As we at Broadway’s Best Shows celebrate the start of another wonderful year of theater, we want to take a moment to reflect on some of the Best Shows of 2024. So without further ado, here is Broadway’s Best Shows’ Best Shows of 2024 (in alphabetical order)…
All In
A series of hilarious short stories written by Simon Rich, performed by a rotating cast of some of the funniest people in show biz, with direction from Alex Timbers, and you get a wonderful evening of theater. Playing through February 16th at the Hudson Theatre.
Cats: The Jellicle Ball
One of the hottest tickets of the summer was the radically reimagined production of one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most famous works at PAC NYC. Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch’s retelling of Cats within the context of ballroom culture was a revelation and has a well-deserved spot on this list.
Elf the Musical
The musical adaptation of the beloved movie played a limited engagement on Broadway through the holidays. The high energy, hilarious musical comedy with a delectable score from Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin was a festive standout of the year.
Mary Jane
MTC’s production of Mary Jane was a standout of the 2023-2024 season. With seamless direction by Anne Kauffman, Rachel McAdams gave one of the most emotional stirring performances of the year in her Broadway debut.
Maybe Happy Ending
The new musical that is taking Broadway by storm. Will Aronson and Hue Park’s Robot Romcom Adventure opened in November to resounding critical acclaim. Expertly directed by Tony Award winner Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending perfectly balances humor and heart in a way few Pixar movies even achieve.
Oh, Mary!
The new comedy from Cole Escola broke the box-office record in its first full week at the Lyceum theater. The hilarious, entirely fictional, portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln as a wannabe cabaret star was one of the funniest performances of the year and remains one of the hottest tickets of the season.
Our Town
From Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon, the revival of Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play that played at the Barrymore Theatre was a masterful reimagining of a timeless classic. With Jim Parsons as the iconic Stage Manager, the cast of 28 also featured Katie Holmes, Zoey Deutch, Billy Eugene Jones, Ephraim Sykes, Richard Thomas, Michelle Wilson, and more.
Table 17
The new play from playwright Douglas Lyons kicked off MCC’s 2024-2025 season. Starring Tony Award winner Kara Young, the romantic comedy about two exes reflecting on their relationship over drinks was the perfect addition to a stacked year of Off-Broadway plays.
The Outsiders
Dark, gritty, and full of gravel, the musical adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s coming-of-age novel is the reigning winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical. Directed by Danya Taymor, who won the Tony for Best Direction of Musical, The Outsiders is intimate and yet larger than life.
Ragtime
New York City Center’s production of the Flaherty & Ahrens musical as part of their Encores! Series was a resounding success, masterfully balancing the massive ensemble and orchestra, which created the most beautiful wall of sound emanating from the stage.