Given the immense challenges of creating a successful Broadway show, any production that opens on Broadway at all has already achieved an impressive feat. But for every show that opens on the Main Stem, there are been several more in the wings, not yet having made its Broadway bow despite despite generating interest from eager theatre audiences.
Whether once Broadway-aimed or only meant for a smaller run, take a look at these 22 buzzed-about musicals that have never been on the Main Stem.
Larry Owens and cast of A Strange Loop
Joan Marcus
James Jackson, Jr., John-Michael Lyles, Jason Veasey, Larry Owens, Antwayn Hopper, John-Andrew Morrison, and L Morgan Lee in A Strange Loop
Joan Marcus
The Helsinki production of Rebecca
The Helsinki production of Rebecca
Cast of Yank!
Bobby Steggert and Ivan Hernandez in Yank!
The cast of Minsky's
The cast of Minsky's
LaChanze and Elizabeth Teeter
Ahron R. Foster
Eisa Davis, Jai’Len Christine Li Josey, Vita E. Cleveland, LaChanze, Anastacia McCleskey, Nathaniel Stampley, Romelda Teron Benjamin, and Saycon Sengbloh in The Secret Life of Bees
Davis Gaines and children in Whistle Down the Wind
Photo by (C) 1996 Joan Marcus
Irene Molloy and Davis Gaines in Whistle Down the Wind
Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess in Love Never Dies
Sierra Boggess and Ramin Karimloo in Love Never Dies
Dorothy Loudon & Ronny Graham in Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge
Martha Swope/New York Public Library
Harve Presnell, Kathryn Zaremba, and Marguerite MacIntyre in Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge
Hugh Panaro and Stephen Buntrock in Martin Guerre
Photo by Photo by Michael Le Poer Trench
Stephen Buntrock and Erin Dilly in Martin Guerre
Photo by Photo by Michel Le Poer Trench
Max von Essen and Alice Ripley in The Baker's Wife
Photo by Jerry Dalia
Patti LuPone in The Baker's Wife
Elle McLemore, Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alice Lee
Chad Batka
Barrett Wilbert Weed, Evan Todd, Charissa Hogeland and Jon Eidson in Heathers
Deven May and Kerry Butler in Bat Boy at The Union Square Theatre
Deven May and Kerry Butler in Bat Boy at The Union Square Theatre
Katie Lee Hill, Deborah Kim, Sun Hye Park, Julia Abueva, Cathy Ang, and Susannah Kim
in KPOP
in KPOP
Ben Arons
Jason Tam in KPOP
Ben Arons
Diedre Friel, Nick Blaemire, Derek Klena, Lindsay Mendez, Josh Segarra and Annaleigh Ashford in Dogfight.
Joan Marcus
Derek Klena, James Moye and Lindsay Mendez in Dogfight
The cast of Fly By Night
Patti Murin and Allison Case in Fly By Night
Photo by Joan Marcus
Sherie Rene Scott and Norbert Leo Butz in The Last Five Years
Joan Marcus
Norbert Leo Butz and Lauren Kennedy in The Last Five Years
Michael Arden in Hunchback of Notre Dame
Matthew Murphy
Ciara Renée in Hunchback of Notre Dame
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Emily Skinner, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan, and Christiane Noll in The Witches of Eastwick
Photo by Scott Suchman
Marc Kudisch in The Witches of Eastwick
Eliseo Roman, Natascia Diaz, and cast of Zorro
Nicholas Carrière and Adam Jacobs in Zorro
Kelli O'Hara in Far From Heaven
T. Charles Erickson
Brandon Victor Dixon and Kelli O'Hara in Far From Heaven
Cast of Octet
Cast of Octet
Joan Marcus
Brian d'Arcy James and Idina Menzel in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party
Joan Marcus
Idina Menzel and cast of Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party
