Elphaba, Glinda, Roxie, Velma, Norma, Annie and Satine. Just a sprinkle of names synonymous with some of musical theater’s most iconic female roles.
Musicals provide theater-goers with a place of entertainment, enchantment and escapism. It truly is a magical place, and has been for hundreds of years. Extraordinary stories told in spectacular settings are made reality by the immense talent of the shows cast and crew.
Across cities all over the world and most notably London’s West End and New York’s Broadway district, musicals have been igniting and inspiring audiences and a large percentage of those shows are female-led! From old-school classics like Hello Dolly, modern classics like Wicked, film favorites like Mean Girls and new kids on the block like Six, there are shows for all ages and audiences to enjoy.
If you’re overwhelmed by the choice, fear not, we’re giving you the lowdown on the must-watch musicals this year – and they even star some of our ROARA faves!
Sunset Boulevard
Having taken London by storm and receiving critical acclaim as well as several prestigious Olivier awards, Jamie Lloyd’s production of the classic Sunset Boulevard is coming to Broadway this year with Nicole Scherzinger reprising her award-winning role of Norma Desmond. We were lucky to see this at London’s iconic Savoy Theatre and were captivated by Nicole’s powerhouse performance and the stunning stripped back but thrilling production.
Moulin Rouge
Immerse yourself in the spectacular spectacle of the Moulin Rouge in both the West End and Broadway. You’ll be wowed as the revolutionary film is brought to life in a musical mash-up extravaganza with songs such as Lady Marmalade, Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend, Firework and Chandelier. The sultry Satine is the star of the show and until October, reprising the role is ROARA favorite Joanna ‘JoJo’ Levesque. So if you think about missing this one, you better Leave (Get Out!)
SIX
Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived! As the titular musical suggests, SIX sees six of the very best and stars of the future take on the historical roles to perform in the style of a pop concert, the stories of King Henry VIII’s six wives. Each Queen takes a turn to tell their story and reclaim their story while channeling the musical styles of some of modern pop princesses such as Beyonce, Ariana Grande and Adele. It’s a show that has built a cult fanbase across the world and continues to sell out globally.
Burlesque
We cannot E-X-P-R-E-S-S our excitement at the brand-new musical of the much-loved Burlesque movie which recently made its debut at the Opera House in Manchester. As big fans of the movie starring the iconic Christina Aguilera and Cher, there were huge expectations for this and we’re thrilled to see it getting rave reviews. Rising star Jess Folley takes the lead as Ali Rose in this outrageously fun musical with glitzy musical numbers. You’ll also spot a familiar face in Jess Qualter of Brookie & Jessie who is dazzling in dance numbers as Daphne.
There are also a handful of shows that are heading to the stage later this year and to keep your eyes peeled for as they are tipped to be unmissable! Fans of The Devil Wears Prada will be head over heels to hear Vanessa Williams is bringing the powerfully terrifying Miranda Priestly to life in a stage adaptation at London’s The Dominion Theatre from October 2024. Tony Award-winning Audra McDonald will be returning to Broadway later this year to take on the mother of all roles in a revelatory new production of Gypsy. We can also expect shows such as 13 Going On 30, Death Becomes Her, Fangirls, Titanique, Aida and so much more.
We’re living in the golden era of live theater so take your pick as your spoilt choice for shows to discover!
ROARA Magazine 