The 50 Most Underrated Musicals of All Time
This is a very personal list compared to most of the other lists I’ve created for Theatre Trip. Most of my other blog posts are fact-based and objective. And this one is an absolute opinion piece! This is the list of what I believe to be the most underrated musicals.
The following musicals are ones that I believe deserve more attention from musical thespians. Also, most of these musicals are also on my personal lists of favorite cast albums and top musicals!
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Underrated Jazz Age Age Musicals
Nymph Errant
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Romney Brent
The New Moon
Music: Sigmund Romberg Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel, Laurence Schwab
The New Yorkers
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Herbert Fields
Underrated Golden Age Musicals
Allegro
Music: Richard Rodgers Book/Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
House of Flowers
Music/Lyrics/Book: Harold Arlen, Truman Capote
Underrated 1960s Musicals
Golden Boy
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Odets, Gibson
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Music/Lyrics: Jacques Brel Book: Eric Blau, Mort Shuman
Kean
Music/Lyrics: Robert Wright, George Forrest Book: Peter Stone
Robert and Elizabeth
Music: Ron Grainer Lyrics/Book: Ronald Millar
She Loves Me
Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Joe Masteroff
The Zulu and the Zayda
Music/Lyrics: Harold Rome Book: Howard De Silva, Felix Leon
Zorba
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Joseph Stein
Underrated 1970s Musicals
The Robber Bridegroom
Music: Robert Waldman Lyrics/Book: Alfred Uhry
Working
Music/Lyrics/Book: Schwartz, Carnelia, Grant, M. Rodgers, Taylor, Birkenhead, Faso
Underrated 1980s Musicals
Chess
Music: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus Lyrics: Tim Rice, Ulvaeus Book: Richard Nelson, Rice
La Cage aux Folles
Music/Lyrics: Jerry Herman Book: Harvey Fierstein
Merrily We Roll Along
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: George Furth
Pump Boys and Dinettes
Music/Lyrics/Book: Foley, Hardwick, Monk, Morgan, Schimmel, Wann
Underrated 1990s Musicals
A New Brain
Music/Lyrics/Book: William Finn Book: James Lapine
Floyd Collins
Music/Lyrics: Adam Guettel Book: Tina Landau
Parade
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Alfred Uhry
Ragtime
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Ruthless!
Music: Marvin Laird Lyrics/Book: Joel Paley
Sunset Boulevard
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics/Book: Don Black, Christopher Hampton
Titanic
Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston Book: Peter Stone
The Life
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Ira Gasman Book: Coleman, Gasman, David Newman
Underrated 2000s Musicals
A Year with Frog and Toad
Music: Robert Reale Lyrics/Book: Willie Reale
Bare
Music/Book: Damon Intrabartolo Lyrics/Book: Jon Hartmere
Bernarda Alba
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa
Closer to Heaven
Music/Lyrics: Pet Shop Boys Book: Jonathan Harvey
Grey Gardens
Music: Scott Frankel Lyrics: Michael Korie Book: Doug Wright
Passing Strange
Music/Lyrics/Book: Stew, Heidi Rodewald
Sweet Smell of Success
Music: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics: Craig Carnelia Book: John Guare
The Lord of the Rings
Music: Rahman, Nightingale, Värttinä Lyrics/Book: Matthew Warchus, Shaun McKenna
The Story of My Life
Music/Lyrics: Neil Bartram Book: Brian Hill
The Wild Party (LaChiusa)
Music/Lyrics/Book: Michael John LaChiusa Book: George C. Wolfe
Underrated 2010s Musicals
Alice by Heart
Music: Duncan Sheik Lyrics/Book: Steven Sater, Jessie Nelson
Allegiance
Music/Lyrics: Jay Kuo Book: Marc Acito, Jay Kuo
American Psycho
Music/Lyrics: Duncan Sheik Book: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
An American in Paris
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Craig Lucas
Doctor Zhivago
Music: Lucy Simon Lyrics: Michael Korie, Amy Powers
Fangirls
Music/Lyrics/Book: Yve Blake
Honeymoon in Vegas
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Andrew Bergman
Hundred Days
Music/Lyrics: The Bengsons Book: The Bengsons, Sarah Gancher
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Preludes
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Malloy
Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future
Music/Lyrics/Book: Andrew R. Butler
Ride the Cyclone
Music/Lyrics/Book: Brooke Maxwell, Jacob Richmond
The Bridges of Madison County
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Marsha Norman
The Dolls of New Albion
Music/Lyrics/Book: Paul Shapera
Other blog posts you might like:
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Which of these underrated musicals is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of the above underrated musicals? Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you like these types of lists, check out the musical database. That’s where you’ll find musicals sorted by composer, theme, setting, and more!
Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She has a TESOL drama certificate, a BA in theatre, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
