The Best-of Broadway

It’s true: There are a lot of great shows on Broadway at the moment, and it can be difficult to choose which ones to see, especially if you’re pressed for time and on a budget (and frankly, who isn’t?).

So here are four solid choices, all of which have been blessed as “best” by the prestigious Tony Awards.

Looking for a Best Musical? Then try the latest winner: The Book of Mormon. The “South Park” guys wrote it (along with one of the guys who wrote “Avenue Q”). It’s irreverent. It’s raunchy. It’s original. And it’s a huge hit. Plus, it swept the 2011 Tonys, taking home an impressive nine statues, including the biggie for Best Musical. (Here’s the inside scoop: You may think it’s all about shock value, but it’s actually got a very sweet, inspiring message.)

Another Tony Award-winning Best Musical fave is Jersey Boys. The story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, this enormously appealing show takes you behind the scenes and into the action as a 1960s music sensation is born. The show features such huge hits as “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.”

In the mood for a Best Revival? The razzle-dazzler of ‘em all is Chicago. Pretty much a New York City institution at this point, this super-sized hit has been seen all over the globe and was even adapted into an Academy Award-winning Best Picture. The show tells the story of fame, murder and all that jazz. And it’s pure Broadway, with electric dancing, unforgettable songs and knockout performances (there’s almost always a must-see star in it at any given point).

A more recent Best Revival Tony winner is How to Succeed In Business Without Even Trying. This roof-raising smash attracts some of the hottest young actors today.  It featured Daniel Radcliffe (yes, the Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame) live on stage and singing and dancing his heart out in 2011.  In 2012, Glee star Darren Criss took over the role for Daniel Radcliffe for about a month, until Nick Jonas strapped on his bow tie and is playing Finch for the remainder of the run.  Stars are definitely abundant in this Broadway production!  Audiences go crazy to see Nick Jonas nightly as the story’s young window-washer who miraculously works his way up the corporate ladder at a very buttoned-up company. Oh, and he finds love along the way – or at least tries not to lose it. An insider’s tip: The crowds are crazy at the stage door afterward, so you may not snag an autograph, but you could very well snap a photo.

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