1. "Phantom of the Opera"
Image courtesy R.U.G. plc
There’s a reason Phantom is the longest-running show in Broadway history. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score – haunting, moving, whimsical – is unforgettable. And who can resist the story of the beautiful, talented Christine passionately pursued by two devoted men, one handsome and young, the other disfigured and, well, crazy. Can’t get to Broadway? Phantom is always touring.
2. "Rent"
This is West Side Story for those who came of age in the ‘90s. Jonathan Larson’s Tony-winning rock score and book updates the opera La Boheme to the AIDS-ravaged artists’ community of New York’s East Village.
Doesn’t sound like a great date? The intertwining stories of artistic dreams, doomed love, and life at full speed work their way to a climax of nobility and hope. In the end, art trumps commercialism, and love survives despite all the odds against it. Rent closes on Broadway September 7, but a national tour is set for 2009.
3. "Legally Blonde"
Image courtesy Legally Blonde
Think of this as the “anti-Rent.” It’s hard not to pull for Elle Woods in her high-fashion assault on Harvard Law School. The very definition of a feel-good musical, Legally Blonde features a bouncy pop score with a book that never wanders far from the hit movie.
After an MTV search for a new Elle Wood, the show continues playing to 90% full houses on Broadway.
4. "The 39 Steps"
Image courtesy The 39 Steps
Hey, not everybody likes musicals. The 39 Steps is a staged version of John Buchan’s World War I espionage novel and the classic Alfred Hitchcock film it inspired. Four actors play more than 150 characters (yes, 150 characters!), and they play it for laughs. Think of Monty Python doing Agatha Christie. It’s a non-stop thrill ride of murder, manners and mistaken identify from London to Scotland and back again.
This British import is playing to 80% full houses on Broadway, which is very good for a play. No tour has been announced, but the low cost of a four-person show makes one likely for the future.
5. "The Little Mermaid"
Photo by Joan Marcus
I know what you’re thinking, “The Little Mermaid? A date show?” This animated movie-turned-Broadway musical got mixed reviews when it opened in January . . . mixed reviews from everyone but audiences, who continue to pack it out.
Ariel’s quest to find fulfillment, the “fish out of water” story, and the happy ending always put a lump in the throat. And don’t forget an already excellent Alan Menken and Howard Ashman score has been expanded for the book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Doug Wright. It’s a good night of theater and a great place to take a date. Bring your hankies! No tour yet, but you can bet there will be.