While reading a book, it may be difficult for readers to imagine people bursting into song and dance numbers, or characters singing their lines. However, it’s true that many of the greatest Broadway musicals were based on famous novels. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Les Miserables: Les Miserables has been hailed by many theater enthusiasts as arguably the greatest musical ever written and performed. It was based on Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel of the same name. It is a lengthy historical narrative that tackles injustices at the time and has been praised by critics throughout the years.
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Wicked: On a more fantastical note, L. Frank Boum’s “The Wizard of Oz” has spawned numerous adaptations. The latest is a fan-favorite retelling of the tale from the perspective of its antagonist, the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba. The music for the play was top-notch, and its original run had massive talents such as Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth in the lead roles.
The Phantom of the Opera: It’s hard to find a Broadway play that has run longer than “The Phantom of the Opera.” The novel was written and published by Gaston Leroux in 1911. Since then, the story has been adapted multiple times for screen. But none of these were as famous as the iconic Broadway play.
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Hi! I’m John Eilermann from St. Louis, Missouri, a college student taking up Comparative Literature. For more on literature and all the things I love, check out this blog.
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