Are Broadway shows better than their film versions? For decades, Broadway has produced exciting musicals and plays for the public to enjoy. Some of them also have film adaptations that came before the musical– so which version is better?
Musicals are enjoyable because they tell a story with singing, acting, and dancing. They are filled with emotion that guides the audience to relate to the stories and characters more than film would. Getting the live theater experience is something that I personally find thrilling and would suggest to everybody. Some of these musicals were originally a movie first, so do these additions make it better or worse?
A great example of this is Legally Blonde, originally a 2001 movie about a cheerful sorority girl getting into Harvard law school to win back her ex-boyfriend. This movie struck the hearts of many, and gained a lot of Reese Witherspoon fans. 6 years later, Heather Hach wrote the musical version and excited the Broadway community. And I have to say, the musical version takes this one. It’s just better–you can feel the liveliness sitting in the theater, and seeing Elle Woods in person is an amazing experience and just hits home. Legally Blonde: the Musical gained more and more popularity from school theater departments, Harrison being one of them! If you’re interested, go see the show April 12th and 13th at the Martin Marietta Theater. You can make up your mind about which version you think is better.
Another example is Mean Girls. Everybody knows the classic 2004 movie Mean Girls, with iconic characters such as the plastics and Cady Heron. This was also made into a Broadway musical adaptation in 2017 by Tina Fey, who also made the movie. This musical had a third movie AND musical adaptation this year, once again by Tina Fey. This musical is close to my heart, the songs and lyrics are ear candy, I’d suggest this musical to anyone who breathes air. Again, the musical version of this is clearly superior. Especially since the same creator made all three versions, there’s no downsides, and the musical is just better.
Beetlejuice was a wonderful movie made in 1988, with star Michael Keaton playing the titular role. This too has been made into a musical in 2018, with Broadway star Alex Brightman playing Beetlejuice. The original movie was iconic, it’s one of the most memorable Tim Burton creations. It being turned into a musical is beyond creative, it has some of the catchiest songs I’ve heard from a Broadway musical. Beetlejuice: the Musical is the better production because Alex Brightman puts so much character and energy into the role that it is impressive and very entertaining to watch.
One final example is The Addams Family. Originally a 1964 TV series, then becoming the well known 1991 movie, there have been many recreations of The Addams Family. One of my most memorable being the musical created in 2009. Back in 2022, Harrison High School performed this intriguing yet powerful musical, even performing at the Aronoff Center in downtown Cincinnati for the yearly Cappies Gala. This musical was thrilling to listen to and perform, in all honesty I would suggest this musical to anyone who’s new to showtunes. While I love this musical version, I have to say that I prefer the 1991 movie starring Anjelica Huston best. The casting is spot on, and the playful and creepy vibe just comes through better here.
So, are Broadway adaptations of movies better than the original? Senior Chloe Schwettmann says, “Yeah I would rather watch the Broadway adaptations because they are more enjoyable for me. I love the singing and scene work on stage and you don’t get that same effect while watching a movie or series.” Sophomore Gabe Ashcraft says, “I think depending on how the story is changed to fit a musical it can be better, but it could also be worse. For example, I think the Legally Blonde musical is better than the movie, but I think the Shrek movie is better than the musical.”
That leaves the question, what do people want to see be turned into a Broadway show? Chloe Schwettmann says, “I would LOVE to see Tangled as a Broadway musical.” That would be an exciting show to see! Freshman Jude Hubbard said she’d like to see A Series of Unfortunate Events as a musical, which would be so fun to experience. Senior Connor Offill says he’d love to see The Nightmare Before Christmas turned into a musical. I agree, I’d love to see more horror/thriller movies turned into a musical.
The main thing that makes Broadway musicals better than movies is the experience. When you’re sitting in a theater and experiencing the live show, it’s much more thrilling than sitting at home streaming the movie. The live Broadway experience can’t match what you experience at home or in a movie theater.
