1. Wicked

Wicked, an obsession of many Academy girls, written by Stephen Schwartz and originated by broadway stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. The show is based off of the backstory of The Wizard of Oz, and has been performing 8 shows a week since October 30th, 2003.

Junior Allie Weachter exclaims, “Wicked is and has always been my favorite Broadway show. I remember when I first saw it when I was 7, I was instantly obsessed with the magical essence of the show.”

Elphaba, a misunderstood green girl ultimately known as the ‘Wicked’ witch, finds herself at Shiz University, where she meets Glinda, commonly known as good. The show reveals what happened before what we know to be the story of the Wizard of Oz, and carries underlying themes of the struggle of acceptance and how looks can be deceiving.

Wicked can be seen on Broadway at the Gershwin Theater, and is returning to Tampa on it’s 2016 national tour.

2. Hamilton

Hamilton is a new American musical, and has swept the nation though being today’s most talked about show. The musical tells the story about the life of Alexander Hamilton, and stars the writer of the show itself, Lin-Manuel Miranda.

In his review, Erik Papenburg of the New York Times claims, “It’s a theatrical rarity: a critically acclaimed work, written by a young composer, that’s making a cultural impact far beyond Broadway’s 40 theaters. That it’s told through the language and rhythms of hip-hop and R&B — genres that remain mostly foreign to the musical theater tradition — has put it in contention to redefine what an American musical can look and sound like.”

Not only has is the music catchy, but it has also been used by many Academy girls to study American History.

Freshman Civics and senior Government teacher Stacy Filocco claims, “The songs from Hamilton has been very relatable for my students to a number of topics including federalism, the powers of the president, and checks and balances.”

 After seeing the show on Broadway, Junior and Hamilton-obsessed Lexie Diaz claims, “Hamilton was everything I expected and more. Not only had I gained a greater appreciation for live theatre, but also for American history.”

3. Grease

 Though the show has been adapted several times on stage, it was most recently broadcasted to millions of fans on Fox’s live television event, Grease: live, including Julianne Hough, Arron Tviet, Vanessa Hudgens, and many more.

Last year, teacher and director Vivian Kimbler, produced a highly successful academy adaption of the show.

Junior Naomi Youakim exclaims, “Hairspray was such a fun show to be apart of, and I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to be part of something so special. It is a musical that I have grown up listening to, so it was a dream come true to be able to perform it!”

According to Broadway.com, ” This Disney musical tells the story of Jack Kelly, a rebellious newsboy who dreams of a life as an artist away from the big city. After publishing giant Joseph Pulitzer raises newspaper prices at the newsboys’ expense, Kelly and his fellow newsies take action.”