TEN ON TUESDAY: Musicals Showcasing Queer Stories

It's once again the time of year when we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in all of their beauty and multicoloured splendour, so what better way of closing out pride month than to look back on the various stage musicals that have best represented the queer community on the biggest stages in the world. Here are my picks for 10 of the best shows representing queer stories in musical theatre, working our way through history from the early days to the present...

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1. CABARET

Premiere: 1966 (Shubert Theater, Boston)

One of the earliest ever stage musicals to feature unabashed queer representation, John Kander and Fred Ebb's first major hit "Cabaret" sees those performing, or enjoying their escapism and merriment, flaunt and express their true selves (if you'll pardon the pun) with gay abandon. The year is 1929, and the quiet but discernible rise of the Nazi Party into prominence has many in Berlin feeling anxious and afraid, however the party must go on, and those who gather in the seedy Kit Kat Club can find themselves a woman, a man, one of each perhaps, whatever your own gender, as this is a safe space, away from the rise of the far right, for anyone from marginalised sects of society, including those of queer denominations.

Though the show has always been heavily steeped in queer themes and expression, this has evolved majorly over time, especially with regards to the character of the Emcee, originally played by Joel Gray in his full top hat and tails during the 60s and in the film, more recent iterations, such as Alan Cumming's more scantily clad take in the 90s, and the current west end interpretation at the Playhouse Theatre, have featured a far more sexually ambiguous and genderfluid master of ceremonies, including the first ever nonbinary or trans person to play the role, in the form of Mason Alexander Park in the west end during 2023. Though the underlying themes of political apathy and societal denial still hold a very strong, chilling place in the musical's narrative direction, it still remains a majorly strong haven of queer representation.

2. HAIR

Premiere: 1967 (Public Theater, New York)

We start by going back almost 60 years, to what is often considered one of the first ever musicals to feature such open and unashamed gender and sexual identity, in a time when being gay in and of itself was still heavily criminalised across the vast majority of the USA. With music by Galt Macdermot, and a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, "Hair" first opened off-broadway in October of 1967, later transferring to broadway's Biltmore Theatre (now the Samuel J. Friedman) the following year. The show was not only groundbreaking due to its psychedelic rock score, pioneering the "rock musical" subgenre, but also in how it obliterated the musical theatre ideals of polite, well-mannered narratives that aimed to please and entertain, rather than push boundaries and challenge our perceptions.

The biggest middle finger to the establishment was the fact that "Hair" was the first broadway musical to feature a same-sex kiss which, combined with the show's sexual fluidity and unashamed expression of identity, was a considerable catalyst in integrating the queer experience into the mainstream, and even now the entire theatre industry is ever tied to the LGBTQ+ community due to the bold, pioneering groundwork laid early on. As expressed so aptly by these freedom fighters, this truly was the dawning of the age of Aquarius.

3. THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW

Premiere: 1973 (Royal Court Theatre, London)

And now to perhaps one of the most game changing musicals to feature on this list; the 1970s was a time when being LGBTQ+ was still seen as massively taboo, and in spite of partial decriminalisation having been passed just a few years prior, there was still major contention and prejudice against gay and lesbian individuals. This, however, certainly didn't deter gender-nonconformist Richard O'Brien from completely ripping up the rulebook, and creating what has become a major safe space for LGBTQ+ people, with many using it as an opportunity to express their identity, explore androgyny, and find a true sense of community away from the judgemental gaze of those less accepting.

Fast forward over five decades, and "The Rocky Horror Show" has gone from cult to legendary status, having been revived on broadway for the second time earlier this year. You will be hard pressed to find a performance of this loud, proud, unashamedly weird cultural phenomenon without there being fishnets, black curly wigs, and blood stained smocks galore being donned by members of the audience. Whether or not you are a fan of the show, or its arguably outdated terminology still in use today, there is no doubt its hugely positive impact on gay, bi, trans and genderfluid people.

4. A CHORUS LINE

Premiere: 1975 (Public Theater, New York)

Whilst the idea of queer characters and performers in theatre was still in its relative infancy, even on the fringes, there certainly hadn't been any in-depth look at their lives on the biggest stages with the most mainstream audiences. This was a major reason why the Pulitzer Prize winning musical "A Chorus Line" became such an international superhit of a show, as it presented homosexual characters the unabridged warranty to be completely open and candid about their sexuality and love lives in a way that had never been seen before, certainly not in commercial theatre. Unlike most musicals that have a lead and supporting cast, this is a show that focusses predominantly on an ensemble of 17 dancers, each vying for a spot in a chorus line on broadway, as we take a deep dive into what makes those performers in the background tick.

The audition process may be what hooks us, but the individual stories that we come to learn about are the real crux of this multi-award winning piece of theatre, especially as we learn about the story of Paul San Marco (a character based heavily on the real-life experiences of the musical's bookwriter Nicholas Dante), as he recounts his teenage years at catholic school, during which he came out as gay to his principal, later dropping out to pursue a career in entertainment. The musical's run at the Shubert Theatre on broadway, where it ran for 15 years and won 9 Tony Awards, saw it become the longest running broadway show of all time (a record it held for 7 years), cementing its legendary status in the annals of musical theatre.

5. LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

Premiere: 1983 (Emerson Colonial Theater, Boston)

The art of drag may be pretty much everywhere these days, as a major part of western culture, however back in the 1980s there was still a great deal of taboo surrounding it, with many drag acts confined to underground performances, along with much of the LGBTQ+ community. That is until a certain Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein well and truly gave the middle finger to those who sought to condemn and divide, and ended up defying all expectations during the 1983-84 broadway season by beating frontrunner "Sunday in the Park with George" to several major awards, including Tony Awards for best musical, book of a musical, and original score. The enormous success of this musical didn't just shatter barriers left, right and centre, but proved to be the catalyst for a major cultural shift.

Originally a French play of the same name by Jean Poiret, the show tells of a gay couple George and Albin, the former the manager of a drag nightclub in Saint-Tropez, the latter its headline act by the alias of Zaza, as they masquerade as a straight couple in order to impress their son's ultra conservative in-laws. The charade eventually crumbles, and the resulting confrontation leads to the performance of the anthemic "I am what I am", one of the world's greatest musical expressions of self acceptance and love, proving a powerful and defiant outpouring of emotion, letting all of those present know that this beautiful community will not be silenced, and are well and truly here to stay.

6. FALSETTOS

Premiere: 1992 (John Golden Theatre, New York)

The groundwork of this William Finn and James Lapine musical were laid in the early 1980s, with the premiere of "March of the Falsettos", the second of their trio of one-act musicals, the third and final of these being "Falsettoland". The pair took these two, stitched them together, and created a two-act musical that did perhaps more than any other in showcasing grounded, normal families and relationships from the LGBTQ+ spectrum. It tells of "four (well, five) Jews in a room, bitching", each with their own very specific issues, but the focal point is Marvin's coming to terms with his sexuality, having left his wife 'Trina, begun a fresh start with new boyfriend Whizzer, with his former spouse starting her own new relationship with therapist Mendel.

In addition to its natural normalising of same-sex relationships, with "the lesbians next door" being brought into the fold during act 2, the show takes a deep dive into the early days of the AIDS epidemic, and the second act takes a profound, unfiltered, often uncomfortable look at how this affects Whizzer. In many ways this, combined with young Jason making the decision to hold his Bar Mitzvah in Whizzer's hospital room, acts as the catalyst for Marvin's family reconciling, and proves that love, truly is, the most beautiful thing in the world, regardless of whom it is you love.

7. THE COLOR PURPLE

Premiere: 2004 (Alliance Theater, Atlanta)

By the time we hit the 2000s, the queer community could proudly profess "I am telling you I'm not going", as LGBTQ+ stories were well and truly part of the mainstream, and though they were still fewer and further between than they are now, major progress had indeed been made. The story of "The Colour Purple" had existed already for a couple of decades, however when it was published in 1982, there still existed major prejudices from many people, and as a result the book ended up on banned lists throughout the USA. Not to be deterred by the work's controversial subject matter though, the combined forces of playwright Marsha Norman, and composers Brenda Russell, Allee Willis & Stephen Bray, took this still relatively problematic work of literature, and created one of the most beloved new musicals of the 21st century.

What the musical does remarkably well, especially when compared with the story's 1985 movie adaptation, is rather than sanitising or watering down the original story, presents the queer romance as a centrepiece of the story, finally providing a complete live action depiction of our primary protagonist Celie, and her romantic interest Shug Averie, in addition to the central themes of racial oppression, incest, and domestic abuse. Whilst many musicals up until this point had an airy, light feel about them, "The Color Purple" took the lead in telling a serious, far heavier story about racial contention, exploration of identity and, most importantly, a tender and intimate queer love that had seldom been seen on stage prior.

8. FUN HOME

Premiere: 2013 (Public Theater, New York)

In the year when we celebrate 20 years since the original publication of Alison Bechdel's first graphic memoir, there is no more apt time than now to showcase this Pulitzer Prize winning musical, and while "The Colour Purple" featured two black women exploring their sexuality, "Fun Home" is considered the first to feature an openly lesbian protagonist. The musical follows the life of a fictionalised version of Bechdel, during three stages of her life: adolescence and her earliest hints of gender nonconformity, early adulthood and her first forays into sexual acceptance, and the grounded, level headed 43-year old who narrates the story. We explore every iota of her journey through exploring her own identity, and coming to terms with her own father's closeted homosexuality.

In a time when queer stories are fully at the forefront of modern theatre, it does seem surprisingly recent for us to get our first openly lesbian lead character in musical theatre, however the way in which the story is presented is particularly clever, going through multiple stages of a woman's journey of self discovery in a deeply personal, often vulnerable manner, putting on full, raw display Bechdel's own hardships, life experiences, relationships. Not only this, but it gave generations of lesbians, young and old alike, a feeling of being seen and heard, as well as showcasing a queer character with so much depth and so many layers to her.

9. COMPANY

2018 Revival (Gielgud Theatre, London)

The only entry on this list to feature a shift from its original staging, "Company" originally featured Robert/Bobby navigating the treacherous tides of turning 35 as a bachelor, and his friends, all being married and/or having kids, discussing their own relationships, while also trying to set him up with women they know. Whilst revolutionary in its own right when it first premiered ion 1970, largely due to its thematically driven narrative and lack of a linear plot, the 2018 Rosalie Craig and Patti LuPone-led London revival completely flipped the tables, and gender swapped several key roles, including Robert becoming Bobbie, a female role, with the focus shifting to a woman in her mid-30s, and being far more representative of modern life, whilst also making it a major win for feminism and normalising the concept of a single woman living her life as she sees fit.

The biggest change, though, came through the character Amy being gender-swapped, now called Jamie, and in turn introducing queer storylines into what had, until that point, been a traditionally, inherently heterosexual musical about male/female relationships. Most notably, once we get to the ever popular, frenetic patter song "Getting Married Today", we feel like we reach a moment of triumph, as same-sex marriage finally has a mainstream place in musical theatre, with Jonathan Bailey giving us the first ever male performance of the song in a major production of "Company", and quite rightly winning him an Olivier Award. Receiving the stamp of approval from Sondheim himself, this revival by Marianne Elliott proved that you can honour the original text of an older show whilst also making it approachable for a modern audience.

10. A STRANGE LOOP

Premiere: 2019 (Playwrights Horizons, New York)

We finish with a Tony and Pulitzer winning musical from Michael R. Jackson, the self-confessed fat, black, queer writer, who brought us his "big, black and queer-ass American show" in 2019, a musical that broke the mould in so many ways, and as a result became the most recent musical to win both the Tony Award for best musical, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, one of only six musicals to ever achieve this feat. This is largely down to not only how it brings queer musical storytelling firmly into the 21st century, but how it proved groundbreaking in the evolution of the concept musical, with its sophisticated narrative style and brilliantly clever character complexities.

"A Strange Loop" gives us an unprecedented look into the mind of someone who, in the words of Jackson himself, sees themselves as unloveable and filled with self loathing, telling of a fat, black queer usher (funnily enough, named Usher), writing a musical about a fat, black, queer usher, writing a musical about a fat, black queer usher, in one of broadway's most meta, self-referential musicals to be staged, with many of the characters being physical manifestations of Usher's thoughts, emotions, doubts, dreams, and everything in between. What it did most impressively though, is discuss topics that have been consigned to the realms of the taboo, such as the stigmas surrounding HIV, body image, racial fetishising, and religious family trauma. With so many moulds broken, it feels like Jackson has opened the floodgates of possibilities for queer storytelling on the biggest stages, and it's marvellously exciting.

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Did I include your favourites? Which show do you think is the best representation of the LGBTQ+ community and their stories? Let me know below or via my Instagram page...