Musicals Like Les Misérables: 10 Epic Shows to See Next

Les Misérables has a way of ruining fans for smaller shows. Once you’ve experienced a sung-through epic with a huge chorus, a sweeping score and a story that spans decades, a light comedy can feel a little thin. The good news is that there are plenty of musicals that scratch the same itch.

What makes a show “like Les Mis”? For this list, we looked for at least two of these: a story set against history or social upheaval, a big, mostly sung-through score, a large ensemble, and characters whose struggles hit hard. Some are close cousins; others share just the emotional punch. All are worth your time.

If you’re still deep in your Les Mis phase, our Les Misérables songs explained guide walks through the score number by number.

1. Miss Saigon

If you want the closest relative, start here. Miss Saigon comes from the same writing team, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics also by Richard Maltby Jr. It opened in London in 1989.

Set during and after the Vietnam War, it’s inspired by the opera Madama Butterfly and follows Kim, a young Vietnamese woman, and Chris, an American soldier. Like Les Mis, it is almost entirely sung and very emotional. Filipino fans have a special connection to it: Lea Salonga created the role of Kim in London.

2. The Phantom of the Opera

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom opened in London in 1986, a year after Les Mis arrived there, and the two have been linked ever since as the giants of the “megamusical” era. Phantom is more gothic romance than social drama, but it shares the soaring score, lavish staging and strong emotions.

The story of a masked figure haunting the Paris Opera House and the young soprano he obsesses over is pure theatrical spectacle. Read our Phantom of the Opera songs explained guide for more.

3. Evita

Evita, by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, tells the life story of Eva Perón, from her humble beginnings to her rise as First Lady of Argentina. It began as a concept album before reaching the London stage in 1978.

Like Les Mis, it’s sung-through, political and driven by a single towering central role. Che, the narrator, comments sharply on events, a bit like a chorus with an attitude. “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” is the famous number, but the full score is full of drama.

4. Hamilton

Hamilton sounds nothing like Les Mis on the surface, with its hip-hop and R&B influences, but the structure is surprisingly similar. It’s nearly sung-through, it covers decades of history and revolution, and it’s built around a rivalry between two men with very different views on how to live.

If you loved the barricade energy of “One Day More,” you’ll recognize something similar in Hamilton’s big ensemble numbers. Start with our Hamilton complete fan guide.

5. Ragtime

Ragtime, with music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and a book by Terrence McNally, is based on E.L. Doctorow’s novel. It weaves together three groups in early 20th-century America: a wealthy family, a Black musician and his love, and an Eastern European immigrant and his daughter.

It’s big, sweeping and deeply concerned with justice and social change, just like Les Mis. Its opening number, which introduces all three worlds, is one of the great openings in musical theater.

6. Fiddler on the Roof

Fiddler on the Roof (music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book by Joseph Stein) opened on Broadway in 1964. It follows Tevye, a milkman in a Jewish village in Tsarist Russia, as his daughters challenge tradition and the world around them changes.

Fiddler has more humor and warmth than Les Mis, but it shares the sense of ordinary people caught in larger historical forces. “Tradition,” “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Sunrise, Sunset” are classics.

7. Sweeney Todd

Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, with a book by Hugh Wheeler, opened on Broadway in 1979. Set in Victorian London, it follows a barber who returns from unjust exile seeking revenge.

It’s darker and more blood-soaked than Les Mis, but fans of Javert and Valjean’s battle of justice and vengeance will find a lot to chew on. The score is operatic, demanding and thrilling, with a large chorus that comments on the action.

8. Hadestown

Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown retells the Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice and of Hades and Persephone, set in a world shaped by hard times and hard choices. It’s nearly sung-through and draws on folk, jazz and blues.

Like Les Mis, it cares about poverty, power and whether hope can survive in a harsh world. And like Les Mis, it isn’t shy about breaking your heart. It reached Broadway in 2019.

9. Jesus Christ Superstar

Another Lloyd Webber and Rice collaboration that began as a concept album, Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera telling the last days of Jesus, largely from the perspective of Judas. It’s fully sung, intense and full of big vocal moments.

If you enjoy the passion and the conflicted characters of Les Mis, this show’s mix of rock score and moral struggle will appeal.

10. Come From Away

This one is a change of pace. Come From Away, by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, tells the true story of the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, which took in thousands of stranded airline passengers after the September 11 attacks. It reached Broadway in 2017.

It’s not an epic in scale, and it’s not sung-through, but it shares Les Mis’s belief in human kindness under pressure. Its ensemble cast plays dozens of roles, and its folk-inspired score builds to big, communal moments.

Honorable Mentions

• Chess, by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with lyrics by Tim Rice, a Cold War story told through a chess championship, with a powerful score.
• Wicked, for fans who love soaring anthems and a story about standing up to injustice. See our Wicked complete fan guide.
• Chicago, if you want the opposite of Les Mis: cynical, jazzy and very funny. Our Chicago complete fan guide covers it.

How to Choose Your Next Show

If you want the most similar experience, go for Miss Saigon or Phantom. For a historical epic with a fresh sound, try Hamilton or Ragtime. For darker drama, Sweeney Todd. For myth and heartbreak, Hadestown. And if you want something that leaves you uplifted, Come From Away is a lovely choice.

Keep exploring: see our Les Misérables complete fan guide and Phantom of the Opera complete fan guide.

Where to Listen Legally

Each of these musicals has official cast recordings available on Spotify, Apple Music and other major streaming services. Many shows also have official YouTube channels with performance clips. Hamilton’s filmed Broadway production is on Disney+ in many regions. Listening to official recordings is the best way to sample a score before you buy a ticket.

FAQ

What musical is most similar to Les Misérables?
Miss Saigon is the closest match. It comes from the same composer and lyricist and shares the sung-through, emotional, epic style.

Is Phantom of the Opera like Les Misérables?
They’re both big, sweeping 1980s “megamusicals” with lush scores. Phantom is more of a gothic romance, while Les Mis is a social and historical drama.

What should I see if I want something lighter after Les Mis?
Come From Away or Fiddler on the Roof offer emotional depth with more warmth and humor.

Are any of these suitable for younger viewers?
Come From Away and Fiddler on the Roof are generally more family-friendly. Sweeney Todd and Miss Saigon contain mature themes, so check content guidance first.