So I love my musicals, and some of these might not be forgotten. However, here is a list of some excellent catchy musicals and songs that will spring the musical tunes back into your heads! from the 1970s to 2022. Here are my top-rated musicals!
Smike
Smike is a pop musical adaptation of a small part of Charles Dickens’ 1839 novel Nicholas Nickleby, that was televised for the BBC in 1973. … It was originally devised in 1973 at Kingston Grammar School by two teachers, Simon May, who became a successful television composer, and Clive Barnett.
- Music: Roger Holman and Simon May
- Lyrics: Roger Holman and Simon May
- Productions: BBC TV(1973)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
In his collection of 34 essays and short stories titled The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent, American author Washington Irving includes the gothic tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The original version of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” was written by Irving in 1819, while he was living in Birmingham, England.
- Original publication date: 1820
Legally Blonde: The Musical
Featuring music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and a book by Heather Hach, the musical Legally Blonde debuted in 2007. The novel by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name inspire this story.
- Originally published: 2001
- Author: Heather Hach
- Adapted from: Legally Blonde
Avenue Q
Puppet and human actors star in Avenue Q, a musical comedy written by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, with music by Jeff Whitty and lyrics by Jeff Marx. The musical’s book, score, and best musical categories went to it at the 2004 Tony Awards. The show is a spoof on Sesame Street on PBS but deals with the mature subject matter.
- First appeared in March 2003.
- Author: Jeff Whitty
- Awards: Tony Award for Best Musical; Tony Award for Best Book; Tony Award for Best Original Score
Spring Awakening
Duncan Sheik composed the music for the rock musical Spring Awakening, which also features a book and lyrics by Steven Sater. It was inspired by Frank Wedekind’s Spring Awakening, a German play first performed in 1891.
- Originally published: December 10, 2006
- Playwright: Steven Sater
Into The Woods
Stephen Sondheim composed the music and lyrics for the musical Into the Woods, for which James Lapine wrote the book. The musical weaves together the stories of several Brothers Grimm tales in order to examine the repercussions of the protagonists’ various quests and desires.
- Preceded by the 1986 original publication.
- Initiated by James Lapine
The Adams Family
Andrew Lippa composed the music and lyrics for the musical comedy The Addams Family, and Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice wrote the book. The show is based on Charles Addams’s single-panel gag cartoon characters, The Addams Family, who portray a spooky American family with a taste for the macabre.
- Originally published: 2009
- Authors: Rick Elice, Marshall Brickman
- Adapted from: Addams Family
Dear Evan Hansen
In the Dear Evan Hansen musical, Steven Levenson penned the book, music, and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. High school senior Evan Hansen (Alexander Dines) “invents an important role for himself in a tragedy that he did not earn” is the protagonist of this musical.
Initial release on July 10, 2015
- Originally published: July 10, 2015
- Author: Steven Levenson
- Music: Benj Pasek; Justin Paul
Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
The Amazing Story of Joseph, the Lyricist Tim Rice, and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber collaborated on Joseph’s Book of Genesis character for the musical comedy Technicolor Dreamcoat.
- Originally published: March 1, 1968
- Author: Tim Rice
Bring it On
Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the music for the musical Bring It On: The Musical, while Amanda Green and Miranda wrote the lyrics, and Jeff Whitty wrote the book. The musical, which is based on Jessica Bendinger’s 2000 film of the same name, explores the intensely competitive world of cheerleading and the extreme rivalries between different teams.
- Originally published: January 15, 2011
- Author: Jeff Whitty
- Adapted from: Bring It On
Bonnie & Clyde
Frank Wildhorn composed the music for the musical Bonnie & Clyde, while Don Black wrote the lyrics, and Ivan Menchell penned the book. The premiere was held in San Diego, California, in November 2009.
- Originally published: 2009
- Author: Ivan Menchell
- Lyrics: Don Black
- Productions: 2009 La Jolla Playhouse; 2010 Sarasota; 2011 Tokyo; 2011 Broadway; 2022 West End
Everybodys Talking About Jamie
The musical score for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie was composed by Dan Gillespie Sells, and Tom MacRae wrote the book and lyrics. Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, directed by Jenny Popplewell and originally broadcast on British television in 2011, serves as the film’s inspiration for the musical.
- Originally published: 2017
- Playwright: Tom MacRae
- Composer: Dan Gillespie Sells
