The 10 Most Empowering Broadway Musicals

1. Waitress
Pies are always on the menu at a small-town diner, and for Jenna, a pie chef trapped in an abusive marriage, empowerment is the key ingredient for her evolution. Just when it seems like she has no way out of her dead-end situation, we get to see her change right before our eyes. Sara Bareilles wastes no notes or words in her music and lyrics. Concise, compelling, courageous, and altogether amazing, Jenna does what she has to in order to reclaim her life — and leave everyone in the theater very hungry for pie.

2. How to Dance in Ohio
As a neurodivergent person myself, How to Dance in Ohio will always have a special place in my heart. It’s not often that the ND community gets quality and affirming representation, making How to Dance in Ohio a fantastic show for acceptance and inclusivity. Adapted from a 2015 documentary, the music is by Jacob Yandura and lyrics and book are by Rebekah Greer Melocik. The show examines the lives of seven distinct autistic characters with their own unique struggles and personalities. The characters’ differences showcase the diversity within the autistic community and give meaning to the saying “if you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person.”

3. Six
At its core, Six is an anthem of female empowerment and of reclaiming and owning one’s own story. This show reimagines the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII as a vibrant, modern-day pop concert. Each wife rejects the passive roles they were assigned in history. The message here is clear: We all have the power to reshape our narratives. Whether in personal or professional contexts, the ability to assert our own stories, perspectives, and truths is empowering.

4. A Strange Loop
Whether you are Black, gay, or have writer’s block, A Strange Loop is an empowering and relatable musical. Having won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in drama, A Strange Loop tells the story of a struggling writer named Usher, who grapples with his own internal thoughts of self-doubt, while facing the difficulties of being an overweight, Black, gay man. Book, music, and lyrics are all penned by Michael R. Jackson. Anyone who has ever had an intrusive thought that deflated their confidence will see themselves in Usher.

5. Mean Girls
Teenage girls are like lions, we’re expected to be cute and playful, but we can also kill you. Another women’s empowerment story, Mean Girls features a diverse range of female characters, each with their own strengths and vulnerabilities. The musical celebrates female empowerment and promotes empathy by showing the value of lifting each other up rather than tearing each other down. Mean Girls serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of self-acceptance and the strength that comes from being genuine.

6. The Color Purple
The Color Purple hardly needs an introduction for regular theatergoers. But, just in case, the story, based on Alice Walker’s 1982 novel, is about the highs and lows of a Black woman’s life in the American south. If empowerment is about controlling one’s life, then readers need look no further than the protagonist and her younger sister, Nettie. Together they learn to take back their autonomy and reject the forces that kept them down.

7. Urinetown
Urinetown offers a comedic take on the classic story of a community rising up against an oppressive authority. This show represents those who live at the bottom of society’s pecking order and gives hope that life may be better one day — no matter how long you have to hold your pee. Set in a dystopian town where the rich get richer, and the poor have to pay to use the bathroom, Urinetown is a love story between a penniless boy and the daughter of the head of a big corporation. Despite an unexpected ending, Urinetown inspires and empowers.

8. The Prom
The Prom, a musical by Chad Beguelin, Bob Martin, and Matthew Sklar, has quickly become a beacon of empowerment in contemporary theater. The story centers on Emma Nolan, a high school student who faces discrimination when she wants to bring her girlfriend to the prom. The Prom tackles LGBTQ+ issues with both sensitivity and humor, highlighting the struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community. The Prom champions empowerment by focusing on personal identity, societal change, and the power of standing up for one’s beliefs.

9. Newsies
Orphaned and unhoused children might automatically smack of an empowerment-themed story but throw in one profit-over-people publisher and a smidge of child exploitation, and you have a full-throttle, power-to-the-people tale of organized labor rising up over corrupt corporate interests. With music by Alan Menken, composer of countless and memorable scores for beloved Disney films, Newsies leaves audience-goers rooting for the underdogs.

10. Legally Blonde
To anyone who has ever been underestimated, Legally Blonde emphasizes that intelligence and success are not confined to any person. This show is renowned for its portrayal of Elle Woods, a character who initially appears to be a cliché but proves to be much more than anyone expected. Elle’s journey is a reminder that people should not be judged based on superficial attributes. The musical shows how fashion and the ability to connect with others can be the key to success in an intellectual setting.