I'd say anything by Jason Robert Brown. Especially Parade... I don't know if this is underrated since it won the tony, but this show is just all around amazing. Also, Tale of Two Cities, Wonderland, and Jekyll and Hyde...
"Grass Harp" (I still have my LP) is so underrated as to be almost invisible. Used "Marry With Me" in a nightclub show I directed, and the house really loved it. Of course it helped that the singer, the late Judith Wolinsky, knocked every line out of the park!
I think "Pacific Overtures" is underrated, vastly. MUSICALLY, I think it's the one show where Mr. S completely transcended himself. (And the orchestrations ain't no cheap trick, neither.)
"On a Clear Day" has a marvelous score (though I never liked the title tune), but then I'm a Burton Lane fan to start with.
Brooklyn--What did that NY Times review say? You can't hum a costume? I still wonder if the critic was just looking to crap on the whole thing. The score was not the problem.
Greenwillow--Really lovely songs in this show that people barely know.
Runaways--Everyone talks about the subject matter and the monologues. Rare to hear much praise for Swados' integration of so many different styles for a rather cohesive score.
I wouldn't say it's the MOST underrated, but I definitely think LEGALLY BLONDE is underrated. IMO, it has some very clever (There, Right There!) and catchy songs (What You Want, Positive, So Much Better). And it never takes itself too seriously (I do admit 'Ireland' seems to come out of nowhere, but when Orfeh is singing it, all is forgiven). As long as you know what you're getting yourself into, it's a fun night of theatre.
The score for She Loves Me is generally well-regarded, but I would go so far as to say it's one of the very top scores of the '60s and the best thing Bock and Harnick ever wrote. And the opening number is in the group that should be considered the best of all time.
Just remembering you've had an "and"
When you're back to "or"
Makes the "or" mean more than it did before
Thank you for reminding me about Legally Blonde! The show and the score are terribly underrated. I didn't realize how much until I saw the London production which really brought the show up to its full potential. It's truly a contemporary spin on the classic musical comedy of the Golden Age. I hope it can one day return to Broadway in the right theatre with the right cast.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
"most underrated" is tricky.... it can mean a generally overlooked or at present mostly forgotten score that should perhaps be held in higher repute (a Grass Harp or a Tree Grows in Brooklyn for instance) or it can be a more acclaimed score that perhaps doesn't receive quite the attention it deserves (a Pacific Overtures or a She Loves Me).
Examples are merely subjective illustrations of course not meant to invite fierce debate, but hey, fierce debate is sometimes what makes this site fun.
"You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering." --Harold Hill from The Music Man
What a schizophrenic thread! There does seem to be a division between those following the "scores I like" approach (and PS Blaxx I'm with you!) and those considering which shows got less recognition than we would like.
In both respects, I think Amour had a lovely score which stands the test of time.
I'm with the Broadway Wild Party support team too! Though I think nowadays it is also quite highly respected, even if not a commercial hit.
Granted it was a strong year, but how the hell did She Loves me not get tony nods for best musical and best actress? To me, it is one of the all time great shows, and I know I'm not alone.