3 Rock Artists Who Have Created Broadway Musicals

Given a rocker’s typical reputation, it seems ill-fitting for them to venture into musicals. A rockstar musical composer is almost an oxymoron. Nevertheless, several artists from the genre have tried their hand at musical theatre and have succeeded. Below, find three musicals penned by classic rock stars, either about their own careers or stories they resonate with.

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American Idiot – Green Day

Green Day revamped their concept album American Idiot into an on-stage musical in 2009. The musical followed a similar theme to the album, commenting on the dissolution of American youth post-9/11.

With Green Day being as hard-edged as they are, you wouldn’t immediately pin them as the Broadway kind. But they managed to take the format and give it a rockstar makeover. The angsty, fed-up songs on this album made for a musical unlike any other. With American Idiot being as narrative as it is, it was really begging for an adaptation of this kind.

[RELATED: Watch Green Day Perform a ‘Nimrod’ Fan-Favorite for the First Time in Nearly 30 Years]

Kinky Boots – Cyndi Lauper

Kinky Boots is one of the most successful contemporary musicals. It’s an international phenomenon that resonates a decade or so after its debut. That resonance is, in part, thanks to the stellar soundtrack, written by Cyndi Lauper.

Like most of Lauper’s music, the songs from Kinky Boots are intended to lift the listener’s mood. “I could go in there in a bad mood [and] it just makes me feel better,” Lauper once said. “That’s the most important thing. You need to give people hope.”

Lauper’s songwriting efforts paid off on this project. Millions of fans connected with the story she and playwright Harvey Fierstein penned. Lauper’s goal of delivering something uplifting was accomplished tenfold.

Various Shows – Elton John

Elton John has penned several musicals over the years. Most famously, he worked on the music for the screen and stage adaptations of The Lion King. That Disney production was a once-in-a-generation type of work, becoming a classic overnight.

Elsewhere, he wrote music for Billy Elliot the Musical, which follows a young English boy who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer despite his family’s prejudice. Following a dream of becoming a performer is a plot point John is likely to have related to firsthand, making him a shoo-in as this musical’s composer. His other productions include Aida, The Devil Wears Prada, and Tammy Faye. Needless to say, John is one of the most prominent rockers who has stepped out of the confines of the genre.

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