Broadway Games: Best Musicals By Pic

Vote for your favorites for 

The 2025 JKTS Readers' Choice Awards!

Cast your ballot HERE

With the Tonys just weeks away, and with a new Best Musical soon to be crowned, let's play a little game about previous winners! Good luck!

Broadway Games:

Best Musicals By Pic

DIRECTIONS: Name the show and the year it was named Best Musical. 

1. What show? What Year?

2. What show? What Year?

3. What show? What Year?

4. What show? What Year?

5. What show? What Year?

Friday 5: 5 Best Musicals That Need Their First Revival

 5 Best Musicals That Need Their First Revival

Believe it or not, this edition of F5 was actually brought about by the announcement of yet another revival of Glengarry Glen Ross, which feels like it comes around as often as Gypsy. And before that one gets here in a couple of months, I thought about other musicals that would be great to see in a revival. Of course, there are the usuals on the list like City of Angels, Grand Hotel and Kiss of the Spiderwoman. 

But what about true classics that have yet to see the light of day since their original Broadway runs. Surprisingly, there are several Tony Award-winning Best Musicals that have yet to be revived. Here are 5 I'd love to see be revived in the order they that they won the big prize:

Kismet - Best Musical 1954 (583 performances)

An all-star writing team - book by Luther Davis (Grand Hotel) and Charles Lederer, music by Alexander Borodin, music adapted by and lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest (Song of Norway, Grand Hotel) - and a cast headed by Alfred Drake, Joan Diener, Richard Kiley and Doretta Morrow. Famous song: "Baubles, Bangles and Beads." Ancient Persia, princesses, a wazir, and a magician could be a nice retreat from reality (a grown-up Aladdin?) Creative staging, authentic casting and a script tweaking could bring this one back in a big way.

Redhead - Best Musical 1959 (452 performances)

The show that marked Bob Fosse's Broadway directorial debut was a Victorian era murder mystery involving an American chorus girl, a wax museum and a timeline shared with Jack the Ripper. Headlined by Gwen Verdon, Richard Kiley and Leonard Stone (all three won Tonys), the show had a score by Albert Hague and Dorothy Fields (Sweet Charity, Annie Get Your Gun), who also wrote the book with Sidney Sheldon and David Shaw. Fun fact: the original cast included a singer named Mame Dennis! In the right hands, this could be a load of fun!

Hallelujah, Baby!  - Best Musical 1968 (253 performances)

This concept musical tracing social injustice through the early to mid 20th century, it seems this show could be more relevant than ever. An updated book with a little more bite may do the trick. The original team behind it was no less than Arthur Laurents, Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. And it made a star out of Leslie Uggams, making her Broadway debut. To date, this remains the only Best Musical winner that was already closed when it won the award.

Applause - Best Musical 1970 (896 performances)

Comden and Green did it again, with one of my favorite scores of the 70s, and a book by the writing team that brought us Bye Bye Birdie and Annie, Charles Strouse and Lee Adams. An updated musical version of the film All About Eve, the show starred 

Lauren Bacall, Len Cariou, Penny Fuller and showstopper, Bonnie Franklin. Considering how much fandom, hero worship and the quest for fame has pervaded our Tik Tok/Instagram society, this could - with some updating - be a huge hit. Or it could go vintage as written, but with pointed direction and concept. Either way, I think Broadway is ready for another dose of Margo Channing and Eve Harrington!

Two Gentlemen of Verona - Best Musical 1972 (614 performances)

I'm dying to see the show that bested the now-classic Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease and Follies. I'm sure I'm not alone. With music by Hair's Galt MacDermott, lyrics by playwright John Guare, who also adapted Shakespeare with Mel Shapiro. It starred Clifton Davis and Raul Julia as the titular gentlemen, and featured the debut of a young lady named Stockard Channing. I wonder why this hasn't seen the light of day since it closed?

The Friday 5: 5 Tony Awards Highs...and Lows

5 Things the Tony Awards Got Right...and Wrong

High #1: The Lifetime Achievement Awards Speeches

Both George C. Wolfe and Jack O'Brien gave thoughtful, insightful and humorous speeches. Humble and grateful, these gentlemen showed us exactly why they deserved this honor...and why they aren't finished yet.

Low #1: The Opening Number

You know I worship at the altar of Tom Kitt, and Amanda Green is right up there in my esteem, too. But this slog of an opening was bland and had the energy of a deflating balloon. I'm no dancer, but considering what Ariana DeBose did with last year's opener, I can't see why she was that out of breath.

High  #2: Kara Young winning Featured Actress in a Play

When we saw Purlie Victorious this past winter, I remember saying to Mike as we exited the Music Box that Kara Young was going to win the Tony for her mesmerizing performance. It truly was one for the ages. I know I'll never forget it.

Low 2: The sound & camera work

It was embarrassing, really. From the opening number, right through The Outsiders' rumble, each musical number felt like I was listening through cotton at best, from underwater at worst. And the camera work was just as bad. When the presenters were naming their respective nominees, the camera was so close to their faces, they looked like they were in carnival fish bowls. And when will they learn that cutting to close ups in most production numbers ruins the effect. Long shots and stand still! (I'm still nauseated from the Cabaret shenanigans.)

High #3: Danya Taymor's shocking victory

I (and pretty much everyone I know) was so sure Maria Friedman was going to win, I almost got up to refill my drink instead of watching. I'm glad I didn't! And I'm happy for Danya Taymor, and she did some amazing work bringing The Outsiders from page to stage. It was 100% theatrical in all the best ways. Gritty and real. And gold.

Low #3: Hell's Kitchen & Cabaret

I can't remember the last time a Tonys performance made me not want to see a show, but it happened twice this year. Cabaret is one of my all-rime favorite musicals, but what I saw on Sunday was overblown, self-indulgent and creepy for the sake of being creepy. Eddie Redmayne was ridiculous. Period. And then there's Hell's Kitchen, which was granted nearly twice as much time as every other show. It looked sloppy, was definitely off-key throughout, and didn't showcase its strongest asset, Maleah Joi Moon. I feel sorry for ticket buyers who think Alicia Keys and Jay-Z are actually in the show. 

High #4: The Chita Rivera tribute number

It was as moving and exciting as the great lady they were paying tribute to. I loved how each of her signature numbers from her greatest triumphs were instantly recognizable, and so beautifully rendered by the ensemble. 

Low #4: No mention of the earlier award winners

As if it wasn't already shameful that so many artists are relegated to the no-man's land of the "warm-up" show, but then not to mention any of them during the main telecast? What an absolute insult.

High #5: The "In Memoriam" segment

Tastefully presented with large, flattering pictures and names, it was lovely. And hearing "What I Did For Love" sung with such poignancy by Nicole Scherzinger was the icing on the cake. She's sensational.

Low #5: The shout-outs

When pre-show host Utkarsh Ambudkar did it the first couple of times, it was funny and felt clever. But giving shout-outs is a bit with diminishing returns, and ended up sounding like what it was: name-dropping to let everyone know he has Broadway connections, no matter how distant they may be - Freestyle Love Supreme counts, but not as much as, say, being in Hamilton. And besides that, were it me, I'd have pointed out that Anthony Ramos wasn't wearing a shirt, and then have asked, "why are you wearing a jacket?"

Bonus Friday 5: 5 Favorite Shows of the 2024 Broadway Season

(In alphabetical order!)

1. Appropriate

2. Illinoise

3. The Notebook

4. The Outsiders

5. Water For Elephants

On any given day, this list might also include Back to the Future (most fun), Days of Wine and Roses (most brave), Lempicka (most thought-provoking), Purlie Victorious (most uplifting) or Stereophonic (most on my mind since seeing it). So it looks like I really have 10 five favorite shows!

The 2024 Tony Awards: Our Predictions

The 2024 Tony Awards:
Our Predictions

At last the Super Bowl of theater is upon us! As usual, Mike and I have given thought to all of the shows we've seen this season - including 1 new play, 2 play revivals, 2 musical revivals and 11 new musicals. As such, we'll do our best to predict the winners in the musical categories at The 77th Annual Tony Awards, plus some thoughts in the play categories.

Below are our picks for "Will Win" and "Should Win," as well as notes for each. We've also included a few "Overlooked" nominees. Of course, we congratulate all of the nominees and winners. It was a great season!

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Daniel Radcliffe: Merrily We Roll Along	Will Win:	Daniel Radcliffe: Merrily We Roll Along
Should Win:	Daniel Radcliffe: Merrily We Roll Along	Should Win:	Daniel Radcliffe: Merrily We Roll Along
Overlooked:	Ricky Ubeda: Illinoise	Overlooked:	Ricky Ubeda: Illinoise
Jeff's Notes	Radcliffe is the biggest and best reason to see Merrily. He delivers, and this caps a Broadway career of being overlooked.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Bebe Neuwirth: Cabaret	Will Win:	Lindsay Mendez: Merrily We Roll Along
Should Win:	Lindsay Mendez: Merrily We Roll Along	Should Win:	Lindsay Mendez: Merrily We Roll Along
Overlooked:	Hannah Cruz, Jenn Colella: Suffs	Overlooked:
Jeff's Notes	Bebe is making a hell of a return, and she's the only thing about Cabaret that got universal acclaim. Plus, I can't imagine that show going home without any trophies.

Best Book of a Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Adam Rapp & Justin Levine: The Outsiders	Will Win:	Shaina Taub: Suffs
Should Win:	Adam Rapp & Justin Levine: The Outsiders	Should Win:	Adam Rapp & Justin Levine: The Outsiders
Overlooked:	Justin Peck & Jackie Sibblies Drury: Illinoise	Overlooked:	Justin Peck & Jackie Sibblies Drury: Illinoise
Jeff's Notes	Rapp and Levine's book added layers to the novel's characters, while staying true to the beloved classic. And the book into song element was seamless. Of course, I could say the same about Brunstetter's book for The Notebook.
Best Score Written for the Theater
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Will Butler: Stereophonic	Will Win:	Will Butler: Stereophonic
Should Win:	Jamestown Revival & Justin Levine: The Outsiders	Should Win:	Adam Guettel: Days of Wine and Roses
Overlooked:	Ingrid Michaelson: The Notebook, PigPen Theatre Co.: Water For Elephants	Overlooked:	Ingrid Michaelson: The Notebook
Jeff's Notes	I think the Tony voters will want to look "hip," but The Outsiders score, like its book, is a beautiful extension of its source, traditional but not really.
Best Orchestrations
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Justin Levine, Matt Hinkley & Jamestown Revival: The Outsiders	Will Win:	Jonathan Tunick: Merrily We Roll Along
Should Win:	Timo Andres: Illinoise	Should Win:	Timo Andres: Illinoise
Overlooked:	John Clancy & Carmel Dean: The Notebook	Overlooked:	Adam Guettel & Jamie Lawrence: Days of Wine and Roses
Jeff's Notes	Again, this could go to any of the nominees...

Best Revival of a Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Merrily We Roll Along	Will Win:	Merrily We Roll Along
Should Win:	Merrily We Roll Along	Should Win:	Merrily We Roll Along
Overlooked:		Overlooked:
Jeff's Notes	Not my favorite show this year by a long shot, but Cabaret is too...much, Gutenberg is a distant memory, and Tommy is a loud disappointment.

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Tim Hatley & Finn Ross: Back to the Future	Will Win:	Tim Hatley & Finn Ross: Back to the Future
Should Win:	David Korins: Here Lies Love	Should Win:	David Korins: Here Lies Love
Overlooked:		Overlooked:
Jeff's Notes	Any of these could win, and honestly, they all are deserving, all for different reasons.
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Bradley King & David Bengali: Water For Elephants	Will Win:	Brian MacDevitt & Hana S. Kim: The Outsiders
Should Win:	Brandon Stirling Baker: Illinoise	Should Win:	Brian MacDevitt & Hana S. Kim: The Outsiders
Overlooked:	Justin Townsend: Here Lies Love	Overlooked:
Jeff's Notes	They'll want to give something to Elephants. and I think this might be it's best chance.
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Paul Tazewell: Suffs	Will Win:	Paul Tazewell: Suffs
Should Win:	Linda Cho: The Great Gatsby	Should Win:	Paul Tazewell: Suffs
Overlooked:		Overlooked:
Jeff's Notes	Cabaret is just too... much (again), Gatsby is traditionally splashy, Elephants isn't circus-splashy enough.
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Gareth Owen: Hell's Kitchen	Will Win:	Kai Harada: Merrily We Roll Along
Should Win:	M.L. Dogg & Cody Spencer: Here Lies Love	Should Win:	Cody Spencer: The Outsiders
Overlooked:	Gareth Owen: Back to the Future	Overlooked:	Kai Harada: Days of Wine and Roses
Jeff's Notes	I don't know much about sound design, but I'm guessing a pop/jukebox score sounding good in a theater could get a lot of votes. Here Lies Love was a technical marvel, and deserves all of those awards,

Best Direction of a Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Maria Friedman: Merrily We Roll Along	Will Win:	Maria Friedman: Merrily We Roll Along
Should Win:	Jessica Stone: Water For Elephants or Danya Taymor: The Outsiders	Should Win:	Danya Taymor: The Outsiders
Overlooked:	Alex Timbers - Here Lies Love	Overlooked:	Justin Peck: Illinoise
Jeff's Notes	Maria Friedman will win because she's "fixed" the unfixable. She isn't even in my top 5 for the season. Both Stone and Taymor found the most creative and cohesive ways to bring their shows' worlds to vibrant life.
Best Choreography
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Justin Peck: Illinoise	Will Win:	Justin Peck: Illinoise
Should Win:	Justin Peck: Illinoise	Should Win:	Justin Peck: Illinoise
Overlooked:		Overlooked:
Jeff's Notes	There simply isn't another choice here.

The Plays: Appropriate, Purlie Victorious, Stereophonic
Jeff's Notes	I'll be shocked if Stereophonic and Appropriate don't win Best Play and Best Revival of a Play, respectively. Same with Sarah Paulson for Leading Actress. I hope that Kara Young wins - hers was a tour de force performance, though I won't be upset if Sarah Pidgeon wins. The Featured Actor category is anybody's guess, though I think either Eli Gelb or Tom Pecinka are likely. Edge to Pecinka for me.
Mike's Notes:	I think Kara Young will edge out the Stereophonic women for Best Supporting Actress in a Play. Appropriate and Stereophonic seem like near-locks in their respective categories, as does Sarah Paulson. Among the Stereophonic men, I slightly favor Eli Gelb to win.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Jonathan Groff: Merrily We Roll Along	Will Win:	Jonathan Groff: Merrily We Roll Along
Should Win:	Brian d'Arcy James: Days of Wine and Roses	Should Win:	Brody Grant: The Outsiders
Overlooked:		Overlooked:
Jeff's Notes	Groff is popular and does a fine job in the comeback show of all time. James is giving the performance of his storied career. Grant could be a dark horse.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	Maleah Joi Moon: Hell's Kitchen	Will Win:	Kelli O'Hara: Days of Wine and Roses
Should Win:	Kelli O'Hara: Days of Wine and Roses	Should Win:	Kelli O'Hara: Days of Wine and Roses
Overlooked:		Overlooked:
Jeff's Notes	Any of these women are deserving by all accounts. Plunkett is amazing, and she could pull off an upset. That said, I've never seen O'Hara do better work.

Best Musical
Jeff Predicts:		Mike Predicts:
Will Win:	The Outsiders	Will Win:	Suffs
Should Win:	The Outsiders	Should Win:	Illinoise
Overlooked:	The Notebook, Here Lies Love	Overlooked:	Days of Wine and Roses, Here Lies Love
Jeff's Notes	This could go several ways. Hell's Kitchen is possible. How great to have so many viable winners for a change! (I'd be thrilled for Illinoise!)

HOW IT STACKS UP:

Jeff Predicts: 4 - Merrily We Roll Along, 3 - The Outsiders, 3 - Stereophonic*, 2 - Appropriate*, 2 - Hell's Kitchen^, 1 - Back to the Future, 1 - Cabaret^, 1 - Illinoise, 1 - Purlie Victorious*, 1 - Suffs, 1 - Water For Elephants

Mike Predicts: 7 - Merrily We Roll Along, 3 - Suffs, 3 - Stereophonic*, 2 - Appropriate*, 1 - Back to the Future, 1 - Days of Wine and Roses, 1 - Illinoise, 1 - Purlie Victorious*, 1 - The Outsiders

* - For the plays, we just went with general thoughts on Best Play, Best Revival, and the acting categories. We both figure these 3 plays will have success in their other categories.

^ - These predictions are pure speculation, as I did not see Cabaret or Hell's Kitchen.

HOW DID WE DO?

Jeff: 10 out of 20: 50%

Mike: 11 out of 20: 55%

Mike wins every year! 😎