Saddest musical?

[Alba_rios01]

I love sad musicals. For me, some of the saddest musicals I´ve listened to/seen are Miss Saigon and West Side Story. They break my heart every time!

What about you?

[Impossible2]

Whistle Down the Wind

The Beautiful Game/The Boys in the Photograph

The Great Comet

Cabaret

Spring Awakenings

 

[Valentina3]

Fun Home. It's harrowingly depressing. I love going back to it. I might have a problem.

[DoTheDood]

The first act of Falsettos is more drama than sad, but the second act hits you like a ton of bricks.

[taylortrensch]

fun home

[Demitri2]

I wasn't prepared for NEXT TO NORMAL. Anymore than I was for PARADE. Both affected me emotionally.

[KnewItWhenIWasInFron]

It's far from my favorite, but "Rent" is pretty darn sad.

[joevitus]

Follies in its original form.

[JBroadway]

IMHO Parade tops all of these. I love it, but It’s pretty relentless, with absolutely no redemption or glimmer of hope.

[Kitsune]

Re: Fun Home, I lost my father to suicide at around the same age as Alison. I cried through the last 20 minutes of the show, but overall I found Fun Home to be more cathartic than anything. The concept of an adult woman finding whatever peace she could with her father's memory was incredibly powerful.

As for saddest, I'll go with West Side Story. Cabaret is terrifying, but less "sad" IMO since Sally and Cliff are such flawed characters to begin with.

[Elfuhbuh]

Next to Normal is my pick.

[Alex Kulak2]

Dear Evan Hansen. Even if you think Evan's a bad person, it's hard not to feel bad for him when everything comes crashing down.

[davidbrian81]

Not a stage musical, but movie.  Dancer in the Dark with Bjork.  It's simply stunning. One of the best movie musicals I've ever seen. I've only been able to sit through it once, a few years ago.  Extremely sad.  I keep wanting to watch it again, but have to prepare myself. Lol.  I recommend it to everyone who loves musicals, but always with the disclaimer that it will depress the F*** out of you. 

[SporkGoddess]

Miss Saigon, Parade, Passion, Once On This Island, Aida

[VotePeron]

Alex Kulak2 said: "Dear Evan Hansen. Even if you think Evan's a bad person, it's hard not to feel bad for him when everything comes crashing down."

 

That sadness lasts approx 5 seconds as you then see he suffers ZERO consequences and gains a new sense of fashion.

 

I’d say Fun Home is probs the saddest  

 

[CATSNYrevival]

Of those mentioned already I think I agree with Parade and Passion being the most devastating.

[ChildofEarth]

Hadestown is very very sad for me as well. Even though I knew the myth

[SisterGeorge]

"Carousel." I spend most of the show with a lump in my throat. Part of that, of course, is because the music is impossibly gorgeous.

[joevitus]

SisterGeorge said: ""Carousel." I spend most of the show with a lump in my throat. Part of that, of course, is because the music is impossibly gorgeous."

Except I wouldn't really call it sad. It's an optimistic notion--Billy's redeemed--but, yeah, from the reprise of "If I Loved You" on, how do I know how good the staging is with all those tears in my eyes. Even before that.

Billy: Hold my hand.

Julie: I am holding it. All the time.

Beautiful.

[youwillbefound2]

Next to Normal 100%

[BalconyClub]

The mom scenes in Billy Elliot always make me try-to-hold-it-back cry.

Big Fish, The Secret Garden, and Titanic can bring the tears, too.

[rougeduck]

Dancer in the Dark

[Someone in a Tree2]

Applause for the person who mentioned BILLY ELLIOTT. That left me in puddles of tears all 4 times I saw it.

BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY might be first runner up.

WEST SIDE STORY, alas, is exquisite but has never ever moved me to tears.

[George in DC]

I always thought "Parade" was the saddest. After the murder, there is absolutely nothing Leo Frank can do to escape his fate.

[victoriafr]

Ordinary Days is pretty darn heartbreaking, even though there are certainly light-hearted points. If anyone doesn't know the show, just listen to I'll Be Here right now.