Favorite and/or Best Movie-to-Musicals, 1980s to Present

I've been thinking a lot about some of the films of the last 40(!) or so years and their respective stage musical adaptations and was curious what everyone considered their favorites and/or the best or most well-crafted/well-translated stage versions.

The UK is especially getting their fix with "transfers" of Clueless, The Devil Wears Prada, then the upcoming 13 Going On 30, To Wong Foo, The Time Traveller's Wife, etc. and we've both had our share of favorites and award-winners like Legally Blonde, Hairspray, The Band's Visit, Kinky Boots, Matilda, Back to the Future, Waitress, etc.

I know they are all mainstream, but I think my Top 3 would have to be The Producers, Waitress, and Newsies. I think they’re structured well, have excellent scores, and contain flushed-out characters.

I’m not one though who hates movie-to-musical adaptations, as long as the creative teams go about them with tender love and care. You can miss me with shows that seem hastily developed and altogether aren’t that interesting. (Cough cough Mrs. Doubtfire cough cough)

I'd say Legally Blonde improved what was already a good movie (some of it being better for adaptive purposes and some of it just inspired). I thought the same about Heathers, though I was never a huge fan of the original movie, so the changes made to the musical just suited my tastes better.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert and Back To The Future both leave me grinning from ear to ear. Back in the 90s I saw a short-lived production of Plan 9 From Outer Space that I enjoyed, but it couldn't escape the comparisons to Rocky Horror.

The Full Monty. Where is that revival, huh?

Hairspray.

I would give The Color Purple a special mention. Yes, I know it was a novel first, but the stage version had much more in common with the 1985 movie than it did with the novel. And in my opinion, the stage version greatly improves on the Spielberg movie.

For me I'd put Legally Blonde, Billy Elliott, Hairspray, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Producers in my top 5