#1
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
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
