Personally, one of my all-time favorites is The Sound of Music. I will say that I fell in love with the movie and Julie Andrews first, but after being in a local production of the stage version I love it even more.
Another favorite of mine is Phantom. I just love how the story is still relatable after all these years. :)
I do have many other favorites as well such as If/Then, Les Mis, The Little Mermaid and Love Never Dies!!
My top ten and the order would change depending on the day. Les Miserables Ragtime The Drowsy Chaperone In The Heights Rent Bonnie & Clyde 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Shrek West Side Story The Wild Party (Lippa)
Agreeing with the "every Sondheim" sentiment, something about him really hits home for me, though I'm not too hot on either Saturday Night or Road Show, and Passion leaves me pretty cold. That run from Company to Assassins is just golden, though, and I hope they fix the book for Anyone Can Whistle at some point.
Others: -Fiddler on the Roof (what a killer score) -Cabaret -Applause -Carrie (especially the 80s soundboard, which is electrifying) -The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee -Chicago -The Music Man -Evita (the only ALW I really enjoy from start to finish) -Fun Home -La Cage Aux Folles -A Chorus Line -Matilda -Candide (especially the looney-tunes '74 version) -The Wild Party (LaChiusa) -1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (White House Cantata is way too stuffy for me)
God, I'm probably missing a few, but these ones have really stuck with me.
Here's some Musicals that I like, but wouldn't call 'favorites' (some of these I've seen either on stage and/or film, and some I've just listened to the scores for): The Lion King The Music Man The Sound of Music Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (non-Broadway arrangement) My Fair Lady The Secret Garden Annie RENT (Movie arrangement) The Producers (Movie arrangement) Peter Pan (1954 version) Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Rock of Ages (Movie arrangement) Tarzan Sweeney Todd (Movie arrangement) The Phantom of the Opera (Movie arrangement) Love Never Dies (OBC) Mary Poppins (Melbourne arrangement)
Wicked Rent The Producers BOM Kinky Boots La Cage Aux Folles The Drowsy Chaperone N2N Cabaret Follies Evita Sunday in the Park With George A Chorus Line American Idiot
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC PORGY AND BESS HELLO DOLLY CAROUSEL FIDDLER ON THE ROOF WEST SIDE STORY CABARET BILLY ELLIOTT MY FAIR LADY GUYS AND DOLLS ONCE ON THIS ISLAND Updated On: 9/16/14 at 10:44 AM
FOLLIES --only the original production...no subsequent production has come close GYPSY -- saw everyone on B'way since Angela Lansbury. For my $$, her Rose was the best musical performance I have ever seen MAME -- maybe it is a guilty pleasure, but I live this show...between the original production and the 80s revival, I have seen Angela in it 7 times...when she was in it, it is my #2 show. Anyone else, I still enjoy it, but not as much. Disappointed at the DC version a few years back THE PRODUCERS -- always best with Nathan Lane, but I have loved this even in summer stock SWEENEY TODD -- I have seen 5 - 6 different productions and thought they all demonstrated what a great work this is. The original production was still best SHE LOVES ME -- seen a number of productions, but the Roundabout production was the definitive one. LES. MISERABLES -- kill me...I love it. Saw it in London a few months after it opened in 1986, but I actually think the version that hit Tampa Fl about 2 years ago was the best one. I love those Victor Hugo drawings and the way Javert died. CHICAGO -- saw it 4 or five times in the 70s ( saw Verdon, Minelli's, Reinking) and never understood why it was not a montpster hit. Well, I guess I was right after all. THE KING AND I -- I would actually like this more if they cut out The Small House of Uncle Thomas. I am so sick of that number. But I love the show and think that I Have Dreamed is perhaps the greatest song ever in a show. CABARET -- have seen 5 - 6 different production. The current version is great, but when you think that the original is almost 50 years ago, amazing. And no one will ever come close to Lotte Lenya and Jack Gilford, in roles that are usually given short shrift, in contrast to the Emcee and Sally.
Runners up: A Funny Thing, The Pajama Game (what a fun score, what a fun show), A Little Night Music, Ragtime, Hello Dolly
It is hard to pick just one musical, with all the variations of styles and influence of production value based on the production's performances. So, personally I think these are my favorite: LES MISERABLES THE DROWSY CHAPERONE SWEENEY TODD:THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET RAGTIME PIPPIN HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH NEXT TO NORMAL GUYS AND DOLLS A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER THE PRODUCERS MISS SAIGON & EVITA
Crazy For You Damn Yankees Jelly's Last Jam Rent Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat West Side Story Jerome Robbins' Broadway Sound of Music Fiddler on the Roof Sunset Boulevard
More recently….Beautiful was really entertaining, so that almost cracks the top ten. As does Next to Normal. Updated On: 11/3/14 at 10:49 PM