Top 10 Funniest Musicals

Top 10 Funniest Musicals

Make 'em laugh, make 'em laugh. Don't you know everyone wants to laugh? Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Funniest Musicals.

For this list, we’ll be looking at musical comedies that have a reputation for making audiences roll down the aisles with laughter.

#10: “Monty Python’s Spamalot” (2004)

Coconuts at the ready! Spamalot takes the best, most quotable moments of “Monty Python and The Holy Grail” and throws in some catchy tunes, jazz hands, and if you can believe it, even more laughs. The acclaimed comedy troupe is well-versed in the art of writing hilarious songs, so it was only a matter of time before their work made it to Broadway and West End. Written by Eric Idle, the adaptation embodies the silliest, more surreal elements of that unique Monty Python humor. By curtain call, you’ll be breathless from laughter, having been thoroughly reminded to ‘Always Look On The Bright Side of Life”.

#9: “Guys and Dolls” (1950)

Based on the short stories of Damon Runyon, this show won a Tony for Best Musical and was even dubbed by one theatre critic the “perfect musical comedy”. The story deals with the New York underworld, focusing on gangsters and gamblers. Given its legendary status, it’s perhaps unsurprising that this show has attracted the likes of Rebel Wilson, Jane Krakowski, Ellen Greene, and Megan Mullally over the years - all of whom know how to crack up an audience. Guys and Dolls provides the perfect combination of comedy and action to keep audiences racing back anytime it’s revived.

#8: “The Drowsy Chaperone” (1998)

If you love a good musical parody, this is the show and show-within-a-show for you. It all starts with the appropriately titled Man in Chair, who tries to cheer himself up by playing the recording of his favorite musical. His wry commentary, juxtaposed with the glitz of the theatre world, keeps the audience chuckling from beginning to end. If you’re a musical theatre aficionado, you’ll particularly enjoy the way this show lovingly pokes fun at musical theatre topes, including mistaken identities, deus ex machina, comic relief gangsters, and of course a drowsy chaperone.

#7: “A Gentleman’s Guide To Love and Murder” (2012)

How far would you go to get from rags to riches? When Monty discovers his deceased mother was disinherited from her incredibly wealthy family, he devises various plots to try to climb up the family ladder and get his hands on their fortune. It’s these various creative ways to bump off his relatives that provide much of this show’s dark humor. It’s also a running gag throughout this musical that most of the various members if the D’Ysquith family standing between Monty and the inheritance are played by the same actor.

#6: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (2005)

Thanks to the improv elements of this show, you’re in for a night of unique comedy set to the unlikely backdrop of a middle school Spelling Bee. While the story focuses on the quirky Bee participants and organizers, audience members are also encouraged to take part. During the 2005 Tony Awards, Presidential candidate Al Sharpton even joined the cast on stage. Never exactly the same twice, the show takes us on an unpredictable and hilarious ride time after time. Who could have possibly imagined that spelling could be this much fun?

#5: “Avenue Q” (2003)

It’s Sesame Street for grownups as the residents of Avenue Q try to navigate their way through this undeniably adult world. We could focus on the sweet story at heart, but it’s the colorful characters and their hilarious shenanigans that make this musical so memorable. The show tackles sex, porn, racism, and coming out of the closet while also managing to stay cheekily relevant by updating the lyrics in “For Now” depending on the political climate. Thanks to characters like Trekkie Monster and The Bad Idea Bears, you’ll never see puppets in the same light again.

#4: “Something Rotten!” (2015)

Welcome to the Renaissance! Shakespeare is a bonafide rock star and Nick and Nigel Bottom are struggling to compete. There is nothing subtle about this meta-musical, which is loaded with more theatrical references than we can count. We’re even presented with a show-stopping number that hilariously sends-up the entire musical theatre genre. Whether it’s Shakespeare and Nick’s fierce rivalry or Nigel and Portia’s unlikely courtship, there are plenty of opportunities for big laughs throughout the show. While ‘Omelette: The Musical’ was never going to be a hit, ‘Something Rotten!’ certainly cracked us up.

#3: “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum” (1962)

With ‘Funny’ in the title, how could this show not be on our list? Roman slave Pseudolus bargains for his freedom by playing matchmaker for his master Hero and the courtesan-next-door, Philia. As with any farce, things don’t exactly go to plan and chaos ensues with blackmail, disguises, and cases of mistaken identity driving the plot. If you dust off your Latin dictionary, you’ll find that the characters’ names are rather tongue-in-cheek too. It’s a strong combination of witty lines and physical comedy that make this show so joyous.

#2: “The Book of Mormon” (2011)

Brought to you by the brilliant minds behind South Park and Avenue Q, ‘The Book of Mormon’ playfully pokes fun at religion through a hilarious musical satire. It’s beloved by fans for its witty, catchy musical numbers, and the wicked sense of humor it brings to the stage. The writers know how to push boundaries and take us to a dark places, but somehow it just makes us laugh even harder. That being said, there’s surprisingly nothing particularly mean-spirited about the content; it even has a positive and endearing message at heart.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.

“Xanadu” (2007)

“Disaster!” (2012)

“Little Shop of Horrors” (1982)

“Urinetown” (2001)

“Hairspray” (2002)

#1: “The Producers” (2001)

This musical does such a stellar job of bringing music and comedy together, it won an unprecedented 12 Tony Awards. Adapted from the 1967 Mel Brooks film of the same name, “The Producers” follows Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom as they set out to create a huge flop as part of a get-rich-quick scheme. The controversial subject for this show is only made more absurd by the caricature-like characters they employ along the way. There are countless laugh-out-loud moments with songs that you probably don’t want to get caught singing in public. If you want a perfect musical comedy, this is pretty much it.