Who doesn’t love love? And better yet, love stories? Broadway has some of the best couples, and a lot of them have something incredibly specific about them, which makes the love story even better! (Huge thanks to my good friend Alex who helped me with this!) Everyone says that “every Broadway show is the same- there’s love, music, and dancing.” I’m here to disprove that. (Spoiler warning!)
The first couple that comes to mind is Elphaba and Fiyero, from Wicked, of course. The thing that’s the most unique about them is that they are the underdogs of the love triangle between Glinda, Fiyero, and Elphaba. You expect Glinda to stay with Fiyero, but there’s a complete role reversal and Glinda is singing the same song Elphaba sang earlier on- “I’m Not That Girl.” The other thing that makes their relationship special is that they contrast so much with Fiyero’s relationship with Glinda, which was lighthearted and not serious. THe love between these two, on the other hand, is serious and deeper than the surface.
Another couple that is especially unique is Anya and Dmitry from Anastasia. They start off hating each other, with Anya being annoyed that Dmitry and Vlad are forcing her to play the part of the lost princess. After time, though, Dmitry develops feelings for her and she unknowingly does the same. Soon after, Dmitry helps Anya remember who she is- the lost princess Anastasia herself, and they realize that they have loved each other since they made eye contact when they were kids.
A particularly unusual couple is Evan and Zoe in Dear Evan Hansen. First of all, Zoe has just lost her brother, and is denying that she misses him when their relationship starts. But mostly, the whole relationship is based on LIES! Evan lies about Connor and fabricates this complex friendship that he and Connor didn’t actually ever have. The love story goes on between these two for a much longer time than you would expect, and then the truth comes out. Nonetheless, Evan and Zoe might be the cutest couple on Broadway right now.
Donny Nova and Julia Trojan from Bandstand have their own version of a love triangle, or “love” triangle, I should say. Julia’s brother was Donny’s best friend, and they fought in the war together. Donny made it home, but unfortunately, her brother did not. Donny struggles throughout the show with the guilt from this event, thinking it should’ve been him who died instead. Not-so-coincidentally, Julia joins Donny’s all-veteran band, and they fall in love, and she helps him cope with his thoughts. Unconventional, but beautiful.
Finally, Marius and Cosette in Les Mis. Are they a controversial pairing? Undoubtedly. But do I love them? Also undoubtedly. The first thing that makes them unique is the positve energy they carry into the dark and tragic world they live in. Some argue that Marius should’ve ended up with Eponine, but it wouldn’t be the same story if it weren’t for this perfect match. (Personally, I’m on team Cosette. She deserved a happy adulthood, since her childhood was complicated. What team are you on?)
Of course, musicals also have non-romantic love stories. Examples include love of a best friend, such as Elphaba and Glinda or Winnie and Jesse in Tuck Everlasting (though this is also usually considered romantic). Another common love story is mother and child, like Sophie and Donna in Mamma Mia, Kim and Tam in Miss Saigon, and Valjean and Little Cosette in Les Mis, though their family is not a typical one.
The love stories in musicals are some of the best love stories ever, and these examples prove that NOT ALL OF THE COUPLES ARE THE SAME! What couple is your favorite? Talk about it in the comments, and as always, thanks for reading this far!
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