listened to the soundtrack and discovered an inventive premise and a storyline with similarities to Six. Alas, Paramount has had to cancel its Bold Series due to finances, but I remain hopeful that I will someday get my chance to see Ride the Cyclone.

Some Like It Hot – No one can claim that the 1959 movie has “aged well”, but book writer Amber Ruffin skillfully updated this story about cross-dressing men in a Prohibition-era all-female band – one of the most fun large-scale musicals of recent years.

They’re Playing Our Song – The titular song is one of Broadway’s great feel-good numbers. The Tony Award performance from 1979 (I was about six months old) features Lucie Arnaz and Robert Klein communicating pure enthusiasm as artists hearing their songs played in a club.

Urinetown – As Little Sally and Officer Lockstock discuss musical theater conventions, it might be easy to miss that Urinetown songs have fantastic lyrics. They mine an endless well of humor from jokes in which simpletons fail to understand metaphors.

Theo Ubique’s production of *Urinetown* (playing until January 4)

Violet – Bluegrass music does not get much coverage on Broadway, and sadly the underappreciated Violet was not the vehicle to change that despite a winning soundtrack featuring songs like “Water in the Well.”

Wicked – As much as I enjoy the musical, I am thankful that I read the book first so I can compare director Joe Mantello’s colorful stage production to the bleak world of Gregory Maguire’s imagination.

Xanadu – Fortuntely, I enjoy the only musical I know that begins with an letter X. It never takes itself too seriously as it combines disco roller skating, Greek gods, and songs from Electric Light Orchestra.

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown – This might be the best musical for exploring the ups and downs of being a kid (plus a hungry dog waiting for “Suppertime”). As an English teacher, I particularly love “The Book Report”, which features a procrastinator, an overachiever, a word counter, and a digresser simultaneously writing about Peter Rabbit.

Zanna Don’t – Almost every song is about love in this LGBTQ+ off-Broadway show. “I Think We Got Love”, my favorite number, manages to repeat the word “love” a record 64 times while telling a fast-paced story of love at first sight.

Happy Thanksgiving! As a quick note about my process, I wanted to complete my list without any online resources, and I got close. The five letters on which I drew blanks were N, Q, T, V, and Y. I utilized two fun websites — theatertrip.com and allmusicals.com – for those last five.

On Saturday, April 6, I drove 3 hours to Indianapolis to see Hadestown. This marked my 10^th viewing in five different cities (New York, Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee, and Indy) in a little less than two-and-a-half years. On my return drive, I considered what makes Hadestown my “favorite musical.” I love the story, all of the songs, and the joy of watching different actors put their unique stamp on the leading roles, but that can be said about a number of musicals. The simplest explanation is that I connect with Hadestown in an way that is greater from the any other musical that I have seen.

In honor of my Hadestown anniversary (and another anniversary since this is my 100th blog post), I have decided to start a series about the musicals that have had the greatest impact on me. I will begin by writing about my five favorite musicals emphasizing memories of my first viewing, the deep connections I make with the characters, and the moments that I eagerly anticipate whenever I am fortune enough to catch a production.

#1 – Hadestown

Eva Noblezada, André De Shields, and Reeve Carney from the original Broadway cast

Hadestown was one of the first musicals to reopen on Broadway after more than a year of darkness due to the COVID pandemic, and I hopped on a plane to see it knowing only a few facts: (1) it had won the Tony award for Best Musical, (2) it’s plot is rooted in Greek mythology, (3) and André De Shields was earning rave reviews as Hermes. Hadestown hooks the audience right at the start. Hermes walks across the stage in a sparkling suit, quietly connecting with each of his fellow actors, and then he asks the audience to acknowledge that we are “all right!” From there, the overture begins with a rousing trombone solo.

I often paraphrase an insightful line from Urinetown: “Nothing kills a musical like too much exposition.” Hadestown accomplishes the unique feat of presenting all of its exposition in the opening song “Road to Hell” and then quickly jumps into the blossoming love of Orpheus and Eurydice, which is soon contrasted by the faded love felt by Hades and Persephone. Both relationships elicit a complete spectrum of emotions before culminating in their inevitable conclusions. I’ve dismissed many musicals over the years because the writers fail to convincingly convey love, but with Hadestown I continue to hope that maybe the story will turn out differently on a new viewing, a theme that composer Anaïs Mitchell explores in the “Road to Hell” reprise when Hermes declares that the outcome is a “sad song, but we’re going to sing it again.”

My favorite moment in Hadestown (maybe my favorite moment in all musical theater) is the start of “Wait for Me.” The song is a true masterpiece, combining intense spoken word poetry from Hermes with two anthems from Orpheus – the impassioned “Wait for Me” chorus and the melody beautiful enough to open the walls of Hell. Two additional highlights are “Way Down Hadestown” for its joyous choreography and “Why We Build the Wall” with Hades’ deep-barratone message being echoed by the chorus.

#2 – Pippin

Patina Miller, Terrence Mann, and Matthew James Thomas from the 2013 Broadway revival cast

Unlike Hadestown, I was familiar with some of the songs from Pippin before I first saw the musical – they were often performed during my two-year show choir stint in the mid-90’s. Yet, Pippin (which debuted under Bob Fosse’s direction in 1972) was no longer on the regular performance circuit when I started seeing musicals in the mid-80’s possibly due to very racy lyrics and choreography. My first viewing was the acclaimed 2013 Broadway revival, which enhanced the storyline with an ensemble of acrobats. By the end of this version (which I managed to see three times between New York and Chicago), I could not imagine Pippin without the circus feats, but I have since learned that Pippin is just as enjoyable when done minimally, like the 2018 production in the Mercury Theater’s cabaret space.

While “Magic to Do” is an exciting opening that establishes a direction for the next two hours, Pippin really gets started with the first notes of “Corner of the Sky,” and I remember the beginning of Mathew James Thomas’s Broadway performance in 2013 – his voice expanding like crystal through the theater when he hits the chorus: “Rivers belong where they can ramble. Eagles belong where they can fly.” Pippin is a highly relatable character as he searches for a purpose in life – a path to finding inner contentment with no idea where to start. His father Charlemagne expects Pippin to use tyranny to establish power. His grandmother Berthe encourages Pippin to enjoy life in the always fun sing-along “No Time at All.” In one of the great Act I finales – “Morning Glow” – Pippin tries to find meaning by establishing peace. When the lead player and his troop expect Pippin to sacrifice his life in a climactic spectacle, Pippin refuses.

Hadestown and Pippin share two notable qualities. They both present characters from long ago (mythical and historical) in modern settings, emphasizing the timelessness of their struggles. Also, both involve characters who embark on a physical quest (Pippin throughout Europe / Orpheus down to the underworld), but the challenges they must overcome are more internal than external.

#3 and #4 – Preview

I originally planned to write about all five of my favorite musicals in one post before realizing that post would be far too long. Therefore, in a homage to the method that Aurora’s Paramount Theater presents its upcoming seasons, I am going to release a preview. See if you can guess the next two musicals based on the following sets of emojis. I hope to publish my 101st post soon.

theater in chicago reviews

A Thanksgiving Post – Musicals I am Thankful For

My Favorite Musicals — #1 and #2