Best new musical of the season

[Michelle Birnbaum]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 6:40am

There are lot of new musicals arriving this spring.

Which new musical do you think will be the best?

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 8:46am

People have been really hyping up The Notebook- that could be a contender 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 8:55am

HELLS'S KITCHEN looks like the one to beat at the Tonys.

 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 9:17am

JSquared2 said: "HELLS'S KITCHEN looks like the one to beat at the Tonys."

Good god I pray HELL'S KITCHEN is not the standard new musicals this season will be measured against... I absolutely loathed it at The Public.

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 9:26am

Personally, I’m most looking forward to “The Outsiders”. One of my favorite books and a film that’s always been really special to me - so I’m really hoping they’re able to translate what makes the story so special, to the stage. 

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 10:16am

I think the general feeling is between The Notebook and The Outsiders. Having seen both in their pre-Broadway runs, I was much more moved and entertained by The Notebook. Both were strong productions, but I thought the music and direction were much stronger with The Notebook. Looking forward to seeing them both again soon.

[inception]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 1:52pm

From photos Lempicka looks like it could be a very stylish show, but some reviews of previous runs make me worried it might be all flash.

This guy's blog has some good photos but ge didn't like it:

https://davelandblog.blogspot.com/2022/06/lempicka-musical.html?m=1

I thought Hell's Kitchen had dance numbers that were as good as anything in & Juliet, but the book is pretty ho hum.

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 2:01pm

Days of Wine & Roses seems to be a very underrated show in my opinion and could be the underdog. Definitely a big contender for best score. How to Dance in Ohio may at least get a nomination but I don’t think it’ll win best musical. Also, someone I spoke to said that Water for Elephants was incredible and was (in her opinion) better than Pippin. There’s loads of possibilities here in the VERY CROWDED SEASON! I fear we may see a 2016-2017 season all over again! 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 2:22pm

Menken Fan said: "I think the general feeling is between The Notebook and The Outsiders. Having seen both in their pre-Broadway runs, I was much more moved and entertained by The Notebook. Both were strong productions, but I thought the music and direction were much stronger with The Notebook. Looking forward to seeing them both again soon."

If someone was deciding between The Notebook and The Outsiders which would you recommend?

[Robbie2]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 2:58pm

Lempicka is the one we are most excited about seeing this season along with Water for Elephants and Suffs! 

Updated On: 1/18/24 at 02:58 PM

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 3:00pm

I've only seen Back to the Future so far but I do think it will be in contention for some of the more technical awards and maybe a few acting ones too for Casey, Hugh, and Roger.

[MsPiety&Rectitude]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 3:31pm

Most excited for Lempicka. It’s the only one I’ve seen a previous iteration of, loved it in La Jolla.

[OhHiii]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 3:50pm

It seems to be really a race between The Notebook and Lempicka, if we're basing it off of anything before either have played a Broadway performance. I think it's a wide open race with ample opportunity for there to be a surprise standout when shows start really going in March/April. 

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 4:27pm

hearthemsing22 said: "Menken Fan said: "I think the general feeling is between The Notebook and The Outsiders. Having seen both in their pre-Broadway runs, I was much more moved and entertained by The Notebook. Both were strong productions, but I thought the music and direction were much stronger with The Notebook. Looking forward to seeing them both again soon."

If someone was deciding between The Notebook and The Outsiders which would you recommend?"

Personally, I found The Notebook to be a much more satisfying experience.  Of course, this thread is difficult because there is no definition of "best." Are we asking which will make the most money, or win the Tony, or be most critically acclaimed, or be most enjoyed by me? Those can all be wildly different.

[BdwyFan]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 5:30pm

What about box office-wise? There’s just too many new musicals and I think audiences will flock to all the revivals like The Wiz, Cabaret, Merrily, Tommy etc Those will most likely be the box office winners.

thoughts ? 

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 8:17pm

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Y'all are not ready for The Notebook.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 8:20pm

I saw the Notebook and I’m not sure it’s the best new musical. To me the score was “meh” and the staging was “meh.” It was a very dark show - looks wise. And I think the 3 couples thing was like cutesy but eh. I don’t know. But maybe they’ve done some work. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 8:22pm

RWPrincess said: "I've only seen Back to the Future so far but I do think it will be in contention for some of the more technical awards and maybe a few acting ones too for Casey, Hugh, and Roger."

I think Back to the Future will be shut out. Maybe Bart? But that’s it. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 8:52pm

Box office wise I DO think the Notebook could be huge - but I have no interest in it, as I really hated the film.   PERSONALLY, I'm most intersted in Lempicka and Suffs for originals followed by Outsiders and Hell's Kitchen.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 10:18pm

I don't think I have ever felt this way before, but -- aside from The Notebook (based on reviews and WOM only) -- I can conjure no excitement to see any of them, and I will wait for the reviews, particularly as regards the music. 

If Roses stays to its scheduled run, I won't have the opportunity to see that; but, to be honest, based on what I have read so far, it sounds like it might be a slog for me.  Kelly and James are giving great performances -- I don't question that -- but the subject matter and the name Guettel don't excite me.  Even if it is really the best musical of the season, I doubt that the musical itself would be a serious contender for musical if it is already closed, unless the spring brings an even bigger stream of failures than I expect.  I just can't see voters opting for a closed show that probably has very limited appeal on the road as well.

The next three months are going to be very interesting...it would be great if a couple of the incoming new musicals are solid hits...just really hard to even guess right now.  So many seem niche.

 

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 1/18/24 at 11:28pm

I have no idea which of the spring musicals will break through at the box office. Probably none will have the out of the gate success that Back to the Future did so I imagine it'll come down to reviews and Tony noms maybe more than usual this year.

As far as Tony noms, my current prediction for the five nominees are: The Notebook, The Outsiders, Lempicka, Hell's Kitchen and Suffs. But Days of Wine and Roses or Water For Elephants or The Great Gatsby could be spoilers. I think BTTF will get some below the line nominations and maybe Roger Bart but that'll be it. I'd be surprised if The Heart of Rock 'n' Roll is much of a player. For the closed shows, Here Lies Love could get some below the lines as well but will probably be mostly forgotten along with Harmony and Ohio (which will surely be closed by Tony time) and of course OUAOMT isn't in the conversation.

Updated On: 1/19/24 at 11:28 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/19/24 at 8:37am

Having just seen Days of Wine and Roses, I agree with the post above that asserts it's underappreciated so far. Let's see how a new set of reviews frames the piece and the production. I thought it fit beautifully into Studio 54, but I had a superb seat (on TDF), 7th row center; others upstairs find the show too small for the space.  The case: a jazz-tinged at times nearly operatic score that (to my ears) requires space. O'Hara's vocals are simply stunning, and when she lands two of her most challenging numbers, "Are You Blue," and "Morton Salt Girl," the size of the house feels absolutely an enhancing environmental component. These are thrillingly performed. But I'm a fan of this musicalization, and find its imagery and musical signatures a perfect way to remint a story that might seem mired in midcentury aesthetic, i.e., a traditional score with songs that would work out of context. It's all of a dark, gnarly piece, and like nothing else this season. Love Guettel or find him inaccessible, you have to admit: he is a musical theater world builder. Like his other scores, this one is so specific and uniquely textured it's in the DNA of these two tortured characters. And on one thing most of us agree: the two stars are giving career high performances. This is O'Hara's moment: everything she's done seems to have prepared her to burrow deeply into Kristen's soul, from the opening scene. I was stunned by it.  

[The Bittersweets]

Posted: 1/19/24 at 10:29am

From a creative standpoint, I think it’s a race between Suffs, Days of Wine and Roses, and The Notebook so far. Much of the outcome depends on how much Suffs has been reworked in its downtime: I thought it had high highs and low lows off-Broadway. I still can’t imagine Best Score going to anyone other than Guettel (even having heard quite a bit of Notebook), but I don’t know if that necessarily translates into Best Musical. It’s definitely the busiest season in recent memory!

[Kad]

Posted: 1/19/24 at 11:11am

Not sure what will take best musical at this point- there are too many unknowns.

But this is shaping up to be a landmark year for women creating Broadway musicals. The Notebook and Suffs feature books and scores written by women; Lempicka and How to Dance have female lyricists; Gatsby, Lempicka, and How to Dance have female bookwriters; Hell's Kitchen has the music of Alicia Keyes. Women directors, too: Water for Elephants, Suffs, The Notebook, The Outsiders, How to Dance, Lempicka, Cabaret, The Wiz, and Merrily are all helmed by women.

Updated On: 1/19/24 at 11:11 AM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 1/19/24 at 11:20am

I did not realize that.  Quite amazing.  Hopefully, some will be hits, where you can point directly to their contributions.