Broadway may be shut down. Atlanta theaters may be closed. But the sun will come out tomorrow — and you can still get your daily dose of show tunes in a variety of ways.
A few of these services are free, but many cost just a few dollars — which is many dollars less than a ticket to Broadway or even the Fabulous Fox.
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AccuBroadway radio station
AccuBroadway is the world’s first multi-channel Broadway radio station, featuring shows ranging from classics like Guys & Dolls and Oklahoma! to more contemporary shows like RENT and Wicked.
You can stream the music of the Great White Way directly from your computer or laptop — or get the smartphone app.
Simply go to the site and choose from more than two-dozen channels — everything from classic to modern shows. You can even choose between decades or composers.
Broadway HD streaming service
BroadwayHD is a theater streaming service that normally costs $8.99 per month, but right now Broadway HD is offering a FREE 7-day trial. You can sign up on the website, or through your Amazon streaming video service.
Live performances have been captured by high-definition cameras. There’s a catalog of over 270 shows from Broadway classics to Shakespeare.
PRO TIP: You’ll need to enter billing info to get the free trial. As soon as you set up your account, go in and set the auto-renew option to OFF.
Filmed on Stage
This website is a little-known gem. It’s a database of videos you can stream — and where you can stream them, either as a rental or a purchase. Some are actual stage plays that were filmed live, and others are productions that were adapted for the screen.
Visit filmedonstage.com to browse the offerings.
Amazon Prime Video
There is a surprisingly good selection of Broadway-related titles to rent, buy, or stream for free with a Prime membership. Just search video titles using the keyword “Broadway.”
Some examples:
- A 1998 stage production of CATS that you’ll buy once and watch over and over again ($9.99 to purchase)
- Billy Elliot: the Musical — taped live from London’s West End ($3.99 to rent)
- Rent — filmed live on Broadway ($12.99 to purchase)
- Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel — live from Lincoln Center (FREE with Prime membership)
- Phantom of the Opera — staged live at Royal Albert Hall ($3.99 to rent; $12.99 to purchase)
Browse all of Amazon’s Broadway titles
Recommended: If you’re a Hamilfan, you’ll enjoy the documentary Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway. The 73-minute film stars Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tommy Kail, and it is FREE with a Prime membership.
Don’t have a Prime membership? Sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here.
Amazon Digital Music
Have a Prime membership? If so, you can stream select Broadway music for FREE, and even make it available for offline listening on your smartphone.
Check out 50 Great Musical Numbers, free to stream with Prime. It includes tracks from Hamilton, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Dear Evan Hansen, and classics like Hello, Dolly and The King and I.
Also free with Prime: the Broadway soundtracks for Wicked, Hamilton, and more.
Other Broadway soundtracks are available through Music Unlimited, Amazon’s subscription service.
Browse all of Amazon’s Broadway music
Netflix
Most of the Broadway titles here will be stage-to-screen adaptations, with a few notable exceptions.
Recommended:
- Springsteen on Broadway
The Boss shares personal stories from his life and acoustic versions of his hit songs, in an intimate one-man show.
- Shrek: The Musical
The hit movie became a Broadway musical, which was taped for this production.
Tip: Just type “Broadway” into the search box on Netflix, to see what you can come up with. You’ll get some really fun results, including all six seasons of Glee — the perfect binge for a weekend without musical theater.
YouTube
The streaming service of last resort, right?
You may be surprised by what you can turn up on YouTube when you search “Broadway musicals.”
You’ll find clips from staged performances, interviews with performers, highlights from Tony Award ceremonies and more. There are even a few full-length musicals, but we won’t vouch for the quality.
Recommended: This clip of a very young and very nervous Lin-Manuel Miranda rapping an early version of Alexander Hamilton for the very first time, at the White House.
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