Musicals for Book Lovers
April 11, 2022 | Dara Marie | @thornfield_laneYes, I am a book lover, but I am also a musical theater lover. I was in theatre clubs in middle school, took classes in high school, and participated in multiple productions in and outside of school. There was even a time, like many young girls, when I dreamed of becoming an actress. While this ambition faded, my love for theater did not.
So, if you are a book and musical theatre lover like me, or are a book lover interested in getting deeper into musical theatre–or any variation of that sort: here is a look at several book-inspired musicals I recommend:
Les Miserables
This one is a classic.
Is it long? Yes. Do they sing the entire time? Yes. Will you cry? Oh, yes.
If you don’t want to spend hours and hours reading the over 1,000-page classic French novel by Victor Hugo (it’s ok: no one’s judging you. I won’t tell a soul), you can swap it out for a meager two and half hour musical. You get the same cat-and-mouse chase along with a sprinkle of moral redemption, moral corruption, young love, and revolution–oh, and don’t forget singing; lots and lots of singing–in condensed form.
There’s a lot of controversy about the 2012 film version starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway. While I’ve heard a lot of hate against it, I genuinely enjoy it and think it’s worth a watch if you haven’t already. Even my older brother who’s not huge on musicals enjoys it.
Phantom of the Opera
Another classic, Phantom is phenomenally artistic, alluring, and intricate. It’s based on a wonderfully gothic novel and while it differs somewhat in its plot, the overall story and characters remain the same. A deformed man who lives like a shadow in the sewers underneath the Paris opera house grows obsessed with rising soprano, Christine Daae. He will do anything to win her love, including impersonating her father and kidnapping her (yup, you heard me).
The 2004 film version starring Gerald Butler and Emmy Rossum blew me away. I was in my late teens when I first saw it but I was swept away by its cinematography and haunting music. I watched it with my parents not too long ago and my mom got so invested in it that she promptly told my dad and I to, “Shut up,” when we started talking during one of the final scenes. I think that means she’d recommend it too.
I would also highly recommend the 25th-anniversary version on soundtrack with Ramin Karmiloo as the Phantom and Sierra Boggess as Christine. Their vocals are phenomenal.
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
As I mentioned in my post about my favorite novels, this musical is one of the main reasons I ended up reading War and Peace. It follows a short section of the Russian epic, starting with the character Natasha visiting her godmother in Moscow while waiting for her fiance, Prince Andrei, to return from a year-long trip abroad. While in Moscow, she fatefully meets the devilishly handsome, suave, and dangerous Prince Anatole Kurgain whose intentions are more than what the innocent protagonist perceives.
The best way to describe this musical is that it’s an electric-pop opera. Yup. You heard me. Electric-pop opera. It’s just as wild and incredible as that sounds. One second you’re whisked off by classical show-tune solos, then bouncing around on the back of an electric dance music sequence. Whenever I listen to it on Spotify, I only intend to listen to one or two songs but somehow end up binging it in order and wanting to cry by the end.
The original off-broadway recording stars a pre-Hamilton Phillipa Soo as Natasha, while the original broadway recording stars Denee Benton as Natasha and Josh Groban in his debut role as Pierre.
I wrote a more thorough review of it a couple of years ago when I worked for my university’s student media newspaper. You can check it out here if you’re still curious about it: https://usustatesman.com/review-natasha-pierre-the-great-comet-of-1812/.
West Side Story
This musical has gained some notoriety after its Oscar-winning Steven Spielberg remake at the end of last year, but I have loved it since I was a girl. (I’m going to dive more into this musical in my Friday post, so stay tuned!).
It’s essentially Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet set in 1950s New York City with rival gangs (the American ‘Jets’ and Puerto Rican ‘Sharks’) instead of rival families. There are also plenty of dance-offs, heart-melting love ballads, and spontaneous tap dancing in the street. What more do you want?
I asked my 9th grade English teacher if we could watch it during our Romeo and Juliet unit. Still a bit crushed she said, ‘No’. That would have been an awesome assignment: compare it to the original Shakespeare. Well, jokes on her, I now have my own literary blog and write what I want (so come back Friday for more West Side Story!)
Wicked
It may surprise you to learn the ‘popular’ (pun very much intended for those who get it) musical is actually based on a novel by Gregory Maguire. I started reading it in middle school, shortly after I saw the musical on broadway, but I was in a weird phase at that time where I started but never actually finished books. So, I haven’t read more than the first few chapters, but I’m definitely interested in giving the novel another chance as an adult.
This is a fun one, especially for all Wizard of Oz fans out there. It takes a different look at the green-skinned villain, the Wicked Witch of the West. You’ll go into it prejudiced and come out heartbroken.
Hamilton
While history was the main inspiration behind this hip-hop musical sensation, so was the 800+ nonfiction biography, Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow so it won its way onto this list.
I love Hamilton. Definitely one of my favorite musicals, hands down. I’ve been a fan since it was a newer musical when I was a freshman in high school. For reference, I am now a junior in college. So, it’s been a hot minute. I know it like the back of my hand. Any random cast, lyric, history trivia related to the show–I got you covered.
This is the perfect musical for a history lover, musical lover, or pop lover. I once was able to answer a question in history class my teachers didn’t even know because I listened to Hamilton. Get good grades, kids; listen to Hamilton.
If you haven’t already, hit up the official recording of the original broadway cast on Disney+. It will not disappoint. You can see my previous review of it here: https://usustatesman.com/not-throwing-away-my-shot-disneys-hamilton-review/.
Hadestown
I saved this one for last since it’s not based on a book. But it is based on Greek mythology which I count as literature.
Hadestown combines the myths of Orpheus and Euridcye with Hades and Persephone in a steam-punk, depression-era-style industrial railway stop. It’s jazzy. It’s catchy. It’ll rip your heart out. Basically everything a musical should be. It’s perfect for all mythology nerds (I know I can’t be the only one out there).
You can see my previous review of it here: https://usustatesman.com/hadestown-greek-mythology-but-make-it-a-musical/.
Do you like musicals? What's your book-based musical? I'd love to hear from you! You can connect with me through thornfield.lane@gmail.com or on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter: @thornfield_lane. 