Let’s go global this time in ranking the Top 10 International Male Musical Theater Performers Today. Expecting this list to be quite tough, Instagram statistics will be included. Data from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram will be used as barometers in ranking the following musical theater actors.
10. Ramin Karimloo – 82836 FB likes, 101K Twitter followers, 55.2K IG followers
Observe how in musical theater performers are getting cast in different roles in different time frames. This happened in Ramin Karimloo’s case too. In the 25th Anniversary of Les Miserables, he played the role of Enjolras. When Les Mis was revived on Broadway, He then got cast as Jean Valjean. The kind of talent he can deliver onstage really made him deserving of a spot here on our list of Top 10 International Male Musical Theater Performers today. Getting cast as OG in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” and its sequel “Love Never Dies” confirmed how talented Karimloo is as a performer.
9. Alan Cumming – 238K Twitter followers, 113K IG followers
Our list Top 10 International Male Musical Theater Performers today starts with one of the actors often tapped lately to play The Emcee on Cabaret, Alan Cumming. Alan Cumming became a familiar name to fans of the X-Men franchise for playing the rejected seminarian, The Nightcrawler, in X-Men 2. Perhaps an attempt to be like that other musical theater performer that became a household name in the Marvel Universe (more on that later).
8. John Barrowman – 738159 FB likes, 362K Twitter followers, 205K IG followers
Our next inclusion into the top 10 international male musical theater performers today is John Barrowman. Yes, he’s also the guy playing Malcolm Merlyn in CW’ TV series “Arrow”. Even the DC folks are now tapping the musical theater talent pool. He debuted in the musical “Anything Goes”. And that became the logical way to explain his career. He got cast in several productions from Miss Saigon to Phantom of the Opera to La Cage aux Folles. He looked hot in falsies, feathers and a glittering gown while singing “I Am What I Am” in promo clips online. Such versatility indeed.
7. Matthew Morrison – 658653 FB likes, 988K Twitter followers, 91300 IG followers
And Mr. Schuester made it to the list of top 10 international male musical theater performers. We are not referring to the 6 seasons of karaoke music goodness in Fox’s Glee. We are referring to the musical production that he top-billed before Glee closed shop – Finding Neverland. The exposure in Glee helped a lot in getting the musical reputation signed, sealed and delivered. But the talent to back up that reputation gives musical theater fans assurance that he will be in this genre for the long haul.
6. Taye Diggs – 1674421 FB likes, 488K Twitter followers, 14K IG followers
2 musical theater productions have become associated with Taye Diggs – Rent and Wicked. He may not have been paired with Idina Menzel at Rent. But their chemistry became evident at Wicked. On his own, he is talented to hold his own which is why most productions of Rent included him in the cast. The following he has amassed eventually got him included in the top 10 international male musical theater performers today.
5. Darren Criss – 1158396 FB likes, 1.83M Twitter followers, 1M IG followers
Broadway’s newest and youngest Hedwig is in the list of top 10 international male musical theater performers today. Getting a good career boost on Season 2 of Glee, Darren Criss initially won the hearts of his loyal fan base upon singing “Teenage Dream” with the Warblers. To the Gleeks, Darren Criss will always be Blaine. Authentic musical talent, mesmerizing charm and career longevity – ingredients that cemented his slot on the list of top 10 male musical theater performers today.
How did Darren Criss get this high on the list of top 10 international male musical theater performers today? Catch his performance on Broadway by purchasing tickets here. Guaranteed fun romp for HedHeads everywhere.
4. Adam Lambert – 4785820 FB likes, 2.44M Twitter followers, 469K IG followers
Oh, Glambert! Our glamorous entertainer has arrived in our top 10 international male musical theater performers. Adam Lambert peraps is the most successful runner-up to come out of American Idol. Prior to showing his electrifying performances on mainstream television, he was already in musical theater. That image was taken from one of his performances as Fiyero in Wicked. We have yet to learn when would he go back to musical theater. He’s currently plugging his next album. Its carrier single, “Ghost Town”, is now up for sale on iTunes.
3. Neil Patrick Harris – 193621 FB likes, 15.7M Twitter followers, 1.6M IG followers
True story, bro! For a guy that started out as teen doctor on Doogie Howser MD, Neil Patrick Harris has gone a long way and high enough in this list of top 10 international male musical theater performers. He really worked his way to prove himself to everyone after he officially came out of the closet. Proving he has so much more to offer before the TV series “How I Met Your Mother” aired its finale, he bagged a Tony Award for his role as “the internationally ignored song stylist standing before you”, Hedwig of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. He set a tough standard for the next batch of actors to play that role.
2. Ricky Martin – 8617712 FB likes, 12.1 Twitter followers, 2.4M IG followers
Speaking of tender age beginnings, we go to Ricky Martin. First known as the one-fifth of the pop boyband Menudo, he reinvented himself as a Latin pop recording artist and later as an actor. He then became one of the favorites to play the role of the one-man chorus-slash-conscience Che to Eva Peron in Evita. Taking one of the top spots among the top 10 international male musical theater performers, everyone awaits his return in a role often associated with him in mainstream media.
1. Hugh Jackman – 20793395 FB likes, 5.45M Twitter followers, 1.8M IG followers
Before Hugh Jackman became Wolverine, he melted a lot of undies in one of his signature roles as The Boy from Oz. And you thought it’s his role at the film version of Les Miserables that put him on number 1 of the top 10 international male musical theater performers today. An actor that worked his ass off to crossover to Hollywood, his role as Jean Valjean proved that he has not forgotten his musical theater roots. He even hosted the 2014 Tony Awards to everyone’s delight. His ability to disappear into his roles (yes, including Wolverine) made him distinct from the roles he played as proven in that hosting stint. How perfect can a performer get?
