24 Broadway Shows You Can Already Stream Online
Broadway shows have taken a heavy blow during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The theaters of the Great White Way closed their doors in March, and on Oct. 9, it was announced they would remain closed until June 2021 at the earliest.
Thankfully for theater lovers, there are a handful of Broadway shows that have been recorded in front of a live audience. Some shows were recorded and distributed on VHS and DVD in the 1990s and early 2000s, like Cats and RENT. More recently, shows like Hamilton and Newsies were recorded for theatrical release (although Hamilton got a Disney+ release instead because of the pandemic).
Between the various streaming platforms and YouTube, theater lovers will be delighted to learn they can watch the following Broadway shows online.
Broadway shows you can watch on YouTube
RENT
The closing night of RENT, one of Broadway’s most beloved musicals, was recorded in front of a live audience and released on DVD. The full recording can be watched for free on YouTube, or it can purchased on Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu, and iTunes. The DVD can also still be purchased online.
Into The Woods
One of Stephen Sondheim’s most famous Broadway shows, the original production of Into The Woods starring the legendary Bernadette Peters was filmed live. The recording used to be on Netflix, but it was tragically removed. Now, it can be watched on YouTube for free, or it can be rented/purchased on Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu, and iTunes. Fans can watch the 2010 London revival on BroadwayHD, a streaming platform with a vast catalog of theatrical recordings that costs $8.99 monthly.
Sunday in the Park With George
Another Sondheim musical starring Bernadette Peters, the original Broadway cast recording of Sunday in the Park With George can be rented or bought on iTunes, watched for free on YouTube.
Broadway shows you can stream on Netflix
Shrek The Musical
Based on the DreamWorks classic of the same name, Shrek The Musical, starring Brian D’Arcy James and Sutton Foster, is available to watch on Netflix.
Broadway shows available on Disney+
Hamilton
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s massive Broadway hit was recorded in front of a live audience in 2016, when the original Broadway cast was still performing. It debuted on Disney+ on July 3.
Newsies
Hamilton was originally supposed to hit theaters, like the live recording of Newsies did in 2017. Given that Newsies is a Disney musical based on the 1992 film, it can be watched on Disney+.
Broadway shows available on BroadwayHD
Cats
No, we’re not talking about the scary Cats movie that came out in December. The Cats Broadway cast was recorded live in 1998 and distributed on VHS. It can be streamed on BroadwayHD or purchased online.
She Loves Me
This Broadway revival starring Laura Benanti, Zachary Levi, and Jane Krakowski was performed live on BroadwayHD in 2016. Now, it can be watched anytime on the streaming platform.
Here are some of the remaining titles BroadwayHD offers its subscribers: Kinky Boots, Falsettos, Memphis, Jekyll & Hyde, Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Love Never Dies (aka the Phantom of the Opera sequel), Pippin, The King and I, Oklahoma!, Peter Pan, Carousel, Kiss Me, Kate, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and 42nd Street. It’s no replacement for actual live theater, but it’s close!
