Broadway Reads
September 12, 2022
Read the books that became your favorite Broadway shows!
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Opening on Broadway in 1988, The Phantom of the Opera is the longest-running show in Broadway history. First published in 1909, the book that it is based on is a Gothic horror novel that follows Christine’s interactions with a mysterious angel of music and her childhood friend Raoul in the backdrop of the Paris Opera House.
Book / Large Print / eBook / CD Audiobook / Audio eBook
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy
The musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 is based on a 70-page segment of this classic tome. Chronicling the French invasion of Russia, War and Peace tells the stories of five aristocratic Russian families and their struggles during the Napoleonic war.
Book / eBook / CD Audiobook / Audio eBook
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Used as a basis for the musical Wicked, this book focuses on the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, and how she grew into the character we know from The Wizard of Oz.
Book / eBook / CD Audiobook / Audio eBook
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Adapted into a musical in 1980, Les Misérables is the longest-running musical in London’s West End. Beginning in 1815 and ending with the June Rebellion of 1832, escaped convict Jean Valjean strives to become a respected member of society but is relentlessly pursued by Inspector Javert.
Book / eBook / CD Audiobook / Audio eBook
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Though it had a short run on Broadway in 2016, the musical Tuck Everlasting could be considered a cult classic. Based on the middle-grade novel, it follows Winnie, a girl who wants adventure and discovers a family blessed with eternal life.
Book / Large Print / eBook / CD Audiobook / Audio eBook
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Debuting on Broadway in 2005, a revival in 2015, and an upcoming movie in 2023, the musical The Color Purple is a beloved classic. Spanning twenty years, it focuses on the relationship of sisters Celie and Nettie who had been separated as girls.
Book / eBook / CD Audiobook
Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow
Debuting on Broadway in 1998 and revived in 2009, Ragtime follows three families in different social castes in the early 1900s. Featuring famous characters like Harry Houdini, J.P. Morgan, and Henry Ford, Ragtime blends historical fact and fantasy to tell the stories of three very different families and how their lives converge.
Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot
Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener
A book of related short stories, this became the basis of the musical South Pacific which debuted on Broadway in 1949 and was revived in 2008. These stories take place in the South Pacific during World War II and cover a wide variety of characters and situations.