Happy Friday the 13th! BWW Picks Top 13 Scariest Broadway Shows Of All Time!
By: Emily Bruno Oct. 13, 2017
It's Friday the 13th which means that you should not be walking under ladders, seeing a black cat or saying specific words in empty theaters. But, it also means that we are only 18 days away from Halloween!
In honor of the spookiest day of them all, BWW decided to rank their 13 favorite scary musicals. Some may be more comical, while others bring the drama. But, we can all agree that moments from these shows have made us jump in our seats!
Take a look at our list (in no particular order) below!
SWEENEY TODD
Attend the tale! The beloved musical premiered in 1979 and won the Tony for best musical, as well as Tony Awards for Best Leading Actor (Len Cariou) and Actress (Angela Lansbury). The story about a bloody barber who comes back to London, seeking revenge, while also helping a meat pie shop owner in a gruesome way. It's the quintessential scary Broadway musical that we just had to put on our list! SWEENEY TODD can now be seen Off-Broadway in an extra spooky immersive production. Here's a taste of the creepy musical in a clip from the 2006 revival Tony performance, with Michael Cerveris and Patti LuPone in the leading roles!
AMERICAN PSYCHO
Although very short-lived, this musical took Broadway by storm in 2016 with its attractive cast and large amounts of blood. If you were in the front row, you were advised to cover up and protect your belongings. The musical, based on the cult classic movie, starred Benjamin Walker as serial killer Patrick Bateman. Take a look at the show clips below to get a feel for the musical that kept audience members on the edge of their seats.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY
Now for some lighter fare! THE ADDAMS FAMILY may be a hilarious musical, but it had its scary moments with costumes, lighting and more. Still, it was hard not to love this creepy family! Take a look at the clip below of "When You're An Addams," with Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth.
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
This cult classic is a fun way to spend a Halloween, or Friday the 13th. In fact, many movie theaters around the country have interactive showings of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW on October 31st to get you in the spirit! This musical has a bizarre plot, making it the perfect Halloween treat. Watch this clip from the 2000 Broadway revival, with an electrically spooky Raúl Esperanza as Riff Raff.
LESTAT
With a score by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, this musical, based on the novel THE VAMPIRE CHRONICLES, had a very small run in 2006. It stared Hugh Panaro as Lestat, a man who unwillingly became a vampire, and Carolee Carmello as his mother. Now, you can catch these two as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett off-Broadway! Take a look at the short-lived musical in a creepy, musical commercial.
BAT BOY
A story about a half-boy/half-bat? Sign us up! This scary musical was produced off-Broadway in 2001 to critical acclaim. The plot, which gets much darker than just the fact that there is a bat-boy found in town, is a popular show for high schools to perform. Below, listen to the song 'Comfort and Joy' from the musical
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
Another fun addition to the list! LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is a rock horror musical featuring music by Academy Award winning composer Alan Menken. Below, check out a clip from the film version featuring Steve Martin as an evil (yet hilarious) dentist!
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
Can you go wrong with a Mel Brooks musical? The answer is 'no'! Based on the 1974 comedy movie, this musical premiered on Broadway in 2007 with a terrific cast that included Roger Bart, Christopher Fitzgerald and Sutton Foster. YOUNG FRANKSTEIN lands on our list with its classic scary story and amazing performances. An all-new production of the show just opened on London's West End. Below, watch a clip of "Transylvania Mania" from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
CARRIE: THE MUSICAL
The original Broadway run of CARRIE was only 3 days long, due to poor reviews. But since then, the musical has become a cult favorite (like most of these horror musicals are) and was revived off-Broadway in 2012 with Marin Mazzie, Derek Klena and Christy Altomare. Watch this highlight reel from the revival below to get a feel for how scary it was, (even if it doesn't show the iconic prom scene with all that blood!)
JEKYLL AND HYDE
The original 1997 Broadway production scared audiences for almost 4 years, with the steamy remake in 2013 not faring quite as well, with only 29 regular performances. Based loosely on the Robert Louis Stevenson book we all read in high school, this musical has death, blood and, in the case of the 2013 revival, sex. Check out the Halloween commercial from the 2013 revival that may or may not have made us jump out of our seats when we watched it!
BONNIE AND CLYDE
This musical (which we intentionally put after JEKYLL AND HYDE cause it rhymed) had a brief run in 2011 with Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes (who received a Tony nomination for the performance) in the leading roles. Based on the true story of the criminal duo Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, this musical had Tony-nominated music by Frank Wildhorn. We still love the music and the chemistry between Jordan and Osnes! Here's a highlight video we put together back in 2011 featuring our favorite scenes from the musical!
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
We have been seeing a lot of horror shows that have closed way too early, but PHANTOM is certainly not one of them! In fact, it is currently the longest running show on Broadway. Opening in 1988, this beloved musical has amazing music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. What's so scary about PHANTOM, you ask? Well, that Act 1 finale with the chandelier and the mask reveal helped to land it on our list! Here's a clip of Norm Lewis and Sierra Boggess performing the titular song on a creepy boat ride complete with spooky chandeliers.
ASSASSINS
Last, but certainly not least, is ASSASSINS with music by Stephen Sondheim. The revue-style musical followed the famed men and women who attempted (successfully or not) to assassinate Presidents of the United States. The show premiered off-Broadway in 1990 and opened on Broadway in 2004, winning the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Here's the 2004 Tony Award clip of an eerily upbeat "Everyone's Got the Right."
AMERICAN PSYCHO photo Credit: Jeremy Daniel
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