Buzz
Released in 1967, Mel Brooks' dark comedy *The Producers* became a major hit, featuring a shocking scene that left first-time viewers in total disbelief. The film’s plot centers on two Broadway producers who devise a plan to stage a show so awful that it fails spectacularly, allowing them to collect insurance money. The musical they choose to stage is 'Springtime for Hitler,' a bizarre and irreverent tribute to one of history's most notorious dictators.
Though 'Springtime for Hitler' is a fictional musical within *The Producers*, satirizing fascism and the Nazis, it never made it to Broadway. But that doesn't mean there haven't been other absurd plot ideas that made it to New York’s theater scene. This list includes ten actual Broadway musicals that are based on outrageous concepts, each of which could only come from the mind of a true visionary.
10. Evil Dead: The Musical
Broadway has long been known for adapting horror films into light-hearted, comedic productions. Musicals like *Phantom of the Opera* and *Sweeney Todd* have even become iconic, transcending their campy roots. But when it comes to adapting the over-the-top special effects of the *Evil Dead* movies to the stage, it's far more challenging to capture the intense blood-and-gore atmosphere than it is to portray a homicidal barber or a vengeful opera singer.
Despite the challenges, Toronto-based creators George Reinblatt, Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, and Melissa Morris pressed forward, bringing a musical adaptation of the first two *Evil Dead* films to life at the Tranzac Club in 2003. Audiences were treated to Ash, the fearless monster hunter, not only fighting the Deadites but also performing catchy songs and dances. The show’s overwhelming success led to its off-Broadway debut in 2006, followed by international tours in subsequent years.
9. Little Shop of Horrors
*Evil Dead: The Musical* may not be the most successful horror film adaptation on Broadway, however. That honor is often given to *Little Shop of Horrors*, a musical based on a cult classic film about a timid plant shop worker, his love for a beautiful woman, and a ravenous, man-eating plant. The show also includes a touching ballad by a sadistic dentist who takes pleasure in his cruel profession.
*Little Shop of Horrors* is a 1982 doo-wop musical based on a 1960 horror B-movie of the same title. This production was one of Alan Menken’s early successes, propelling him to fame before he composed music for Disney’s 1990s animated classics. While *Little Shop* isn’t the least well-known musical on this list, its inclusion is justified by the impressive talking plant that spans the stage and operates with intricate puppetry.
8. Hands on a Hardbody
In 1997, documentary filmmaker S.R. Bindler captured the unique competition *Hands on a Hardbody: The Documentary*, which followed participants in Longview, Texas, attempting to keep their hands on a Nissan Datsun truck for as long as possible. The last person standing would win the truck. While the documentary garnered positive acclaim, the idea of turning a contest about standing next to a truck for seventy-seven hours into a musical seemed utterly ridiculous.
That was until composers Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green, alongside book writer Doug Wright, teamed up to create a musical with the same name as the documentary: *Hands on a Hardbody*. While the plot of the show wasn’t particularly action-packed, it served as a large ensemble piece, with most contestants getting their own song to express their motivations. It also delved into themes of rural poverty and classism. *Hands on a Hardbody* made its Broadway debut in 2013, but it is generally regarded as a failure.
7. Chess
Creating a high-energy, crowd-pleasing musical about chess is no easy task. However, the musical in question ups the ante by blending Cold War espionage with intense political drama, all set to a rock music score. This is the premise of *Chess*, a musical written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA, first staged in the British West End in 1986 and later brought to Broadway in 1988.
More specifically, *Chess* is loosely based on the historic chess rivalry between American Bobby Fischer and Russian Anatoly Karpov, though only the characters in *Chess* are inspired by real-life figures. The musical was also created by lyricist Tim Rice, known for his work on Disney’s Renaissance films and other rock musicals, which helps explain the unusual yet vibrant energy behind a musical about a board game. *Chess* is also the origin of the song 'One Night in Bangkok,' which was later performed by Murray Head as a hit single in the '80s.
6. Starlight Express
In the early 1980s, renowned Broadway composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, riding high on the success of *Cats*, decided he wanted to create a musical based on the beloved children's book series *Thomas the Tank Engine*. Although he was unable to secure the rights from the original author, Reverend W. Awdry, this did not stop Webber from pursuing his train-themed idea. Thus, *Starlight Express* was born, debuting in the West End in 1984 and featuring performers on roller skates.
The storyline revolves around a toy train set that magically comes to life, with the trains racing to determine which one is the fastest. Rusty, the underdog protagonist, enters the race with hopes of not only winning but also capturing the affection of another train, Pearl. Over the years, the musical has seen various adaptations, including one where the trains defeat the child involved to become real, and another version featuring a British character named 'Brexit.'
5. Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play
For the sake of precision, the next entry isn’t entirely a musical. The first act is a play, the second is a traditional musical, and the third act is a full-fledged cinematic opera. This is the quirky structure of Anne Washburn’s *Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play*, which premiered at Washington D.C.’s Wooly Mammoth Theater Company in 2012 before moving to New York the following year.
This piece revolves around *The Simpsons*, but it also deals with the apocalypse. The first act follows six survivors of an undefined, world-ending disaster who recall and perform old *Simpsons* episodes to maintain their sanity. In the second act, years have passed, and these survivors have created a traveling show based on their questionable recollections of *Simpsons* storylines. The final act is set 75 years in the future, where a century-long game of telephone has merged Mr. Burns and Sideshow Bob into one character, turned Itchy and Scratchy into demonic servants, and ends with an epic sword fight between Bart and Mr. Burns.
4. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson, is infamous for his staunch support of slavery and the damage he caused to First Nations people. Much like *Alexander Hamilton*, Jackson's life received a musical biopic in 2008, though creators Michael Friedman and Alex Timbers took a more satirical approach than most biopics.
*Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson* premiered in California before hitting Broadway in 2010. The musical is known for its emo, pop-punk style reminiscent of bands like My Chemical Romance and Paramore. However, it faced heavy criticism for its insensitive treatment of themes like racism and genocide. Interestingly, Michael Friedman also contributed music to *Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play*.
3. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Viewers of the Disney+ show *Hawkeye* were treated to a hilarious faux musical recap of the first *Avenger's* movie, so well-received that an actual musical adaptation seems to be on the horizon. However, longtime Broadway fans know that this isn't Marvel's first venture into musicals. Back in 2011, Bono and the Edge teamed up to write music for *Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark*, a show that had the iconic webslinger not just tossing quips, but singing and dancing too.
Beyond its odd premise, *Spider-Man* became infamous for its heavy reliance on technical stunts and acrobatics, some of which resulted in serious injuries to the actors during rehearsals. The musical struggled to attract both comic book fans and those partial to traditional musicals. Despite its flaws, it managed to run for two years, but ultimately, *Spider-Man* lost its investors over sixty million dollars.
2. Parade
In 1915, Leo Frank, a Jewish-American factory manager, was kidnapped from prison and lynched by a mob in Georgia. He had been on trial for the assault and murder of a young girl, Mary Phagen, who worked at his factory. A century later, it's still unclear if Frank was guilty, but there's universal agreement that his lynching was a horrific and hate-fueled act of antisemitism.
While many screenwriters would shy away from such a heavy topic, Jason Robert Brown chose to tell the story of Leo Frank in musical form with his 1998 Broadway show, *Parade*. Unlike the more comedic musicals on this list, *Parade* handles its subject matter with the seriousness it deserves, dealing with the real-life tragedy of a historical hate crime—a unique distinction for a Broadway musical.
1. Death Note: The Musical
Fans who felt that the popular Japanese manga *Death Note* lacked enough musical numbers and interpretive dance can breathe a sigh of relief. In 2013, composer Frank Wildhorn and lyricist Jack Murphy collaborated to create a full-fledged musical based on Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's series. While it hasn't yet made its way to New York, *Death Note: The Musical* did have a 2023 run in London’s West End.
Adapting a lengthy manga like *Death Note* into a compact three-hour musical is no easy feat. Yet, the show manages to cover the entire storyline, from Light Yagami’s first encounter with the shinigami Ryuk, to the final showdown between Light and Detective L. While primarily performed in Japan and South Korea for the first ten years, *Death Note: The Musical* is also available with an English script, preparing it for the eventual Broadway debut.
