Since Hamilton came out on July 3rd on Disney+, people have been getting really into musicals. If you’re one of those people, keep reading! I got five great musicals to help you with your new obsession.
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Waitress
This musical is about a waitress in a small town who desperately needs money so she signs up for a pie-baking contest. While that is happening, she falls in love with her gynecologist even though she is pregnant with her husband’s child. The music was written by Sara Bareilles. My favorite songs are the two most popular songs: “She Used To Be Mine” and “Bad Idea”.
“She Used To Be Mine” is a heartfelt tear-jerker. The main character is singing about the person who she used to be and the person she is becoming throughout the play. She sings about her problems and her positive attributes and how both make her who she is.
“Bad Idea” is a duet with the main character and her doctor. They want to be with each other yet they both know that their relationship isn’t the best thing for them. It’s a song about being in love with someone you know you should not be in love with.
One of my all time favorite broadway singers, Jeremy Jordan, was in the musical for one of the years it was on Broadway. He played the doctor and he did amazingly. Though he isn’t a part of the original cast, you can find a video of him singing “Bad Idea” on youtube!
Not going to lie, this is one of my favorite musicals just because of the music and Jeremy Jordan.
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Rent
This musical is about HIV/AIDS and the music is mostly Rock. The story takes place in Lower Manhattan where a group of young artists struggle to live and to make money in the wake of the AIDS pandemic. If you love Rock music, this is a great musical for you! The inspiration for this musical comes from an old popular opera called “La Bohéme.” There really aren’t many musicals with LGBTQ+ themes so it is quite unique. Also, Rent has won a Tony and a Pulitzer Prize!
I personally have not listened to Rent all the way through but one of my friends is obsessed so I know it’s good! If you want a more diverse cast and theme, this musical is really good for that.
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Hadestown
This musical is about Hades and Persephone as well as the ancient myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus goes into the underworld to save his love, Eurydice. If you love greek mythology and more jazz-y types of music, this one’s for you.
I love the Jazz sound that most of the songs have because it is so easy to sing along to. There are two versions of Hadestown: the first version is 1 hour and 17 minutes long and it is more fast paced, while the second version, the Broadway version, is about 2 hours long and some of the songs are a little slower and less upbeat.
Most of the actors are the same for both of the versions. One of my personal favorites is “Livin’ it up On Top” because the actress who plays Persephone has a beautiful voice. It’s a really jazz-y song about Persephone’s life before she went to Hell.
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Be More Chill
This musical is about a “loser” Jeremy and how he wants to become more popular. Jeremy only has one friend and that’s his best friend Michael. Jeremy’s bully tells him about this pill that will make Jeremy popular. Michael becomes worried about losing his best friend to popularity. While Jeremy tries to rise to popularity, he also tries to get his crush to like him, which I think is pretty relatable.
One of my favorite songs and one one of the most popular ones in the musical, “Michael in the Bathroom” is about how Michael is all alone without Jeremy. This is such a sad but relatable song that many people can relate to. Everyone feels lonely at some point; everyone misses their friends and the life that they used to have.
This musical has the overused theme of “popularity can’t buy you love” but honestly, I don’t mind it because it’s relatable and the music is very good! The music is pretty pop-ish but it goes with the theme and the tone of the musical.
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Come from Away
This musical takes place a week after 9/11 and is based on a true story. The story is about 38 planes landing in Newfoundland and Canada unexpectedly after 9/11 and the aftermath. Given the heavy subject matter, this musical has some really heart wrenching music.
One of the most powerful songs and one of my personal favorites “I Am Here” is about a lady needing to call her son to see if he is okay. She sings about not being able to relax without knowing how he is. Her son is one of the paramedics helping with 9/11. She is worried because she won’t be able to see him when he comes home. This song touches my heart because the bond between a mother and a son is so special. The mother reminds me of my mom because my mom would probably do the same thing.
Another song that I love and it is another popular song is “Me and the Sky.” This song is about one of the pilots who is a woman and she sings about how she’s always loved flying yet other pilots didn’t believe in her. This song always makes me cry because I feel like every woman can relate to the feeling of not being seen as enough to do certain things. I really like this musical because of the true story and they kept most of the names the same, and the themes are powerful and touching.