Every year, I ask my Boston Conservatory students to write two different papers, one defending their choice for the most underrated musical of all time, and the other for the most overrated. The "overrated" assignment seems to invite more vitriol, and when I've posted about my students' show choices, those posts have proven to be quite popular. In fact, recently, "overrated musicals" has become a very popular search term on this blog, so I figured I'd put together my own list of overrated musicals.
Some of these shows are big hits that IMHO are a tad overblown. Others are classics of which I've never really understood the appeal. Still others are cult classics that -- again, IMHO -- don't quite merit cult status.
Bear in mind that I'm not saying that these shows are bad. Some of these shows I genuinely like, or at least appreciate. I just think, on the whole and for various reasons, they're not exactly as amazing as some people make them out to be. Feel free to disagree, as well as to submit your own candidates.
Bare
Big River
Billy Elliot
Blood Brothers
Bye Bye Birdie
Cats
Footloose
Forever Plaid
Grease
In the Heights
Jekyll & Hyde
Kinky Boots
Legally Blonde
Les Miserables
The Lion King
Man of La Mancha
Mamma Mia
Mary Poppins
Miss Saigon
Movin' Out
Nunsense
Oliver
Passion
The Phantom of the Opera
Pippin
The Sound of Music
South Pacific
Spamalot
Spring Awakening
We Will Rock You
The Who's Tommy
The Wild Party (Lippa)
The Wiz
