A study from online ticket software company Ticket Source has raised the curtain on the most popular musicals and where these productions have travelled to across the globe.
When you think of theatre your mind probably jumps straight to Broadway and the West End, but it's not just New York and London that these productions are travelling to.
From South America to the Far East, the study revealed some surprising destinations for musical theatre fans to add to their travel bucket list!
Madrid (11 productions)
Madrid is well known for its ancient arts and cultural scene, so it might not come as much of a surprise that it’s a great destination for musical theatre lovers to visit. Musicals such as Hello, Dolly!, Grease and the Rocky Horror Show are amongst 11 of the most popular productions that have trodden the boards of the Spanish capital.
With traditional Spanish musical comedies (called zarzuelas) and touring productions like the hugely popular Lion King (El Rey León in Spanish), there is plenty on offer for any theatre lover to explore.
Best Theatres in Madrid:
Teatro Real: Madrid’s Royal Theatre is the main opera house in the city and is located in the centre of the city by the Royal Palace. It underwent a huge renovation in the 1990’s hosting both local and touring theatre productions.
Teatro Espanol: This huge theatre is located in the literary neighbourhood of Madrid, Barrio de Las Letras. It hosts a range of theatre shows from zarzuelas to flamenco and is a great place to get a feel for the local Spanish theatre scene.
Teatro Lope De Vega: Possibly the hardest to miss theatre in the city, it dominates the Gran Via (Spain's equivalent to Broadway) and has hosted a number of the most popular touring musicals such as Les Miserables, Mamma Mia and The Lion King.
Theatre is often associated with the West, but in Tokyo, they have been performing classical Japanese dramas for centuries in local theatres. Fast forward to modern Tokyo, many contemporary musicals and theatre production have also toured here, including Mamma Mia, Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King, delighting Japanese audiences.
Best Theatres in Tokyo:
Kabuki-za: Found in the Ginza area of Tokyo, Kabuki-za is the main kabuki theater in the city. Kabuki is a form of traditional Japanese theatre that is highly stylized, dramatic and involves elaborate set design, as well as intentionally over the top antics on stage. This type of theatre is still an important part of Japanese culture, with many kabuki actors becoming famous and generating loyal fanbases.
Setagaya Public Theatre: Located in Carrot Tower in Setagaya, this is where you will find the contemporary plays and musicals, as when it was designed it was built to adapt to multiple theatre styles.
The Shiki Theatre: Located in Natsu, this is one of the more modern theatres in the city, opening in 2010. The theatre has performed a number of Disney musicals since opening including Beauty and The Beast, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King.
Buenos Aires (7 productions)
Over the last few years, Buenos Aires has worked on building it’s very own theatre district, leading to a number of prestigious productions booking tours in the South American city.
Productions such as Hairspray, Rock of Ages and A Chorus Line (which has toured in the Argentinian capital as recently as 2019).
In Buenos Aires, the theatre district is called Calle Corrientes and many great theatres can be found along Avenida Corrientes.
Best Theatres in Buenos Aires:
Teatro Colón: A local landmark and popular tourist attraction, this theatre is the grandest in the city. In fact, National Geographic even rate it as the third best opera house in the world.
Teatro Nacional Cervantes: This official national stage of the country is one of the most popular theatres in the city with a renown opera house. It is also known as a comedy hub.
Teatro Broadway: Built in 1930, the theatre was forced to adapt to the growing popularity of motion pictures at the time and shows both movies and plays. Both Hollywood and national films were initially screened, but these days it mainly hosts live theatre performances.
Copenhagen (6 productions)
With historic and well-preserved theatres across the city, Copenhagen has a rich history of theatre. The authentic buildings, date back to the 1700’s, making Copenhagen the perfect setting for a musical theatre city break.
Best Theatres in Copenhagen:
The Royal Danish Playhouse: The nations theatrical centre for dramatic arts, it was built to host the highest level of theatrical productions. Boasting three stages, the Royal Danish Playhouse has welcomed a number of local and touring productions.
Østre Gasværk Theatre: Located in Copenhagen's Østerbro district, this unique and iconic theatre was originally used as a gasometer (a large container used to store fuel), but was later converted into a functioning theatre in 1976 by Danish Actor, Morten Grunwald. It currently puts on a range of shows from extravagant musicals like West Side Story to classic plays like Romeo & Juliet.
The Royal Danish Theatre Old Stage: Located in Kongens Nytorv Square and built in 1748 it is one of the oldest theatres in the city, hosting ballet, opera and theatrical productions. All performances at the Royal Danish Theatre are subsidised by the Danish Government, making it one of the most budget-friendly places in Europe to catch a show.
Helsinki (4 productions)
With iconic historic building and performances in both Finnish and English, Helsinki has a thriving theatre scene and has been described as one of the best places in Europe (outside of London) to catch a show.
Productions such as Mamma Mia, Kinky Boots and Billy Elliot have all shown in Helsinki, proving that it’s a great destination for musical theatre fans looking for a new experience.
Best Theatres in Helsinki:
Alexander Theatre: Construction began on this building in 1876 by the Russian Military, but after Finland gained independence in 1917, the National Theatre moved in. It houses dance and theatre shows as well as renting out some of its space for other recreational activities such as yoga and workshops
Helsinki City Theatre: One of the biggest theatres in Finland, it hosts a range of performances, from local shows in Finnish, English language comedies and musicals.
Finnish National Theatre: founded in 1872, the National Theatre is the oldest Finnish-language theatre in the country and is considered a national monument.
