Casey H. Nabors

If you’re a fan of musical theatre, chances are you know about most of the big classics. You’ve got Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera , and A Chorus Line, just to name a few. Most of the newer musicals are also pretty well-known, and you’ve likely at least heard a song or two from Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, or Mean Girls. But what about those shows that have slipped through the cracks? Whether they’ve had a short Broadway run or didn’t become as popular as the musicals mentioned above for another reason, there are some true gems that haven’t gotten as much love as they deserve, and I’m hereby making it my duty to tell you about all of them. Or, you know, just a handful of my personal favorites.

Of course, it’s impossible to list every single show and every fan’s knowledge and awareness of musical theatre is different, so maybe you’ve heard of some of these! These are just some shows that I personally adore and want to give some extra love to. If you’re in the market for some new musical soundtracks to add to your Spotify Broadway Jams playlist, take a look at these thirteen underrated shows that are definitely worth a listen (or two, or several).

Hands on a Hardbody

Every time someone brings up the topic of underrated musicals, this is hands-on (whoops, hands-down) the first one I mention every time. I first got the opportunity to see a community theatre production of this show a few years ago. To this day, it’s one of my favorite shows, and I’m lowkey bitter that it’s probably not going to be performed in my area again for quite some time. Alas, my dreams of playing a plucky young woman who longs to leave her dead-end job and travel the world are dashed. The show centers around ten down-on-their-luck Texans who are all selected to participate in a competition to win a brand-new truck. As the plot unfolds, we get a look into the motivations and relationships of everyone vying for the truck, as well as those of the salespeople hosting the event. This musical is fun, upbeat, and heartfelt.

Once

Once managed to slip right by me for the first several years since it came out in 2013, but when I heard the soundtrack for the first time I absolutely fell in love with it. This show breaks my heart in the most beautiful way, and it takes the concept of “right person, wrong time” to a whole new, intimate level. The entire soundtrack is acoustic, featuring few instruments, as stage productions of the musical utilize the small cast as the on-stage orchestra, which is obviously the coolest thing ever. A heart-wrenching love story, insanely multi-talented casts, and gorgeous music? What more can I say?

Bonnie & Clyde

Bonnie and Clyde had an insanely short run on Broadway, capping out at just 36 performances, but listening through the songs, it’s truly difficult to see why. Based on the true story, Bonnie and Clyde follows the lives of and the love between the title characters, giving us a deeper insight into their motivations and relationships with those close to them. The show features a variety of musical genres such as rockabilly and gospel, and I can’t help but put some of these songs on repeat every time I listen to the soundtrack.

Carrie

Have you ever experienced a social situation where you were the oddball out and you just wish you had, I don’t know, maybe some telekinetic powers to help you deal? Regardless of whether your answer to that question was yes or no, this is still a great show to listen to. Carrie the musical is based on Stephen King’s story of the same name and offers more depth to characters like Margaret White and Sue Snell that the movie portrayed as more one-dimensional.

First Date

A Broadway radio station was the first to introduce me to this show (if we’re being accurate, it introduced my husband, who then introduced me). This musical details everything typical or awkward about a first date - the small talk, the first impressions, the friend you have on speed-dial in case anything goes wrong. These songs are seriously so funny, and at the same time, they also manage to be so honest and real about the emotional process of discerning whether it’s worth it to enter into a new romantic relationship with someone. If you’re a fan of comedies, First Date is definitely worth checking out.

The Light in the Piazza

(Image Credit: Craig T. Matthew/Dorothy Chandler Pavillion)

I adore this show for its unique music. Like many others on this list, The Light in the Piazza combines multiple music styles. As a lifelong choir nerd, I’m a big fan of its use of Italian, classical styles, and most of all, opera. This musical, based on Elizabeth Spencer’s book of the same name, tells the story of the mother-and-daughter relationship between Margaret and Clara Johnson, and how that relationship changes when Clara falls in love while on summer vacation in Italy.

Bye Bye Birdie

Move the heck over, Grease. Bye Bye Birdie is colorful, upbeat, and fun. Inspired by the true event of rock star Elvis Presley’s 1957 draft notice into the Army, this show plays out what happens when Conrad Birdie, in a similar situation, performs one last publicity stunt that includes choosing a random girl from the crowd to give a “last kiss” to before he sets off to the military.

Miss Saigon

As an opera fan, I could not complete this list without mentioning a show that’s based on an opera. Chances are if you’re a die-hard theatre lover, you’ve already heard of and appreciate Miss Saigon, but I think it deserves a lot more recognition. This adaptation of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly follows the love story of a Vietnam native and an American soldier. Oh, and did I mention that the people responsible for the beautiful music are Schönberg and Boubil? You may have heard of them - they gave us the gift of Les Misérables.

Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

This underrated show brings a portion of Tolstoy’s well-known War and Peace to the stage. I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t handle the book (which is translation for too lazy to read), so thank goodness we have this musical to make it more digestible. Or, you know, at least 70 pages of it.

Once Upon a Mattress

I love a good fairy tale adaptation, and Once Upon a Mattress does just that! Not only do we get to see the “Princess and the Pea” story come to life, but we get a bunch of fun, easy-to-pick-up songs along with it. Also, the movie adaptation is adorable. 10/10 would recommend giving that a watch as well.

Chess

Chess is an interesting one for sure. The story follows a chess tournament between two grandmasters hailing from the USA and the Soviet Union. Why yes, it is about the Cold War! The music is gorgeous, the story is captivating (I promise it’s about more than a chess match, but I’m not here to spoil it for you), and despite its commentary on specifically the politics in the time of the Cold War, some of the messages can still be applied to our political climate today.

Merrily We Roll Along

I’m a sensitive baby who really enjoys getting my heartbroken for the drama, and also Sondheim, so Merrily We Roll Along is an absolute must-have in the list. Friends growing apart? Unrequited love? Infidelity? A man who basically sells his passionate, artistic soul in exchange for fame and riches in the seedy world of musical theatre? An author with a drinking problem? A playwright who watches his best friend become kind of a dick actually? The soul-crushing process of trying to achieve your dreams? It’s the whole package. And for some extra razzle-dazzle, it’s in reverse chronological order. This show is on the older side, so if you prefer revivals over originals, the 2012 New York cast recording features Lin-Manuel Miranda as Charley, so, I mean, it deserves a listen just for that.

The Last Five Years

*(Image Credit: Sara Krulwich/The New York Times)*

Another show that features a wonky timeline (well, not that wonky. It’s still pretty easy to follow)! The Last Five Years examines a relationship; from one perspective in chronological order and from the other in reverse chronological order. This musical has gained a little more popularity in recent years due to its 2014 film adaptation starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan, but I think it needs just a little more love, so it gets a spot on the list.

Well, what are you waiting for? Add these fantastic shows to your playlists right now! You won’t regret it.

What’s your favorite underrated musical? Was it on this list? Comment it down below and share this piece with your musical-loving friends!

Photo: Claremont’s Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theater

Thirteen Underrated Musicals that are Totally Worth a Listen