If you think Broadway is all jazz hands and sequins, think again. Beneath the glitter and glamour, the Great White Way is packed with grit, guts, and stories that hit hard. Whether you’re a theater rookie, a skeptical boyfriend, a proud dad, or just a dude curious about what all the fuss is about, Broadway has a show and a seat for you.
Here are eleven essential Broadway shows every guy should see, whether you’re easing into the theater scene or already belting showtunes in the shower. No spoilers—just reasons why these are worth your time.
1. Hamilton
Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Hamilton, which made our Broadway milestones list, is a history lesson with swagger. Hip-hop meets revolution. Founding Fathers with flow. It’s smart, fast, and unrelenting in energy. You don’t have to be a history buff to appreciate the ambition here—this is about legacy, rivalry, brotherhood, and the American experiment. Lin-Manuel Miranda turned the stage into a battlefield, and every line hits like a musket shot.
Bro Bonus: Cabinet meetings as rap battles. Enough said.
Personal Note: My wife and I asked our wedding band learn and sing You’ll Be Back. The dance floor went wild as everyone ran to the band to sing along the words. They totally crushed it.
2. Les Misérables
This one’s for the guys who like a good redemption arc. Jean Valjean starts as a convict, becomes a hero, and wrestles with justice, morality, and mercy. There’s a literal revolution, some brutal betrayals, and yes—a few tearjerking solos. But Les Mis is ultimately a tale of strength, perseverance, and the price of being a better man.
Bro Bonus: Epic barricades, fatherhood feels, and a soundtrack that stirs something primal.
3. The Book of Mormon
From the minds behind South Park, this show is irreverent, fearless, and laugh-out-loud funny. It skewers religion, culture, and coming-of-age awkwardness without pulling punches. You’ll be shocked at how far it goes—and how much heart it sneaks in between the jokes.
Bro Bonus: Hilarious songs with titles you probably shouldn’t sing in church.
Personal Note: I’m a quiet atheist and don’t like it when people attack my beliefs (or non-beliefs) So I don’t like it when people condescend to other people’s values systems. I was worried that mocking Mormons would be off-putting for me. The South Park guys really pulled off an endearing balance of respecting Mormons as people while calling out the absurdities of organized religion and how we go about telling the stories that constitute our beliefs. I’ve seen it twice and will go whenever anyone else is down to go. It’s fucking hilarious.
And speaking of heaven and hell…
4. Hadestown
Greek mythology, but make it bluesy, brassy, and badass. Hadestown retells the Orpheus and Eurydice myth in a setting that feels like a cross between a jazz club and a post-apocalyptic speakeasy. It’s a story of love, labor, sacrifice, and defiance against the system.
Bro Bonus: Hades is basically a steel-toed CEO running hell like an oil company. And Hermes? Cooler than any god has a right to be.
5. A Few Good Men (Revival when available)
You can handle the truth and it’s even more gripping live. This courtroom drama crackles with tension, strategy, and ego. It’s not a musical, but it’s one of those plays that grabs you by the collar. A military courtroom showdown with questions of honor, command, and moral gray zones? Classic bro material.
Bro Bonus: One of the most iconic lines in American theater, and it lands even harder in person. That’s the truth.
6. Come From Away
This is a true story, and that makes it hit different. After 9/11, dozens of planes were grounded in a small Canadian town. This musical tells how that town welcomed thousands of stranded travelers with compassion and courage. No villains here—just ordinary people doing extraordinary things. For New Yorkers, this show has a special place in our hearts for obvious reasons. Everyone said they’d never forget, but they did. But Come From Away didn’t, and therefore it will always be an important show to New Yorkers and Americans who remember the kindness of Canadians when we needed the most.
Bro Bonus: Tight 90-minute runtime, zero intermission. Efficient, moving, and unexpectedly funny.
Personal Note: This is one of the first shows I saw after Broadway opened up following the Covid-19 blackout. We had center, front row seats, which can be like sitting front row at Sea World (yes, a shitty company) during the splashy orca show. But you get the point. We definitely wore, and needed, masks.
7. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Love horror movies? Dark comedy? Revenge plots? Sweeney Todd is your gateway musical. It’s the tale of a barber back from exile, a corrupt judge, and a meat pie shop that you definitely don’t want to eat at. Stephen Sondheim’s music is sharp and sinister, just like Sweeney’s blades.
Or does the show Sweeney Todd sound familiar to you for a reason you can’t seem to grasp? Well, maybe that’s because you’re a fan of the TV show The Office, and watched the hilarious the third episode of season seventh when Andy’s local theater troupe does a production of Sweeney Todd, which he hope will help win the affection of Erin. In that same episode Michael gets pissed because he auditioned for the show, but was passed over for a part.
Bro Bonus: A serial killer antihero who sings while slicing. Macbeth meets metal, with more melody.
8. Jersey Boys
Before there Bruce Springsteen and The Sopranos, New Jersey was part of the cultural zeitgeist thanks to some other guys from Jersey. Think of Jersey Boys as a backstage pass to one of the greatest bands in rock history. Jersey Boys charts the rise (and fall) of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. It’s got grit, glamour, and gangster undertones—all set to the soundtrack of a generation.
Bro Bonus: You’ll leave singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and maybe doing that tough-guy shoulder bounce.
9. A Soldier’s Play (or A Soldier’s Story, when staged)
Masculinity. Race. Power. Brotherhood. This Pulitzer Prize-winning drama is set on a segregated Army base during WWII, and its themes still resonate today. It’s part mystery, part social commentary, and all tightly written intensity.
Bro Bonus: Think True Detective meets Band of Brothers—but on stage.
10. The Lion King
Yes, it’s based on a Disney cartoon. Yes, it’s family-friendly. But don’t underestimate it. The Lion King stage production is visually stunning, emotionally layered, and surprisingly epic. Themes of responsibility, loss, legacy, and coming into your own? Timeless. And very applicable to your own life and challenges.
Bro Bonus: Mufasa’s voice live is just as chill-inducing as it was on VHS. And the opening “Circle of Life” might knock your hat off (which you probably shouldn’t be wearing anyway).
11. Dead Outlaw
Based on the wild true story of Elmer McCurdy—a small-time outlaw whose corpse became a sideshow attraction for decades—Dead Outlaw is the dark horse on this list (pun intended). This gritty, hilarious, and haunting musical fuses outlaw folklore with indie-Americana vibes, created by the team behind Ghost Brothers of Darkland County. It’s part crime saga, part ghost story, and all American mythmaking.
Bro Bonus: Guns, ghosts, gallows humor, and a banjo-driven score that’ll rattle your boots.
Honorable Mentions:
- Dear Evan Hansen – For bros not afraid to feel deeply.
- Death of a Salesman – The original masculinity myth buster.
- Rock of Ages – 1980s hair metal, power ballads, and guilty pleasures.
- American Buffalo – Mamet’s gritty take on desperation and male pride.
- Guys and Dolls – Gangsters, gamblers, and showgirls—with swing.
Do the Broadway You
Being a guy at Broadway doesn’t mean giving up your edge; it means expanding your story arsenal. These shows explore themes we all wrestle with: ambition, failure, loyalty, love, pride, and redemption. Theater isn’t just for theater people. It’s for people. And that includes you, bro.
So grab a Playbill, silence your phone, and let the curtain rise.