Stage Musicals: 10 All-Time Greatest
From ''Okahoma!'' and ''Carousel'' in the '40s to ''The Book of Mormon'' today -- let us sing their praises
By
Thom Geier
Updated July 12, 2013 at 03:00 PM EDT
Meredith has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Meredith may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.
10. The Book of Mormon (2011)
Music, Lyrics & Book by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Robert Lopez An old-fashioned book musical for the 21st century, complete with wicked satire andĀ
Credit:
Joan Marcus
1 of 10
Advertisement
Advertisement
9. Carousel (1945)
Music by Richard Rodgers Lyrics & Book by Oscar Hammerstein II Carnival barker Billy Bigelow's first-act-closing soliloquy offers a master class for songwriters trying toĀ
Credit:
Everett Collection
2 of 10
8. Rent (1993)
Music & Lyrics by Jonathan Larson Larson died suddenly and tragically just before the premiere of his rock-opera update on Puccini's La Bohème . ButĀ
Credit:
Joan Marcus
3 of 10
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement
7. A Chorus Line (1975)
Music by Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics by Edward Kleban Book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante The supporting players take center stage in this backstageĀ
Credit:
Martha Swope
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Edward Kleban
Book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante
The supporting players take center stage in this backstage musical, a valentine to theater performers featuring a glut of memorable solos and a high-kicking finale that remains one singular sensation.
Download it:
Amazon
4 of 10
Advertisement
6. Cabaret (1966)
Music by John Kander Lyrics by Fred Ebb Even the orchestra is beautiful in this perfectly marvelous portrait of a young English cabaret singer namedĀ
Credit:
Everett Collection
5 of 10
5. West Side Story (1957)
Music by Leonard Bernstein Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by Arthur Laurents Who wouldn't want to live in an America with an exuberant update ofĀ
Credit:
Everett Collection
6 of 10
Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement
4. Oklahoma! (1943)
Music by Richard Rodgers Lyrics & Book by Oscar Hammerstein II Rodgers & Hammerstein's unlikely hit ushered in a golden age of American musicals, boostedĀ
Credit:
Everett Collection
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics & Book by Oscar Hammerstein II
Rodgers & Hammerstein's unlikely hit ushered in a golden age of American musicals, boosted by infectious melodies such as ''Oh, What a Beautiful Morning,'' ambitious dance numbers (including a 15-minute mini-ballet in the second act), and a mature love story that doesn't rely mainly on jokes.
7 of 10
Advertisement
Advertisement
3. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979)
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by Hugh Wheeler Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd, a Grand Guignol fable featuring a murderous barber, hisĀ
Credit:
Everett Collection
8 of 10
Advertisement
2. Gypsy (1959)
Music by Jule Styne Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by Arthur Laurents Though the title character is notorious stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, the real starĀ
Credit:
Everett Collection
9 of 10
Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement
1. Guys and Dolls (1950)
Music & Lyrics by Frank Loesser Book by Joe Swerling and Abe Burrows Forget the 1950 movie, which miscasts Marlon Brando as a crooning gamblerĀ
Credit:
Everett Collection
10 of 10
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
By
Thom Geier