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Top 10 Broadway Shows Where the Ensemble are the True Heroes

Top 10 Broadway Shows Where the Ensemble are the True Heroes
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VOICE OVER: Emily Brayton WRITTEN BY: Amanda DeMel
These Broadway shows prove there are no small parts. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the hardest-working ensembles in Broadway musicals. Our countdown includes "The Producers," "Hadestown," "Wicked," and more!

#10: “Wicked”


“Wicked” serves as a prequel to the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz” and the book upon which that movie was based. The show follows the rocky friendship of Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Although it’s a star vehicle for both an alto and a soprano, the ensemble plays significant roles too. From concerned citizens of Oz and the Emerald City to judgmental students of Shiz University, the ensemble fills out the stage and supports the action. Who is Glinda without her entourage of supporters? Who is the Wicked Witch without people cowering before her? And what is a city without its many denizens?

#9: “Anything Goes”


First playing on Broadway in 1934, “Anything Goes” is a popular and well-loved Cole Porter musical. There have been four versions of the libretto, and the ensemble is key in all of them. Portraying showgirls, sailors, and wealthy passengers on a cruise boat, they do a lot to hold their own on the stage with its stars. They need high energy and significant stage presence to work for the show’s demands. The nightclub singer Reno Sweeney might be the leading player, but the ensemble masterfully keeps up with her. Just watch the iconic title number if you don’t believe us.

#8: “West Side Story”


A large - and very talented - cast is essential for any production of “West Side Story.” In this retelling of “Romeo and Juliet,” we see a love story unfold on the Upper West Side of Manhattan between a young Puerto Rican girl, Maria, and a young white American boy, Tony. The problem is that the Puerto Rican gang of the Sharks are rivals with the white American gang, the Jets. Each gang tries to outdo the other in many ways, from intimidation to dance to violence. The ensemble has to support the main players in all efforts. One highlight for everyone is the “Dance at the Gym,” which pits the skills of the Sharks and the Jets against each other.

#7: “Newsies”


This 2012 musical tells the story of the newsboys’ strike in New York City in 1899. The message of the show is about teamwork and hope. In 2019, the Broadway news source Playbill asked audiences to vote on the best ensemble talents since 2010. “Newsies” won best overall ensemble, thanks to the many musical numbers taking full advantage of the large cast. It all comes together in a stunning display of physical skill when we see the newsies from all over New York City band together in the act one finale, “Seize the Day.”

#6: “Legally Blonde”


Although Elle Woods is the show’s clear main protagonist, the ensemble is definitely important. They cover roles from Harvard students to salon patrons to sorority sisters to salespeople, both supporting and challenging Elle. The ensemble participates in a whopping 16 songs out of 23 total. One incredible number is “Whipped Into Shape,” in which the ensemble plays women in jail. Guided by their fellow prisoner Brooke Wyndham, the residents do wild aerobic exercises while singing, demonstrating Brooke’s influence and obsession with physical appearances. Singing and dancing while jumping rope is no small feat.

#5: “Cats”


Considered by many as the first “megamusical,” “Cats” changed the landscape of musical theater by going bigger in size, budget, cast, and marketing. With as many as thirty performers on stage at a time, the ensemble is heavily involved with this musical. Every single cat has a name, even if it’s not said in the show, and some performers even play multiple roles. Most of the cast stays on stage throughout the runtime. Their roles are dance-heavy, and it’s not uncommon for a featured player to double with an ensemble role.

#4: “Hadestown”


This retelling of the ancient Greek myth involving Orpheus, Euridyce, Persephone, and Hades involves a very small cast. That makes the role of each performer even more important. Aside from the four main characters we mentioned, there’s also Hermes, three Fates, and a handful of Workers. The Workers serve as the ensemble. They’re all nameless slaves for Hades and eventually they become people from the underworld who have found hope in Orpheus’s song. The Fates shouldn’t be ignored either, as they each play an instrument on stage and narrate the main cast’s thoughts. “Hadestown” shows us that even a small ensemble can have a big impact.

#3: “Les Miserables”


The large ensemble takes on many roles in this classic musical. Considering the grand scope of the plot involves 27 named characters, adding in plenty of unnamed ensemble performers makes the show a real spectacle. The ensemble plays chain gang members, peasants, factory workers, thieves, students, and wedding guests, among other roles. The many group numbers in the show have become iconic, and none less than “One Day More.” What would that act one finale be without the huge cast singing their own harmonies all over each other? It would not be nearly as exhilarating.

#2: “The Producers”


Mel Brooks adapted his own 1967 movie into a Broadway musical that premiered in 2001 and won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards. The characters Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom lead the show, but the ensemble is active and crucial in both acts. We first see the ensemble in the very first number, “Opening Night,” in which they play usherettes out of work after a single performance of a musical, as well as theater critics and audience members. Other significant roles include musically-inclined accountants, dancing old ladies, and flamboyant Nazis.

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

“Hair”
Without a Large Ensemble of Hippies, This Revue-like Musical Would Fall Flat.

“Fiddler on the Roof”
The Ensemble Shows the Strain Between Russians & Jews in Their Little Village

“Sweet Charity”
Bob Fosse’s Iconic Choreography Lets the Ensemble Entice Clients with a Good Time

“42nd Street”
The Curtain Rises on 40 Tap Dancers To Begin This Backstage Musical

“Pippin” (2013 Revival)
The Ensemble Has to Be in Peak Physical Shape for This High-Energy Show

#1: “Hamilton”


Andy Blankenbuehler choreographed this hit show and made sure each movement conveyed the action and mirrored the lyrics. The ensemble gets very little time to rest, playing roles such as supporters and soldiers for both the British and American causes, upper-class party-goers, and various politicians. One number that showcases the immense energy and talent of the cast is “Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down).” The energy of this scene is incredible, as it shows the Americans finally winning the Revolutionary War. And let’s not forget the crucial role of the Bullet, reappearing several times over the course of the show to represent death.

Have any other ensembles blown you away? Let us know in the comments!

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