Hello all, So going through the winners of Tony® Awards and Drama Desk Awards past, I noticed that there were very few musicals since 2004 that I have enjoyed (a dozen), and fewer that I have actively loved. So my question to you is: What have been the best musicals of the past decade, and do they compare with the best musicals from before? My list: CAROLINE, OR CHANGE SPAMALOT THE 25th..SPELLING BEE SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE JERSEY BOYS THE DROWSY CHAPERONE NEXT TO NORMAL THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS BRING IT ON HERE LIES LOVE GIANT A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER
Anything regarding shows stated by this account is an attempt to convey opinion and not fact.
I'm probably in the minority here, but I thought SPELLING BEE highly overrated. I would add FUN HOME to that list as well as WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and largely for the soaring ebullience of Hugh Jackman's performance, THE BOY FROM OZ.
I would add The Light in the Piazza, Road Show, Death Takes a Holiday, A Minister's Wife, and Dessa Rose to everything previously mentioned, although I imagine most others won't agree with all of these.
The Light In The Piazza Spring Awakening Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 The Drowsy Chaperone See What I Wanna See Fun Home Next to Normal The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Matilda The Bridges of Madison County Passion Giant
I'm also a huge sucker for Mary Poppins and Legally Blonde.
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
I agree that the Light in the Piazza is, by a significant margin, the best Broadway score of the millennium so far. I wouldn't say its the best overall musical as the story is kind of weird and offputting and kind of dumb (although no worse than a lot of musicals and even more operas) Also, admittedly the score is not "classic" musical theatre music, but its just so crushingly beautiful and emotionally intense. Adam Guettel needs to get his new shows out soon.
I suppose there have been worse ten year periods. Some of the musicals these past years have been very very good but, for me, it is not a magical decade.
For me: Wicked Next to Normal Once Fun Home Caroline, or Change Grey Gardens The Light in the Piazza The Drowsy Chaperone The Book of Mormon Spring Awakening Xanadu Bridges of Madison County Spelling Bee The Scottsboro Boys
And while it is far from perfect, I also love Legally Blonde and think it is a extremely enjoyable, fluffy night of entertainment.
I am not often impressed with may new musicals, as I am normally more into revivals. New musicals from the past ten years that really made an impression on me are:
The Light in the Piazza Grey Gardens Next to Normal Women on the Verge Bridges of Madison County The Visit
Honorable mentions: Road Show, The Scottsboro Boys, and Once
I agree adamgreer RE: your assessment of Legally Blonde.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000