Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Broadway’s Best Book Adaptations

Broadway has a long-standing tradition of transforming beloved books into mesmerizing theater. Alongside plays and films, novels offer great inspiration for stage adaptation as the characters, settings, and stories are expanded to their most expressive form. From Porgy & Bess (adapted from the 1925 novel “Porgy”) to Les Misérables (adapted from Victor Hugo’s novel), this has been a constant for decades of Broadway history.

This season, Broadway is brimming with literary magic, as several new musicals and revivals, all from the page to the stage, join the lineup of shows that promise to captivate audiences. Here’s a roundup of the current must-see Broadway shows adapted from books:

Water for Elephants

The touching tale of “Water for Elephants,” based on Sara Gruen’s novel, comes to life on stage with a spectacle-filled production. Set during the Great Depression, it follows a young man who finds love and purpose within a second-rate traveling circus.

The Notebook

Nicholas Sparks’s “The Notebook” is known for its heart-wrenching love story, now sung on stage. The musical adaptation explores the enduring love between Noah and Allie, spanning decades and defying the challenges of memory and time.

The Outsiders

S.E. Hinton’s novel “The Outsiders” captures the strife and solidarity among a group of teenagers in 1960s Oklahoma. The musical adaptation brings the battle between the Greasers and the Socs to the stage with a dynamic original score by Jamestown Revival.

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel about the enigmatic Jay Gatsby and the excesses of the Jazz Age has been adapted into a stage production, starring Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada. Following a successful premiere at Papermill Playhouse, the musical is just the first adaptation of Fitzgerald’s iconic tale.

Cabaret

The latest revival of “Cabaret,” the Kander & Ebb musical based on Christopher Isherwood’s “Berlin Stories” is set to open its doors soon starring Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin. The musical is set in Berlin during the rise of the Nazi party and focuses on the patrons and performers of the Kit Kat Club.

The Wiz

A retelling of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” “The Wiz” infuses Dorothy’s journey to Oz with a dazzling mix of rock, gospel, and soul. The musical returns to Broadway 40 years after it was first revived in 1984, following a national tour.

Wicked

Adapted from Gregory Maguire’s novel, which reimagines the land of Oz, “Wicked” tells the untold story of the witches of Oz. The musical, which has been running at Broadway’s Gershwin theatre for over 20 years, delves into the complex relationship between Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the Good Witch. A film adaptation of the show is set to hit theaters in 2024 and 2025, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

Hamilton

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” is a revolutionary musical based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton. It blends hip-hop, jazz, and R&B to recount the tale of America’s Founding Father with a diverse cast that mirrors America today.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

While not a musical, this play continues the story of J.K. Rowling’s beloved wizarding world, focusing on the next generation of Hogwarts students. It is en evolution of the iconic book series, landing it a spot on this list.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

This thrilling musical tells the dark tale of a vengeful barber and is adapted from the Victorian penny dreadful serial. Stephen Sondheim and George Furth used the stories as inspiration in creating the murderous musical.

From the green lands of Oz to the tumultuous streets of Tulsa, these adaptations offer a diverse array of narratives that are as enchanting as they are thought-provoking. Whether you’re a book lover or a theater enthusiast, these shows are sure to leave an indelible mark on your Broadway experience.

What are the best shows currently on Broadway?

Whether it’s long-standing shows or a limited-run production, Broadway offers the best theater New York – and the world – has to offer. With over 40 theaters and a never-ending list of shows coming and going, it’s often hard to choose what to see. So, we’re going to give you our best Broadway shows for 2023.

Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell

Greek myth is all the rage at the moment and Hadestown has added fuel to that hellfire. The musical based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice had a long road to Broadway but now it’s here, we don’t know what we would have done without it.

After workshops that started back in 2006, Hadestown finally landed a run on Broadway in 2019. It was an instant hit and garnered 14 Tony Award nominations of which it won eight.

The modern retelling of the ancient myth shows a young woman who chooses to sell her soul to Hades in a bid to ease her suffering. However, she is soon forced to work in his factory and her lover, a wannabe musician, attempts to save her from her miserable fate all set to an incredible soundtrack.

Currently playing at Walter Kerr Theater.

Kimberly Akimbo by David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori

This year’s Best Musical winner at the Tony Awards, Kimberly Akimbo, is a touching and joyful show centring Kimberly Levaco – a 16-year-old high schooler who suffers from an incredibly rare condition that makes her age rapidly – played by 63-year-old Victoria Clark.

The show, based on David Lindsay-Abaire’s 2001 play of the same name, is a clever and darkly absurd comedy about a teenager dying of old age. It’s set to a playful and uplifting score from Caroline, Or Change’s Jeanine Tesori and it’ll leave you with a newfound verve for life.

Currently playing at Booth Theater.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical by John Logan

This red-hot stage adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s film of the same name enchanted audiences when it opened in June 2019. Even COVID-19 couldn’t slow down its momentum. After nine months of packed audiences and rave reviews, Moulin Rouge! The Musical was forced to close due to multiple cast members contracting the virus. They hoped to reopen a few weeks later but a few weeks turned into over a year when the whole of Broadway went dark. When doors reopened, audiences flocked to the windmill for the extravagant show and they weren’t disappointed.

Winning 10 Tony Awards – including Best Musical, Best Actor in a Musical (for Aaron Tveit) and Best Choreography – this tragic, brash, raunchy love story is filled with glitter and heart.

Currently playing at Al Hirschfeld Theater.

The Book of Mormon by Trey Parker and Matt Stone

You won’t know whether to laugh, cringe, or sing along with this dark satire that’s been winning over audiences since 2011. The Book of Mormon follows two young Mormon missionaries who are sent to Uganda to recruit local people to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Once there, they’re made to face the realities of the world and the inconceivable hardships people have to undertake resulting in their faith being rocked.

From the creators of South Park, this tongue-in-cheek, outrageous, incredibly dark comedy musical makes social commentary no one thought possible (or appropriate) to make. But with nine Tony Awards under its belt and a run that looks infinite, it’s definitely a crowd-pleaser.

Currently playing at Eugene O’Neill Theater.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler

If A-listers are the name of your game, you’ll lose your head if you miss this killer revival.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is arguably one of the greatest Broadway musicals of all time. Written by the late-great Stephen Sondheim, it features his signature and irreplaceable sound along with a true crime story you won’t be able to resist.

The current revival has won praise from all, with much of that admiration going to the show’s stars Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford, Jordan Fisher, and Gaten Matarazzo.

Currently playing at Lunt-Fontanne Theater.