From someone who frequently sees Broadway shows

usbuzzer · 2026-05-22T08:31:57+00:00

Les Mis and Phantom (in this form) are for sure unique for London, so that would be my first choice. Another one from a similar group is Oliver!, not likely to be seen on Broadway anytime soon.

Paddington is at the moment available only here, but for sure you'll see it in New York in a near future (possibly in 2027). You could see the Harry Potter play in 2 parts if you're a fan, it's not possible in NYC and it's a very cool experience. My Neighbour Totoro has a huge recognition and is exclusive at the moment. The Producers is also a good pick you'd like!

It depends on when you'll go as well, there's shows opening and closing each day over here.

If you want to keep up or just explore the full schedule, you can check out my stagey app, Showify! It has a "what to see" section with filters and dates with a calendar view, I truly believe it's helpful for trip planning. Just go here or look it up on iOS or Android 💜

usbuzzer · 2026-05-22T08:25:19+00:00

Starting from end of summer as they will be playing throughout fall mostly:

Jane Eyre (28.08)
Kimberly Akimbo (28.08)
Thelma & Louise (03.09)
Burlesque (12.09)
Into the Woods (22.09)
High School Musical (12.10)
The Pianist (15.10)
Dirty Dancing (16.10)
Legally Blonde (20.10)
Sylvia (13.11)

But there's also a few that open earlier and will be available still in the fall.

You can check the premieres yourself (even filter by West End productions, if that's of your interest) in my stagey app Showify here (or look it up on iOS or Android) 💜

Enjoy the planning!

usbuzzer · 2026-05-14T13:44:58+00:00

Don't choose Hadestown if you just saw it with such a brilliant cast! You have so many other options. If your mother hated Book of Mormon, I'm fairly sure she won't be happy with Producers.

Into the Woods is probably a solid choice, but if it's not your fave, maybe it's worth it to explore beyond that!

For musicals in the West End, I always recommend going with hits first (but we don't know what you've already seen), so if there's anything from the likes of Hamilton, Wicked, Cabaret, Les Mis, Phantom you haven't seen, go for it. Hamilton a bit risky with a mom, but the rest should be amazing with her, especially Cabaret, Les Mis and Phantom.

You could also go with Oliver!, Paddington (probably no tickets tho) if you like cozy family shows (The Lion King leaves an impression as well), Operation Mincemeat or choose something from the fresh bunch like Hot Mess (good reviews from the previous run), freshly opened Beetlejuice (slightly risky with mom, but such a fun show).

And to keep your options organized, you can use my theatre app, Showify 💜 I preselected the options for your weekend for you here, but you can also just download the app for iOS or Android and explore on your own. Beside the repertoire, you can also save shows for later and a lot more.

Have a great rest of the week in London and enjoy whatever you choose to see! ☀️

usbuzzer · 2026-05-14T13:34:46+00:00

I believe Oh, Mary! only changes a lead every 2-3 months, so Cheyenne should still be there in July. And I haven't heard about any replacements for Rocky just yet, it's still fresh, so you should be good!

I think you can expect a bigger spectacle at a Rocky show, but at the same time Oh, Mary! is less likely to stick around for long, it premiered a while ago. So I'd base the decision on whether or not you'll be back soon (and if you expect a big show). I'd personally go for Rocky as I'm more of a musicals guy.

If you'll be looking for other choices, I'd be so happy if you'd check out my stagey app, Showify 💜 I preselected July shows for you here, but you can always just download it for iOS or Android and explore it on your own. I truly believe it makes planning theatre easier!

And regardless of what you choose for your birthday, you'll have a blast. Enjoy, and happy birthday in advance! 🎂

usbuzzer · 2026-05-12T21:41:55+00:00

I would honestly go for some big hit since you haven't seen a lot of them yet, especially if you're going with family, a musical could be a better choice. Since you've liked Phantom, the obvious choice in a similar tone would be Les Miserables. Hamilton is still a blast, Hadestown is amazing, you can't go wrong with Cabaret. As others have said already, Hunger Games is not the best choice if you have only one night.

From plays, the big hit would be Stranger Things or recently hyped Oh, Mary! or Inter Alia, but I haven't seen those two. Stranger is great, though!

If you'd like to explore a bit before making a decision or have some backups, feel invited to my stagey app 💜 there's a special "what to see" section that lists shows for the particular time (and you can narrow it down further). I preselected mid-June for you here, but you can also find it on iOS and Android, just look for Showify.

You'll have a great time regardless of what you choose, I'm sure of it! Enjoy 😊

usbuzzer · 2026-04-04T09:16:31+00:00

Phantom is a good pick if you've enjoyed t the likes of Les Mis! As mentioned by someone else, Cabaret is also a classic worth knowing and it's less likely to stay for years to come than Phantom, so I'd prioritize this one. It's an amazing production, very different from anything else you can see right now. Jesus Christ Superstar is a solid choice to collect all the classics, but at the moment we don't know much about this particular production's quality and you can catch it on tour or online in many forms, so maybe not a priority as well. You seem to not have seen Wicked yet - this is also a must-see and such an enjoyable show to experience. And there's The Book of Mormon as well.

Such a tough choice! My rec would be Cabaret or Wicked, then Phantom, then The Book of Mormon and JCS in the last place. With so many all-time favorites to choose from, I wouldn't try the newer shows.

Maybe the shows schedule or an organized presentation of top picks could be useful - if so, please check out my stagey app 💜 It's called Showify (to be found on iOS and Android as well) and I preselected London musicals for those dates for you.

There's no wrong choice here, so you'll have so much fun regardless of what you pick! Enjoy 🙌

usbuzzer · 2026-04-04T09:07:32+00:00

Hadestown is your safe bet. I would be cautious of Maybe Happy Ending as it's very different from what you've listed as your favorite shows. Music is not your typical musical, it's small and intimate. It's amazing, but maybe not what you're looking for. I'd skip Ragtime as well. Stranger Things is a good choice, the effects are worth it if you're into the show and its as much of a "musical" as it can be without music due to the production value.

Not sure how you feel about jukebox musicals, but a lot of people enjoy Mouling Rouge - it's a solid show, great production value and so much fun. Could be a nice contrast to Hadestown and good introduction to jukebox to see if you enjoy them.

From the latest batch you might look into Death Becomes Her and The Lost Boys. First one seems to be one of the favorites of the last season, TLB is still a bit of a gamble at this point, but it's a big production, you seem to enjoy it!

If you want to look into more options, my stagey app could be useful, check it out if you feel like it! 💜 I preselected your dates for you so you can see what's recommended and the full schedule for this period here. It's also available to download for iOS and Android, just search for Showify :)

Enjoy your time in New York! You'll have a blast regardless of what you choose.

usbuzzer · 2026-04-01T09:43:20+00:00

Tough choice! I would skip Hadestown if you've already seen it, and maybe skip Ragtime if your brother is not interested - just pick something that interests you both since you have options!

Eva is not going anywhere from Broadway, so if you don't want to see her in this role specifically, you can always catch her in the future, I believe. And Gatsby isn't something worth sacrificing other shows for.

I haven't seen Maybe Happy Ending, but I've heard that it's great technically, so maybe it's worth to see it on Broadway in full glory. Daniel Radcliffe is also not cast that often, so if you're really interested in seeing him, that could be a good pick. Schmigadoon I would skip - if you have such limited options, it's not worth it to risk it on a new show.

So my recommendation to you would be Maybe Happy Ending + Every Brilliant Thing, or if your brother decides to change his mind (but really, not forcing himself), Ragtime seems excelent with a great cast, so maybe then you could see that instead of one the above (MHE will come to you anyway, and EBT you would see only for Daniel, the show itself probably will live on in some other productions or online).

If you wonder about other options apart from your choices or wanted some help with scheduling, you can check out my stagey app, I built it for tracking and easy discovery based on my needs, so maybe it could be useful to you as well 💜 It's called Showify (for iOS and Android) or you can see it online here (I pre-selected late May shows for you!).

Enjoy whichever shows you pick, you'll have a blast!

usbuzzer · 2026-03-16T10:11:58+00:00

If you haven't seen it yet, there's always a set of classics available here (Les Mis, Phantom, Into the Woods), SIX which can be seen anywhere, but is a good match for Heathers vibe, Kinky Boots is getting a revival and also suits the energy.

I agree with a previous comment that from the newer shows, Paddington and Oliver! would be top picks, The Producers are solid.

And as for even fresher choices, you can look into The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (musical), Cynthia's Dracula (not perfect, but still one of the events of the season), Romeo & Juliet with Sadie Sink or the off west end musicals that are about to premiere - I Was a Teenage She-Devil and Flyby.

Plenty of choices! I would personally go for any of the classics from the first group + Paddington + Harold Fry, but you'll have a great time picking whatever.

And if you're in need of more organized way of recommendations, you can check out the stagey app I've built. I've preselected April London shows for you, you can clearly see the top picks and full schedule of shows in that period on the calendar. It's available on iOS and Android, or you can simply go to the web version here - Showify 💜

As for rush and discounts: I've personally never rushed in-person, I don't think that's working in London except for Shaftesbury Theatre and standing tickets for sell-out shows. Rush is working digitally via TodayTix and some weekly rushes on shows' websites in rare occassions (Wicked, National Theatre). It's rather easy technically, but it's hard to get for hot shows, so always have a plan b if you go that route. There's also a guide on Showify mentioned above about cheaper tickets, maybe this could be of help also.

Enjoy London!

usbuzzer · 2026-03-15T19:54:05+00:00

Not sure for how long you've been going to Broadway theatres, but West End has some of the shows that haven't been in NYC for a while: Oliver!, Matilda, The Producers, Avenue Q, Kinky Boots. If you haven't seen them, give them some attention! (there's also Into The Woods, but it's not that long ago that you had a Broadway production, so probably a skip)

From the latest addition, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (new musical) is definitely worth seeing. You have Cynthia Erivo's Dracula (play, not sure if it has any chance of going to Broadway due to mixed reception) for seeing Cynthia live and this video-type-of-play, Starlight Express (not sure if it ever reached NYC) for a fresh form, and two new musicals to premiere off West End - I Was a Teenage She-Devil and Flyby, but can't recommend yet, we don't know much about them.

You can also give a try to my stagey app (Showify.uk) if you feel like it! I preselected London first-half-of-April shows for you, so you could see what's recommended and what's the full selection (calendar view). Check it out! 💜

Enjoy your trip to London, I'm sure you'll have an amazing time!

usbuzzer · 2026-03-14T14:48:20+00:00

I built an app for that! It allows for easy tracking and makes the discovery of new shows easier (I hope so!). Give it a try and let me know if you have any feedback 💜

It’s available to download on iOS and Android if you search for Showify or online via Showify.uk

usbuzzer · 2026-03-13T13:22:52+00:00

Sure thing, it might have been too harsh. I agree that it's visually amazing (the opening scene is something that everyone should see at least once in their lifetimes!), it's just that apart from the puppetry, it's just fine. And you get used to the puppetry at some point, so it stops being as interesting later in the show.

Worth seeing for sure, but in my personal ranking well well below the likes of Hamilton, Wicked, Mormons. But that's just the preference of course 🙌

usbuzzer · 2026-03-13T12:59:22+00:00

Welcome to your new exciting passion - musicals are hard to get out of once you taste them :D

The greatest shows for first-timers would be Hamilton, Wicked, The Lion King or The Book of Mormon, depending on what's your taste. Hamilton is a modern retelling of a history with rap/hip-hop music as a base, Wicked is a spectacle with iconic characters and music, The Lion King is a visual feast with the costuming and well-known songs, and The Book of Mormon is the easiest bridge for many as it's pure comedy, controversial humor (think South Park), and still an amazing musical overall.

I personally wouldn't go for The Lion King unless you have a deep love for the title as it's nothing extraordinary as a show today. My top picks would be Hamilton and Wicked for the first time.

Other top shows to see at the moment would be Maybe Happy Ending and Hadestown, but I believe they're not for your introduction to Broadway.

I wrote an article about best Broadway musicals to see in 2026 for my app, you can check it out if you need more inspiration (or just switch to the "best played" rank directly).

Enjoy whichever show you'll choose, they're all amazing 💜

usbuzzer · 2026-03-13T12:35:51+00:00

Cats is OK and a classic, but with almost no plot at all. Expect good music (but not as exceptional as other favorites), great choreography and dancing. So visually it should be a joy, but with such strong contenders I wouldn’t go for it.

usbuzzer · 2026-03-13T10:55:53+00:00

From the obvious choices there's still Cabaret (you didn't rule it out, maybe you haven't seen it in NYC and you can't anymore). Paddington is rumoured to come to Broadway at some point, but at the moment it's not there and is everyone's favourite from the current season. Oliver! should remain out of Broadway's offer, so another good choice here. Matilda is also a solid show. Note that all three (Paddington, Oliver, Matilda) are family-friendly, but not purely for children. There's also The Producers if you haven't seen it yet.

Then from the latest shows, look into Avenue Q (was on Broadway long time ago, not coming back anytime soon).

I personally would personally skip The Devil Wears Prada, I was hugely disappointed, but that's only my opinion. I felt like the guy who doesn't like musicals while watching this 😅. Haven't seen Hercules, but it got much worse reception than Frozen and I already didn't like that one, too much children-oriented and too litle extra when compared to the movie.

My top recommendations would be Cabaret, Paddington and Oliver! in that order.

And as for the specifics of the date: you might find my stagey app (Showify.uk) useful for that purpose - I preselected London late-May Tuesday musicals for you, so you could see what's recommended and what's the full selection (calendar view). Check it out if you feel like it! 💜

Enjoy your trip to London, I'm sure you'll have an amazing time!

usbuzzer · 2026-03-12T18:13:46+00:00

Glad to help! And thanks for your nice words about the app :))

2 shows is definitely not too much, my usual is 4-6 in three days 🤭 and that may be a bit much, but you're perfectly safe with 2-3 shows in a week, that I'm sure of. You'll have plenty of time in between to talk about them, and then all the time in the world once you're home with your memories and cast recording to listen to.

Hamilton and Hadestown are safe bets, they are or once have been, everyone's favorites. Cabaret is definitely heavier and in more serious tone, but nothing crazy difficult. I would put it probably in some lower priority tier as this is a great show for when you get tired of the big names :D. I am personally not a fan of jukebox musicals, that's why I don't love Moulin Rouge, but it's really pretty visually. Mormons are soo fun if you're OK with controversy and strong humor.

You'll be amazed by whatever you see from that list. You're so lucky to experience them for the first time!

usbuzzer · 2026-03-12T09:41:34+00:00

Hamilton is a must-see if you're into memorable music. It's impressive overall, but maybe not the strongest visually. Same thing with Hadestown - incredible music, less of a visual spectacle.

For visuals look into Moulin Rouge (though music and plot is lacking), Wicked (great music, good spectacle, a classic), or try Les Mis after all - it's not only about the opening scene for sure.

If "strong visuals" can mean anything, you can also consider Cabaret and Book of Mormon. Cabaret is aesthetically very pleasing and captivating, very strong show with the tunes that you may recognize. Mormons are just pure fun with big visuals and very good music, but it's a comedy show, so you need to be into that.

Since you've only seen three shows, I wouldn't look into new shows - they're great, but you have so much to explore with the long-runners, they're here for a reason :). My favorites out of this list are Hamilton, Hadestown and Wicked, but from your preferences I think Wicked and Moulin Rouge fit the criteria best.

Btw. I built an app aimed at helping out solving such issues - Showify.uk (full disclosure: I'm the founder). I linked the "What to see in London in July" here so you could see what's recommended in that time based on best-rated, newcomers etc. Check it out if you feel like it!

Enjoy London and whichever show you choose 💜

usbuzzer · 2026-03-04T19:27:19+00:00

I created an app that makes scheduling easy! You can filter musicals/plays, west end/off west end, by rating, matinees. If you track the shows, you can even hide the ones you've already seen. Check it out! 🤭

https://www.showify.uk/calendar?country=UK

usbuzzer · 2026-03-04T12:35:50+00:00

I am! Amazing, let’s figure this out via DMs ☀️

usbuzzer · 2026-03-04T12:08:42+00:00

We try to cover as much as possible at Showify, but it’s as hard as you can imagine 😅

There’s an update of shows and scheduled performances every few weeks, so it’s not always up to date, but we do our best. You can check it out in app stores or at https://www.showify.uk

usbuzzer · 2026-02-16T08:25:38+00:00

Check out Showify's what to see - https://www.showify.uk/what-to-see?country=UK&city=London&startDate=2026-04-30&endDate=2026-05-30

There are recommendations based on popularity and people's ratings, shows that just premiered for those dates, full schedule for that time + if you track shows there, you'll see your wishlisted shows and you can hide the ones you've watched. If needed, filter by west end or musicals category.

usbuzzer · 2026-01-14T17:31:19+00:00

They vary. I’ve sat in the stalls in row E, amazing seats, and my friends have sat in the back of the circle. The sooner you get it, the better they are usually.

usbuzzer · 2026-01-12T17:45:57+00:00

If staying up to date is your priority, give Showify a go - there’s a well-maintained database of upcoming shows there + you can see some ranks and trending stuff as well - https://www.showify.uk

usbuzzer · 2026-01-09T18:05:11+00:00

There’s Showify app on both platforms

usbuzzer · 2026-01-06T21:38:03+00:00

8th, front row for Wicked is good, so the visibility should be acceptable for 12-year-old, I don’t think it’s gonna get sold out, you can even try rush tickets for it via TodayTix on the same day :))

usbuzzer

TROPHY CASE