30 Best Musicals From The 2000s [Movies & Theater]

Light in the Piazza

Year: 2003

Set in Florence, Italy, in 1953, a young girl (Clara) on vacation with her mother finds herself in a spontaneous love affair when an Italian gentleman sweeps her off her feet. Clara's mom has to decide whether to tell her daughter's devastating secret to her new lover.

“The Beauty Is” is one of the more popular songs from the show. Distinct from other contemporary musicals, Light in the Piazza mostly has an operatic feel to it. This performance won multiple awards for costume design, lighting, and best actress in a musical that year.

Jersey Boys

Year: 2005

If you're a fan of The Four Seasons rock-‘n'-roll group, you'll appreciate Jersey Boys, which gives viewers insight into how the group eventually broke up after so many years together. This jukebox musical is almost presented to the audience like a dramatized documentary.

It tells you how the group was formed, the many successes they enjoyed, and the following tumult. “Cry for Me” is a hit from the performance many still listen to today. 

The Producers

Year: 2001

With lovely lyrics and music from Mel Brooks, such as “The King of Broadway,” The Producers, a musical comedy that won an astounding 12 Tony awards. The musical is a story of two theater producers that create a get-rich-quick scheme by intending to oversell a Broadway show that they're making awful on purpose.

The story takes a turn when the show is actually pretty good. Now there's chaos all around about how to proceed, and the producers have big decisions to make. The jokes are in your face, a little cringy, and very funny!

The Color Purple

Year: 2005

The Color Purple is an iconic musical that earned eleven Tony award nominations the year after its release. This inspiring musical talks about triumph amid adversity as the main character, Celie, is an African American woman in the south struggling to find her voice in a life full of pain.

“Somebody Gonna Love You” is a profoundly emotional and captivating song from the musical. If you ever get to see this show again, bring your tissues!

Hadestown

Year: 2006

Hadestown is a tragic musical that combines ancient Greek myths—the story of Hades and Persephone, and the story Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus dares to welcome Eurydice who works in Hadestown, a version of the underworld talked about in Greek mythology.

 Both impoverished and seeking love, they find refuge in one another, but it is short-lived. With this daring ensemble of songs like “Wait for Me,” and excellent dancing, singing, and choreography, Hadestown is a Tony-award winning theatrical experience that's not to be missed.

The Producers

Year: 2001

The Producers is a musical comedy that tells the story of two producers that come up with a scheme to create an awful Broadway show and then oversell the production to get rich quickly from ticket purchases.

Their plans change when the show is a hit and makes everything complicated from that point forward. The humor is in your face and a little cringy, but definitely worth watching! Songs such as “King of Broadway” have become a classic, and The Producers won 12 Tony awards.

In the Heights

Year: 2005

In the Heights is a captivating musical that talks about the struggles of working-class Latinx residents in Washington Heights, New York. The show covers major concepts like family, ambition, love, loss, and overcoming adversity frame this excellent production.

Critics praised the musical for diverse characters, a moving story, and upbeat songs that the audience loved, like “It Won't Be Long Now.” In the Heights won multiple Tony awards and a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.

Legally Blonde: The Musical

Year: 2007

Legally Blonde is an immensely popular movie, and the musical was equally delightful. The audience follows Elle Woods, a popular sorority girl who wants to get her ex-boyfriend's attention by enrolling at Harvard Law School.

Though many people write the bubbly girly girl off as a “dumb blonde,” Elle stays true to herself and surprises many with her knowledge and capabilities. The show was funny, featuring catchy songs like “So Much Better.” Legally Blonde: The Musical received over a dozen award nominations.

A Class Act

Year: 2001

A Class Act is a thought-provoking musical that discusses the professional and personal struggles in the life of Edward Kleban. Kleban was a composer and lyricist who passed away at the young age of 48 in 1987.

In the musical, Ed's friends retell the story of his life, using all of his original music pieces to give him recognition that he deserved but didn't receive when he was alive. “Self-Portrait” is a beautiful and impactful song from the musical.

The Last Five Years

Year: 2002

The Last Five Years talks about the complicated relationship between a struggling actress and an aspiring novelist. Jamie, the author, tells his version of the story from the beginning, whereas Cathy, the actress tells her story in reverse.

Interestingly, during the musical, the characters never interact except at one point during the middle of the story, as their timelines cross paths. The show has been performed nearly every year for almost two decades, in has won multiple awards, and “I Could Never Rescue You” is one of the most notable songs.

Top Musicals From the 2000s, Final Thoughts

Hopefully, we've done these musicals from the 2000s some justice and piqued your interest to check a few of them out. We selected the classics that received critical acclaim, some more than others, and some unsuspecting performances that you may have forgotten about.

Though they don't seem as popular nowadays as they once were, musicals are beautiful art that brings together music, dance, and acting harmoniously and memorably.