I ranked every show I saw on Broadway in 2023 | the best and worst of this year's plays and musicals
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- Опубліковано 22 тра 2024
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OHMYGOD HEY!
This year I headed to New York City for the very first time for two trips to Broadway!
During my visits I saw 22 Broadway shows (as well as a handful of concerts, off-broadway shows and regional productions) and today, I'm ranking them!
From Merrily we Roll Along and Hadestown to Bad Cinderella and Funny Girl, I saw plenty of plays and musicals featuring stars like Lea Michele, Ben Platt and Daniel Radcliffe.
Stay tuned to find out my favourite and most disappointing Broadway shows of 2023!
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00:00 | introduction
03:52 | show #1
05:16 | show #2
06:32 | show #3
08:04 | show #4
10:03 | show #5
12:08 | show #6
13:45 | show #7
15:54 | show #8
17:46 | show #9
19:50 | show #10
21:53 | show #11
23:58 | show #12
25:39 | show #13
27:48 | show #14
29:16 | show #15
31:00 | show #16
33:16 | show #17
35:22 | show #18
37:33 | show #19
39:35 | show #20
41:52 | show #21
44:22 | show #22
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#NewYork #Broadway #theatre #review #musical - Розваги
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Terrific list! Shucked combines the same elements that make shows like Urinetown and Something Rotten so truly enjoyable: clever, quirky, with moments of absolute joyous theatrical meringue. One may not leave the theatre feeling contemplative or intellectually challenged, but the spirit has fresh buoyancy.
So far (17 minutes in) I’m in total agreement. I saw both Leah and Beanie. Two completely different takes on the role. Problem is it’s not really that good a play.
"Basically therapy on stage" is the most accurate review of Hadestown I've ever seen. MAN that show is incredible. Hesitant for how it'll go down here in the UK, but we shall see...
Shucked will always be special because I found your channel after seeing it. I read the NYTimes mean, stuffy review and your review was like a breath of fresh air, unpretentious, honest and funny. I've been here ever since. Thanks for this list, I'll be heading back to NYC sometime this spring to see the new cast of Sweeney Todd and whatever is still showing. Hopefully Gutenberg will still be showing, I saw those two in Mormon when it opened and fell in love with them. Cheers!
Gutenberg is closing at the end of January.
I also went to New York for the first time this year, and Sweeney Todd was the show I saw and it made me fall in love with Sondheim even more. It was so excited to see it as i loved the cast that was attached to the production, and i loved the score and can never stop listening to the 2023 Cast Recording! And i also enjoyed walking around New York, and going into Time Square and Rockefeller Center!
I saw Sweeney Todd 2 weeks ago and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it! Even got Sondheim's book "Finishing the Hat" out of the library so I could read all about his writing process.
So very informative, happy new year
Loved this mini trip back to New York! Since I have not seen any of these shows, (I live in Oregon and don't get there often. I am also not close to where the tours perform), I love your reviews. I am anxious to see your Off-Boadway list as well ( I saw in the comments that you will be doing this). My favorite line here was, "It has so many holes in it it might as well have been a collinder! "😂
“The plot had so many holes in it you’d think it was a colander” is a top tier one liner! Happy holidays Mickey Jo
Yours is my favorite theater-themed UA-cam channel. As a New Yorker, glad you did another Broadway video & are keeping your foot in the water here. (Hoping you'll attend the Tony Awards - would love to hear you talk about that. Your Tony-viewing video - w. all the themed foods, & yours & Aeron's excitement when some of your favorites won - is one of my fav's.)
I don't have a chance to watch a lot of musicals (only touring ones) but I watch your videos all the time. I love the way you talk about shows.
I really enjoyed Shucked, but Kimberly Akimbo was the show that really stuck with me. I thought about it the most afterward and listened to the cast album on repeat. When I went back to New York in October it was the only show I saw again.
I'm seeing Merrily during my next NY trip in February! I love the score and I'm a huge Sondheim fan in general and the feedback has been incredible from everyone who's seen it. I'm so excited, and even more excited after hearing your thoughts. Happy New Year! :)
I went in a little worried, but as soon as the overture began I knew we were in good hands. Have a blast!
@jackprather81 thank you so much!!
I haven't gotten more than a minute and fifteen seconds in because I'm absolutely lost on the phrase "Jessica Chastain slowly microwaving on stage at the Hudson Theater". I love how you write and deliver your videos.
I LOVED Fat Ham. Saw the first preview. The energy in that cast was off the charts
BUDDY 22 shows when you don’t live here?!? That is IMPRESSIVE!! 👏👏👏
A 47:44 minute Mickey-Jo theatre video! Christmas just came early! ❤️
I just realized that I must have seen the Merrily We Roll Along production when it was originally coming around. I *believe* that the MWRA production did transfer some of the cast from the Menier Chocolate Factory production, particularly the actors who played Charlie and Frank. There were some local Boston actors, and Eden Espinoza played Mary. If it *is* the same production as this Broadway revival, it was an astonishing production. I actually saw it three times in total. It was the closest I've been, possibly, to theatre as a spiritual experience. The show genuinely shook the core of my soul, devastated me, and I transformed as a person as a result of seeing it.
Great year end wrap up. I pretty much agreed with you on the ones I saw. What about Goodnight Oscar that won Sean Hayes a Tony for his performance as Oscar Levant?
Sadly I missed that one as well, but I heard great things!
We had 3 alternates in Six when my mom I and saw it in Tulsa and they were outstanding. Cleves was one of them and she stole the entire show. So much fun.
Hope you have a glorious 2024!🎉
Thank you, and you too!
My friend’s sister played Mary in Parade
my family and i went to new york for a week this summer and we did broadway roulette twice as there were too many shows i wanted to see many of which we couldn’t afford
we ended up seeing new york new york which i thought was fine. visually stunning, anna’s performance blew me away, but i was left a bit confused by colton (his accent was thoroughly strange to me, i imagine it’s meant to be irish american but i could barely understand a word he said), he sang really well although his vibrato (like ben platt’s) is like marmite. i loved the ensemble and the madam veltri/alex bond. i didn’t find nyny as funny as the rest of the audience seemed to (maybe i’m just a more reserved brit) but the “there’s a gentleman at the door, i don’t think he’s your brother” line was perfectly set up and i was howling with laughter. but mainly my takeaway was how underused the phenomenal talent of clyde alves was. all in all i did enjoy it but i really wanted more.
my mam and i also ended up seeing some like it hot which we both adored. the music is so catchy, cborle was hilarious, but j harrison ghee was just phenomenal and we were just in awe of them. the tap chase scene was stunningly choreographed and hilarious, and of course we are eagerly awaiting the west end transfer!!
Chicago's "Cell Block Tango" The movie over did it. Also the movie is from Roxie's POV. The stage version is a vaudeville. Those girls only get that one feature in the whole show, so yes, each of them gets a joke. "You know, some guys just can't hold their arsenic" That's Funny. "He saw himself as alive. And I saw him Dead" "He ran into my knife. He ran into my knife ten times." "So, I fired two warning shots... into his head!" That's funny.
The Rockettes actually don't have New York, New York in their show anymore. Just saw it the other day and OH MY GOD is that an absolute must see. You think its just going to be this creaky and hokey relic but it just absolutely blew me away. The skill, grace, and beauty of Rockettes is frankly awe inspiring. And while it does feel like a show whose core sensibilities are from another era, it never feels dated. Rather it shows why these kinds of shows were so popular in the first place, and what was so great about them. It's just one show stopping dance number after another. If you're ever in NYC in November/December you simply must see it.
This recommendation made me so excited about the idea of seeing their show, thank you! I was going to say, I'd love to do a Christmas New York trip and some point and that would definitely be obligatory!
Mickey, do you think you enjoyed Hadestown better in NY when they changed Orpheus from self assured, a bit cocky to gentle, slightly touched? That seems a big consensus from a lot of people…
For sure a component of it - I connected emotionally with his character WAY more in NYC, and it was Reeve both times.
Thanks for this! As I’ve been lucky enough to have a bit of time in NYC this year as well seeing shows it’s great to hear your perspectives on them too (in fact I’m there now so this is helpful for my planning!) I agree on & Juliet and Moulin Rouge having seen them both on the west end and on Broadway, enjoyed & Juliet more in NYC and enjoyed Moulin Rouge more in West End - wasn’t too taken with Aaron Tveit either, much preferred Jamie Muscato
Oh and my favourite show this year on Broadway was definitely Parade! Looking forward to Merrily though my wallet is crying!
Thanks for doing this and for the Show Score link.
Did I miss a video review of Six on Broadway? Do you plan to do a Six video comparing the shows in the different venues that you visited in 2023?
New York, New York had a lot of loose ends that weren’t resolved, but Anna Uzele was excellent.
This will be a packed Broadway season given the shows opening in spring 2024. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the 2024 Tony’s.
I've been waiting and waiting for MickeyJo's Six Broadway review!! I think he mentioned in one video that he was going to do one, but I haven't seen it come up
@@Cherri_Stars Thanks. I guess we will have to keep asking…
@@Cherri_Stars Thanks. That’s what I thought too.
Are you going to New York again next year? If you are there in August I might see you when I am there for my birthday. ❤ Happy New Year MickeyJo.❤
I think I saw 19 of the 22 you listed. Did not see Cottage. Seeing closing of Purlie on 2/4/24 and will see Fat Ham in Atlanta in April. Agree with Merrily at the top. Would have ranked Bad Cinderella higher for Jordan Dobson. Agree on NY, NY. Not a fan of Shucked, but did see Kimberly Akimbo 3x. Wish you could have seen How to Dance in Ohio (I was at first preview). Wonder where "Here We Are" would have ranked if on Broadway. (Sondheim at both ends?). Finally - wondering if you ever signed up for TDF since I saw you were doing rush. Happy Christmas!
Grey House was the highlight show of my last Broadway trip, I'm so sad that it fell through the cracks
I was invited but not in the US at the time which is particularly devastating! I heard it was very thought provoking, but I'd have also just loved to see Laurie Metcalf on stage again!
Hey MickeyJo Ann Morrison here the original Mary Flynn in the 1981 Broadway production of MWRA
I enjoy following you and would love to chat with you about the 1981 version Especially about the 6 weeks of previews working on the original with Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim
That would be a huge honour! If you'd like you can email me at mickeyjotheatre@gmail.com
"The plot had so many holes in it, it may as well have been a colander!"
So wonderful that you loved Parade and rated it so highly. Breathtaking show. Thought Ben deserved the Tony but that's just IMHO! I wish someone could explain to me why they didn't do a screenshot. 😥
As an american and history nerd as well as musical theatre lover, a tap number that recreates an iconic Americana photograph makes New York New York a winner for me
In a few weeks I'll be seeing two of the shows in your list - Merrily and Gutenberg (along with BTTF and possibly Spamalot and Purlie). I'm curious to see how I end up ranking them all.
I absolutely loved Gutenberg!! Get ready to laugh your head off 😂
I managed to see Merrily We Roll Along, Kimberly Akimbo, Sweeney Todd, and Guttenberg during my last two trips but sadly missed Parade. I will absolutely agree about the bridge posts in Sweeney, because one blocked my view of Judge Turpin's face throughout "Pretty Women."
Going back for a couple of nights in March and still deciding what to see then.
Shucked is coming to the West End courtesy of Cameron Mackintosh! He absolutely loved the show!!!
Currently anticipated for Winter 2025 after a very quiet postponement. Cameron has other shows he will be mounting first.
Sad that you saw a low energy Aaron Tveit performance. I saw him on a high energy night and he was amazing
One of my university drama course shows was a play about Macbeth going wrong. And did feature a plot point of a male character being dragged on to play Lady Macbeth as a last minute replacement. And yes, I play that character! Probably a better outdated, at least with the visual aspect, I had to have visible facial hair and of course the whole makeup job and wig was deliberately terrible. if for whatever reason I were to revisit it, I would sand off some of those rough edges entry to see if the comedy could be refocused on the characters awkwardness in the situation they are forced into.
Nice video. I didn't see Peter Pan Goes Wrong because I didn't like the one-joke-told-only The Play That Goes Wrong. Six - saw it last trip to NY - meh. I've seen Wicked 3 times, but never in NY. Maybe I'll go next visit. (I usually try to see the new shows, although I ran out of time this trip. Wanted to see Purlie). I loved Some Like it Hot. Everyone I know who saw it loved it and we were all sad to see it close. I also really enjoyed New York! New York!, but maybe because I'm a born and bred New Yorker and there is lots in the show that I think you have to be one to enjoy it.
I haven't been to NYC in ages, but in general, my favorite show this year was Cabaret in London and my least favorite was the touring production of Beetlejuice.
My fave shows I saw on Broadway this year were: MJ the musical, Purlie Victorious, Jaja's African Hair Braiding, Hamilton, New York, New York.
Regarding Moulin Rouge, I have seen the show on Broadway four times. I just loved it. This is because of Derek Klena lol. I have always loved the movie but after getting to see it with Derek on stage I just had to come back for more. I have seen the show with multiple Satines, all fabulous, however, Ashley Loren was a top for me. I have never seen it with Aaron, but even listening to the cast album, I prefer Derek's interpretation of Christian much more. He's gonna be back at the rouge next month, not sure for how long, but I highly recommend catching a show if you have the chance.
Saw 7 on broadway and 3 off broadway. Did you not see How to Dance in Ohio? I agree with your broadway rankings, but quite curious to hear your off broadway rankings as I imagine my thoughts will diverge at that point - saw Gatsby at Papermill, Dracula and Here We Are.
Opened after he was there he said
We need to spread the message that historical English sounds more like modern American than British. We can stop using British accents for historical entertainment
Great list! This is a fantastic way of helping me sort out which shows might interest me, since unfortunately I can't see them all
HERE LIES LOVE was perfection, as was Kimberly Akimbo. But Here Lies Love was our favorite show of that season.
The Broadway Playbill is the only thing that I’m probably most jealous of - they are the most coveted show memorabilia known to every West End Wendy. If Theatreland won’t do it, at least make the size standard maybe?
Yes! Talk about Moulin Rouge!
Interesting for me you said comedy wasn't what you'd expect from a Satine, I don't know if it's because I'm so familiar with the film but Nicole Kidman has a lot of over the top comedic moments and though I'd agree Satine as characterised in the stage show has a few less, there's still definitely plenty of room for humour in that character. Very interesting to hear your thoughts about Rouge on Broadway as I've only ever seen the London production and they're definitely never lacking energy!
I worked for TTG for almost two years and legit never knew about Show-score lololol cool though
Have you seen/reviewed Harry Potter and the Cursed Child? I saw it a few months ago and really enjoyed it.
Really wish I was able to see Parade or that will come to the West End. Think it's ridiculous especially in terms of accessibility and living costs that Broadway is able to have tickets at such extortionate prices and yet people seem to pay them. Is there no regulation? Imagine the West End asking you to pay up to £300 or more for a ticket. Some shows already try to get people to pay around £200 and that makes theatre very inaccessible and elitist.
Seems to be very similar to west end prices from what I see. Have you seen what theyre charging for sunset boulevard? It was up to 369 pounds for mid stalls.
@@emhu2594 Yeah that's what came to mind. I wanted to book a ticket and stalls is always my go to end I was really put off by the price. I think generally tickets prices are more standard. I mean you could see at least five or six shows here for the cost of one Broadway show.
369 pounds (468 USD) is how much it costs to see Merrily We Roll Along from the orchestra on a GOOD day
@@JerryFinkleberry 😱 faints
@@JerryFinkleberry front row middle balcony is $144...
Oh my god You would love Spamalot!
46:03 💀
Hi Mickey Jo, who do you think will win Tony for Best Musical in 2024 ?
OMG I am with you on Aaron Tveit, it threw me how low energy he was when I saw it. And, honestly (controversial take) I do think he’s miscast in the role, a young romantic, impulsive, big hearted artist when Aaron comes off as a tightly wound, charmless hero with an incredibly precise singing instrument. No way that performance was going to sweep me, or anyone else off their feet.
The current west end cast of moulin rouge is outstanding.
you must’ve seen an off day, cause i saw aaron during previews back in 2019 and he was so incredible, he IS christian
oh Some Like it Hot was my number one, followed by Merrily. Sweeny was ruined by the accents. Way up there too was Dracula, and Hadestown. Looking forward to 2024.
12:44 I liked it and I had no hate for the actors or the music but when I first saw it, since I'm a huge greek myth fan, I was frustrated with the concept of the wall. I feel like showing the scene of having to lull the giant, tough, seemingly tireless Cerberus to sleep would have been awesome (if they can do a king kong puppet they can do cerberus). Then I had my script analysis class and learned of the modern politics that were purposely added to the show but not as obviously added: Hades being a mock of Trump hence building the wall and his lack of understanding love. This made me feel more off with the concept of the show. I still feel like they could've made it modern even by sticking to the original story almost exactly and that modern day politics should not be added to Orpheaus and Eurydice's show since they do deserve a musical but one that will always be relevant.
I agree with you on Aladdin fully.
Also, as much as we can say Aaron Tveit's Moulin Rogue performance is Tony winning, he was also the only nominee so is it really a winning performance?
He could’ve been nominated and not have won
Wasn’t there a Robin Williams movie similar to Kimberly Akimbo or did I imagine that?
yes! it was called Flubber!!
The movie you're thinking of is called "Jack," with Robin Williams - I have a very clear memory of watching it at a sleepover when I was a teenager. When I heard the plot of Kimberly Akimbo, I thought the same thing - there's a Robin Williams movie like this!
bad cinderella's broadway saga happened this past year?! doesn't feel like it 😂
You do remember shucked is coming to the West end
Not as soon as we'd hoped - the closing press release suggested a postponement to Winter 2025
@@MickeyJoTheatre oh I never heard this. That's my mistake.
@@ryandunbar6507 not your fault, it has scarcely been reported anywhere!
@@MickeyJoTheatre I have two names for the lead....one being the obvious Alex Newell and two....amber Riley
Favorite show of the year: Back to the Future
I agree on your least favorite show of the year being NY NY. I wanted to love it, but it was so boring and when the coup de theatre happened at the end of Act II it was too little too late for me.
You didn’t mention Here We Are which I was sure would come in as biggest disappointment. I know it was for me. Otherwise you and I are in almost total agreement. You have excellent taste
Off-Broadway! Stay tuned for my list of biggest disappointments of the year 👀
Whatever anyone thinks, I had a wonderful time at New York New York.
That's fantastic, I'm glad that you did!
I still don't understand why Here Lies Love failed on Broadway. It was a smash off-Broadway (which I didn't see), and the $20 Million renovation of The Broadway Theater was dazzling! The music was great, the performances were engaging, and the staging was truly unbelievable - something you had to experience. Would like to hear your opinion why it failed...
I couldn't get any sense of what the show actually was. They spent so much promotional footage on the theatre renovations that they never showed any singing/dancing/story.
If I had been asked to guess based on the promos what the show was... I'd say like, an audience interactive disco party?
@@matthewlucas4990 If I recall, the whole lobby was filled with interactive stuff (photos, videos, etc) about the Marcos' regime. It gave you a good sense of what the story of the musical was about. Though frankly, I don't think the story is the show's draw. Evita took place decades earlier; many less people were familiar with the Peron's than the Marcos's. Yet Evita was a smash. My guess is because Evita had a HUGE hit song that everyone knew (everyone from Donna Summer to the Carpenters recorded it). Perhaps David Byrne should've worked harder on getting some of the songs to cross over outside of the show. In any case, I'm glad I saw it. It was fantastic.
This show, along with Great Comet, are some of the best, if not THE best, and original theatre songwriting I have seen in the last ten years (other than Miranda and Yazbek shows). The staging for both match the inventiveness of the scores.
the bravest thing you've ever done is putting Jinkx Monsoon above the words "WORST?".
Oh you didn't think the placement on the thumbnail meant anything did you? 😜
@@MickeyJoTheatre LOL well I had to listen through the whole thing so you win!
Why would any of the characters in MOULIN ROUGE have British accents?
A good question, but one for the creative team who made that choice.
MJ the Musical is the best thing on Broadway.
Shall be seeing that when it opens in the West End in a few months!
haha where’s little shop of horrors?
Off Broadway!
The US touring cast of Moulin is much better and they knock it out of the park every night.
40:50 I totally agree. I simply do not understand the hype of him in that role. There was no passion! Seen him twice cuz I thought the first performance might have been an off day but after the second time seeing I just found him bland. He can sing but standing on stage and being hot is not acting…
I think I’m the only person in the world who didn’t like Shucked 😂
Some Like it Hot is mostly forgettable score.....
I saw the new cast of Six in the West End, and i really think they should hire real dancers and let the singers sing.
I can’t believe you said ‘herstory’ without irony
Was I talking about Six?
@@MickeyJoTheatre Yes. History is a word. Herstory is not. I guess it was a joke XD
@@bloodrunsclear no, it's used extensively in the show 🙂
@@MickeyJoTheatre Ah, okay. It’s just a bit silly to ‘fix’ a word that actually means something (English major speaking ^^;)
@@bloodrunsclear misogynist?
im shocked that you have some like it hot so low. the songs are "serviceable?. Ugg. #16? You're just wrong.
I may have cut the section where I talk about how much I enjoy Shaiman and Wittman as composers but didn't feel this represented their best work (aside from the recycled material). Sorry to disappoint, but that's how I felt about the show.
If you can't handle other people's opinions, 1) why are you even here 2) move it along.