I started 2023 with the idea of keeping track of every single piece of media I enjoyed (and didn’t enjoy) throughout the year. This left me with loads of data for me to analyze about myself and my viewing habits. I was super lucky this year to get into more musicals than previous years (even tricking my mom into seeing my number one show with me). Now presenting: my 2023 musicals.
3. Mean Girls (Touring)
Okay. This one is starting off the rankings strong (I’m scared). I watched the movie version of the musical literally three hours before leaving to see it on campus, and my hopes were sky-high. The movie was absolutely amazing and I wasn’t sure how I’d gone my whole life without seeing it before. However, I was let down by the musical. The songs felt weird and out of place. The musical didn’t have the same magic the movie seemed to have. I went with one of my friends (hi, Cassie!), and we both left saying it was alright – which I don’t do with musicals. Typically if I see something in person I immediately fall in love with it and that just wasn’t the case with this one. I do have to say I’m excited to see the movie-musical adaptation coming out early 2024, even if I’ve heard rumors of my favorite song getting cut.
2. Nurdy Prudes Must Die (Starkid)
I started following Starkid back in 2018 when I discovered A Very Potter Musical, which I highly recommend. I fell in love with their comedy and way of telling stories. When I came across their Hatchetfield series (including The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals and Black Friday along with some other, shorter form musicals known as Nightmare Time) I fell in love. They were smashing the musical format into horror and it was something I’d never seen before. I remember watching the sequel to the series on my birthday and knowing it was my favorite. Seeing this one hit YouTube this year was such a nice surprise, and I found myself loving yet another Starkid production. There were moments were the storytelling seemed to slow a little, and a few songs that felt unnecessary, but I loved what it added to the universe they’ve been building over there and I cannot wait to see what they do next.
1. Hadestown (Touring)
This musical. I have no words. It probably comes as no surprise to you to find out I was a Greek Mythology kid. I loved Percy Jackson (don’t get me started on the TV series that just started!) and the mythology stories had me wrapped around their fingers. As soon as I found out this was a thing, Hadestown went right on my list of things I needed to keep an eye out for. So, when the touring production got within two hours from my hometown, I knew I had to see it for myself. And it was magical. I’ve never been as effected by a musical as I was with this one. I found myself listening to the soundtrack on repeat after getting home. I became obsessed with the story (I still am) and it gave me a one-way ticket right back to my Greek Mythology phase. Everything about this was perfect and you know I’m already planning my next viewing of it (I have to see Jordan Fisher on Broadway!).
This has been my (very short) ranking of the musicals I saw this year. Hopefully, next year will have more for me but until then I’ll have to try and survive the aftermath of Hadestown. Thank you for checking out this ranking and, if you’re interested in more of my potentially wrong opinions, be sure to read my other year-in-review articles where I go over all of the podcasts and movies I consumed. (The link will be right here when they’re up!)
Payton Klaer 
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