The Unforgettable Broadway Events of 2024

Happy New Year, BroadwayWorld! 2024 was quite a ride. From blockbuster films to acclaimed albums, from bittersweet moments of remembrance to joyful celebrations; from Oz to the Oval Office, from Norma to Mama- the world of Broadway (and beyond) gave us all something to sing about this year. 

As we look ahead to all that 2025 has to bring, let's take a short trip down memory lane of some of our favorite things about 2024.

---

WICKED

For those of us who have been holding space for the lyrics of, "Defying Gravity" since 2003, the year culminated with the most anticipated and consequential big screen adaptation IN THE HISTORY OF THE MOVING PICTURE-- Wicked (Part 1). With a press tour to end all press tours, an endless parade of jaw-dropping Oz-ified fashion moments, THOUSANDS of brand deals, and dozens of emotional interviews, all cresting into a record-setting, gravity-defying, jaw-dropping TRIUMPH of a film that has captured the imagination of the world, there has never been a better year to be a theatre kid. And the best part? We get to do it ALL again in 2025!

---

The Rise of Cole Escola

They say it takes ten years to become an overnight success, and there is no artist this season who embodied that sentiment more than Oh, Mary! creator and star, Cole Escola.  Since its can't-get-near-the-building, sell-out Off-Broadway run, the gleefully psychotic take on the life of Mary Todd Lincoln has catapulted Cole, an artist who has earned their stripes over the past decade-plus, abruptly and rightfully into the spotlight. Since its move to Broadway, the comedy continues to be one of the town's toughest tickets, playing to packed houses of folks literally shrieking with laughter. From the stage to the Met Gala to riding a yassified flamingo through midtown in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, 2024 has truly and happily been the year of Cole Escola. 

---

Celebrating Gavin Creel

Gavin Creel was pure magic. Any soul that has ever had the privilege of seeing him perform could tell you that much. Anyone who had the even greater privilege of knowing him could tell you, that magic didn't stop at the footlights. He gave us princes and wolves, lotharios and leading men, Mormons, chimney sweeps, and the happiest little hippie you've ever seen, and he did it all with style, sincerity, and a magnificence so inherent to his person, it almost seemed ordinary. The loss of a beloved member of the Broadway family was undoubtedly the sharpest thorn on the rose that was 2024, but through all of the grief came an outpouring of love and adoration that stretched far beyond the borders of Broadway. A fitting tribute to a performer and human being whose brilliant light transcended our stages and illuminated the best that humanity has to offer. 

---

Nicole Scherzinger Nails It As 'Norma'

When a character asserts that, "with one look, I can break your heart," you kinda need to believe it. When Nicole Scherzinger is the one singing that promise, you do. Stepping into shoes once filled by Gloria Swanson, Patti LuPone, and Glenn Close is a daunting task, to say the least, but Nicole roared into town this season, bringing with her an electrifying new take on faded film star, Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd.. In a performance that is by turns tragic, terrifying, and frequently funny, Nicole has crafted a new Norma whose booming vocals, lithe physicality, and bloodthirsty obsession with the spotlight are bringing audiences to their feet multiple times per performance. 

---

Swept Away's Disappearing Ship

Though the Broadway life of this musical from Americana mainstays, The Avett Brothers, was short-lived, it made a lasting impact on audiences. Based on an actual shipwreck, the show featured scenic design by Rachel Hauck, who recreated the seafaring vessel on the stage of the Longacre Theatre-- and with it, one of the greatest coup's of the season. Hauck, a Tony Award-winner for her work on Hadestown, brought the wreck to life in jaw-dropping fashion-- capsizing her ship and raising the absolutely massive set piece in a sequence that Broadway critics and audiences lucky enough to have seen it won't soon forget. 

---

Kit Connor's 'Romeo' Pulls Up

A new kind of Romeo + Juliet pulled up on Broadway this season in a Euphoria-esque production from Tony Award-winner, Sam Gold. Starring Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler, the production employs a modernized set design that turns Juliet's famed balcony into a platform suspended high above the stage. Connor, who earned raves from the critics as well as the adoring teens filling the seats at Circle in the Square, steals the show with, of all things, an impressive feat of upper body strength. Eight times a week, the young actor is wowing audiences, performing the entire 'Balcony' scene dangling from the platform for several minutes before pulling himself up into the swooniest kiss Broadway had to offer this winter. 

---

Warriors Comes Out to Play

Ah-she-ka. Ah-ah-she-ka. In October, Warriors fought its way into our headphones and hearts in Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis' concept album inspired by the cult-hit 1979 film. After being framed for murder, the girl gang at the heart of the story has to fight their way through a murderous New York, handing the maestros sky high stakes and an infinite sonic playground on which to tell their tale. Boasting an A-list cast of voices from the world's of Broadway, hip hop, and beyond, including Phillipa Soo, Jasmine Cephas-Jones, Colman Domingo, Kim Dracula, Billy Porter, Busta Rhymes, Marc Anthony (along with a surprise appearance from the first lady of hip-hop, Lauryn Hill), the album proved a high-octane and emotionally potent experience. The heart-rending story came to vivid life over 26 diverse tracks, earning rave reviews and an instantaneous fan base. It didn't take long before fans began wondering if and when they will see the story on stage. According to Lin, it won't be long now. 

---

AUDRA GYPSY

When the words AUDRA GYPSY entered the zeitgeist, no imagery was necessary. No flashy photos. No polished commercial spots. No additional explanation of any kind. Though the musical asserts that, "ya gotta get a gimmick" to male it in show business, this production proves that all you really need is AUDRA. Well, that, and one of the greatest musicals ever written. When it came to the revered Ms. McDonald and the absolute Everest that is Mama Rose, it was really only ever a question of, "When?" and when that iconic logo appeared on our smartphone screens at last, it was like seeing the Bat signal in the sky. No questions. No answers. Just AUDRA GYPSY, the way the Lord intended. To no one's surprise, it really worked out.

---

Joy Woods Spends Her Days Going Viral

Earlier this year, the romantic classic The Notebook opened on Broadway, bringing with it the tear-jerking love story of Noah and Allie, and some of the year's most viral vocals. Actress Joy Woods' star has been on the rise for several years but thanks to the anthem, "My Days", every singer on socials spent their days trying to recreate Joy's stunning tone and masterful placement. Thanks to one very special belter from Grammy-nominated composer, Ingrid Michaelson, Joy rightfully became 2024's talk of TikTok. Days well spent!

---

The Vindication of Merrily We Roll Along

Since 1982, Sondheim fans in the know have known of the unsung power of Merrily. With a disastrous original run that heralded the end of the perhaps the greatest theatrical partnership the world has ever known, the show has struggled to find its place among Sondheim's impressive oeuvre. In spite of this, the world has come to see the merits of Merrily. Numerous directors have tried their hand at correcting the show over the years, but it wasn't until Sondheim best pal, Maria Friedman, pulled into town with her acclaimed Broadway revival that the show truly received its just desserts. With masterful direction and the dynamic trio of Jonathan Groff, Danielle Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez at its center, 2024 was Merrily's time, wrapping up an acclaimed, sold-out revival and earning four well- deserved Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. It was a total joy and a special privilege to watch this old friend be vindicated at last in the eyes of Broadway.