by Chris Peterson
We can talk about Broadway’s future all day but 2027 is getting closer and closer and so I’m thinking about what shows we want to see on Broadway.
This is a good place to start, as I’ve already written several posts about the issue of ticket prices and the overall theater experience. But for now, we’ll move on to what happens after the lights go down on a Broadway stage.
The stories. The music. The people we’re being asked to spend a couple of hours with.
I’m curious to see what’s on your wish list for Broadway. Are there any particular stories you would like to see on Broadway?
Please be as specific as possible (so no, “original shows” is not enough, as original shows can be as boring and predictable as any adaptation).
What about subject matter that is rarely explored? Or characters that are usually relegated to supporting roles, but who have so much more to them? Or even just a really big, ridiculous comedy because, God knows, we’ve had enough serious discussion.
In terms of character, I’d love to see more messy characters. People who make mistakes and then keep on making them, even though the audience can see that they’re being idiots. I don’t need every relationship to be resolved, or every uncomfortable scene to be followed by a scene where we’re told how we’re supposed to feel about it. I want to be left wondering whether I like the character or not for some time.
I’d also love to laugh more. Really laugh.
What do you want a Broadway score to sound like? Are you looking for big tunes with lots of instruments? Or maybe something more in line with the music you listen to outside of the theater?
Perhaps what you are looking for in a Broadway show is more dancing, or longer scenes, or even a smaller story, a more realistic romance, or a villain with no explanation for his behavior.
The unfamiliar is also of interest to me. While I would love to see more original stories on Broadway, there is also a great deal of familiarity that I look for in a show. There are many on Broadway who are similar to me in this regard.
What are the shows you are curious to see? What kinds of stories do you want to see told? Who do you want to meet? What are the things you’ve been hoping a Broadway show would have the guts to do?