My ranking of the 25 shows I've seen on Broadway.

[HBBrock]

Posted: 12/26/09 at 1:44am

I'm bored. It's Christmas night. So I figured why not go ahead and rank the shows I've seen on Broadway. Keep in mind, my wife and I just moved up here in August of 2008 from Florida so the list is pretty recent. But we did see a show in 2006 and a show in 2007. I definitely don't expect everybody to agree, but I'd love to hear thoughts on what people liked and disliked.

1) Young Frankenstein - This one just blew me away in every aspect - the songs, the sets, everything

2) Xanadu - I've never seen so many people leave a show with smiles on their faces. It was expected to last a day and it lasted over a year. The closing show was just nuts - the crowd went wild.

3) Next to Normal - A true word of mouth show, one of the tightest casts I've ever seen. Alice Ripley was beyond words.

4) Avenue Q - Unbelievable script and songs. Hit close to home for me - especially the song "Purpose" when we just moved up here.

5) Superior Donuts - One of the biggest surprises ever, an outstanding play - word of mouth never spread and it's closing way too early. The two leads were excellent.

6) Beauty and the Beast - The first show Jenn and I saw together. Loved the sets and costumes and it will always hold a special place in my heart as it was what got us "hooked."

7) Gypsy - The first "classic" show to make this list. Patti LuPone was mindblowing and gave one of the biggest powerhouse performances I've ever seen. Patti got 4 standing ovations in the closing show.

Hairspray - Sat front row. Unbelievable energy from the cast and an all around great show. I expect this to be revived in a few years.

9) Shrek - A great first show from Dreamworks. Outstanding performances from Brian D'Arcy James, Sutton Foster and Christopher Sieber. Really liked the sets also.

10) Lion King - Very strong score, the best costumes I've ever seen, and an all around excellent show.

11) Spring Awakening - Loved this! Great music, great story, and the kids were great!

12) Wicked - Love the score, love the flying monkeys, had great center orchestra seats, but have seen much better since seeing this.

13) Legally Blonde - Orfeh brought the house down when she sang "Ireland." Bailey Hanks proved that she just doesn't have "it" to be a lead in a show. But the show itself was really really good.

14) Mary Poppins - Some great sets (flying over the audience, walking upside down on the ceiling, etc). A classic story and it was good to see Ashley Brown again after seeing her as Belle in Beauty and the Beast.

15) Brighton Beach Memoirs - Considered this the best play I've ever seen until I saw Superior Donuts. This show got shafted big time and should have never closed a week into the run. Very tight cast and great script.

16) August: Osage County - The only 3 act play I've ever sat through and it was fantastic!!! This also convinced me into seeing Tracey Letts next play, Superior Donuts, which was even better.

17) Bye Bye Birdie - Stamos was ok, but this show was a great time!!! A very talented group of kids, lots of energy, really nice theater, and Bill Irwin!!!

1 Rock of Ages - Loved this, but somehow it made it down to #18. Had a really good time. Constantine was great, the 80s music was rocking, and I left with a smile on my face. For this to make it down to #18 shows how much I love Broadway!!!

19) Jersey Boys - Jarrod Spector tore it up as Frankie Valli. The music was excellent. The story was excellent. But something somewhere was just missing to me. It really was a great show, but not the powerhouse most people seem to think it is.

20) In The Heights - Very good music, very good dancing. Javier Munoz was good as the new Usnavi. Felt a disconnect in this show and while I really liked it, something didn't make it "excellent" in my mind.

21) Curtains - A good show. Nothing out of the ordinary, but had a good time.

22) Drowsy Chaperone - See above. A good show. Nothing out of the ordinary, but had a good time.

23) Guys and Dolls - The biggest disappointment of all time. I would consider this the best musical ever, but this show left way too much to be desired. They royally screwed this one up from what it could've been.

24) White Christmas - Expected this one to be good, but thought it was pretty mediocre. Loved the song "I Love a Piano" but not much more.

25) Mamma Mia - One giant "eh." Still the worst show I've ever seen on Broadway. And very unprofessional at that.

I also saw Crazy For You in 1993 and The Life in 1997, but was too young to clearly remember the details

Updated On: 12/26/09 at 01:44 AM

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 12/26/09 at 1:53am

I'm so glad that you've discovered a love for musical theatre and Broadway. You have quite a list there! But, if I were to give the top three of the shows you listed I would put them as:

1) August: Osage County
2) Brighten Beach Memoirs
3) Next To Normal

And my bottom three from your list would be:

1) Bye Bye Birdie
2) Guys & Dolls
3) Young Frankenstein

I enjoy reading about other people's thoughts and opinions on shows.

Here's to seeing many more shows in the year 2010!

[minicko88]

Posted: 12/26/09 at 2:01am

I am so glad you enjoyed Young Frankenstein... Prepare to be bashed for loving this show! Not many people on this board liked it. However, I am a huge fan of Mel Brooks and think this show is absolutely amazing/hysterical. Loved your list... Go see Ragtime, and you can add it to your list...

[HBBrock]

Posted: 12/26/09 at 2:17am

Completely forgot! I saw Little Mermaid also...that is somewhere around #10 or #11.
Updated On: 12/26/09 at 02:17 AM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/26/09 at 11:10am

I must say I completely agree with Young Frankenstein. I absolutely loved it.
I also agree about Curtains, I didn't like it.

[quizking101]

Posted: 12/26/09 at 11:38am

I have seen 7 shows in my lifetime and I am only 15 (It will become 9 when I see God Of Carnage [final perf] and HAIR in February).
This is how I rank my 7 shows:

1)Next To Normal - Definitely deep in its subject matter and I loved it because it showed me that all musicals don't always have happy endings. The sets was amazing for being so bare-bones. Alice Ripley and Aaron Tveit were magnificient and I would want to see this over and over again.

2)Hairspray - Definitely a very hyper-energetic performance. And the score definietly puts a spring in your step. Being I saw the 2007 movie before this show, I quickly realized that the stage versions are so much better overall.

3)Young Frankenstein - One of the better shows I've seen. The sets are magnificent. The actors in their roles reminded me of the old movie (especially Roger Bart, who I felt took Dr. Frankenstein far beyond Gene Wilder's interpretation)

4)Rock of Ages - Though I missed part of the show for being off to the left and Constantine wasn't in the show I saw, it was still a very good show, especially since I knew all of the songs being sung (his undertsudy at the time, Jeremy Jordan, kicked ass)

5)Rent - I did love this show, despite it being in the bottom half of my list. The minimal sets and creative use of the set always is good in my book. However, the whole sung-through aspect of it didn;t appeal to me since sometimes the music overpowered the voices of the actors.

6)9 to 5 - Allison Janney definitely rocked for her first musical and the constant change of sets was very good in helping the story move along (making it feel like the movie again). But the score was very run-of-the-mill and didn't seem like Dolly Parton's best. And some of the subplots (like Violets and Joe's love) seemed inappropriate and in a way just dragged the show out.

7)Beauty and the Beast - Though the characters were very good and the sets were very extravagant, the score was mostly a bit of a bore and to have it drag out for 2 and a half hours was a step below torturous.