Brought to you by GROHN Up Broadway
The 2025 Tony Awards might just be the most competitive season in recent history. There are a slew of great contenders and some notable snubs! As Broadway prepares to crown its next winners, we at the GROHNs wanted to raise a jazz hand in celebration of the riches in musical theatre that have joined the canon over the past decade. What makes this decade so special? Well, when Hamilton opened in 2015, it dominated the spotlight. With limited space left in the room where it happens, we’re here to shine a well-deserved spotlight on the past decade’s other best musicals, with special love for this seasons FOUR hot new musicals: Death Becomes Her, Maybe Happy Ending, Operation Mincemeat, and Dead Outlaw.
This revue follows the classic architecture of a musical: from a high-octane opener, to an 11 o’clock gut-punch, and a glitter-drenched finale. Just like many a modern show: It’s 90 minutes, no intermission, and packed with everything we love: belting, ballads, big emotions, & bigger personalities. And thanks to our dialogue-free soundtrack available on Spotify, it pairs perfectly with your next hourly staff meeting you’re not paying attention to. You’re welcome.
GROHN Up Broadway is proudly produced by the GROHN Awards Committee, this revue was assembled through a process best described as “musical mayhem”—featuring impassioned debates, dramatic exits, and at least one showtune-based filibuster.
So sit back, sing along (when appropriate—Greg will shush you), and celebrate a decade of unforgettable musical theatre… one showstopping number at a time.
Track List
“Dead” – Dead Outlaw
The Opening Number
The opening number introduces the world and tone—and “Dead” had the committee rocking out with the on-stage band, mesmerized by our bandleader/narrator giving us the perfect taste of the irreverent show to come.
“For the Gaze” – Death Becomes Her
The “I Am” Song
Meeting a leading player, the “I Am” song defines a character’s identity or role in the world, and this one is a true showstopper. This pun-filled spectacle introduces us to the character’s gloriously vain worldview in a queer canon homage that left the committee cry-laughing.
“Inner White Girl” – A Strange Loop
The “I Want” Song
The “I Want” song is the emotional engine of the show, revealing a leading character’s deepest desire—and this track pulls us straight into the complexities of the protagonist’s internal struggle with raw honesty and heart, getting us fully invested in their journey ahead.
“Where You Belong” – Maybe Happy Ending
The Inciting Incident Song
We need to launch the story’s central conflict or turn, and while it’s typically a barn-burner of a track, Maybe Happy Ending uses this haunting dream sequence beautifully. It reveals what’s driving the narrative forward and hints at the divergent paths that might unfold for our hero.
“Anagram” – Kimberly Akimbo
The Love Song
We need that spark between characters, and “Anagram” delivers a wonderfully clever and heartfelt meet-cute. It captures the awkward charm of new love in a way that’s fresh, funny, and emotionally resonant.
“Independently Owned” – Shucked
The Secondary Character / Subplot Song
This type of number gives the spotlight to a supporting character’s arc. Just when we’re comfortable, a new personality storms in with a showstopping anthem, reminding us that the side characters demand our full attention too.
“Some Like It Hot” – Some Like It Hot
The Act One Company Number
After all that character development, we need an ensemble blowout—energetic, unifying, and momentum-driving. This title track ties all the characters’ stories together with infectious energy and joy, giving us that “buckle up” moment every big musical needs (dance break required!).
“Dear Bill” – Operation Mincemeat
The Internal Conflict / Emotional Ballad
This song is the emotional core—often quiet and raw—showing a character’s (and the entire show’s) vulnerability. “Dear Bill” lands with devastating impact. Amid a riotously funny show, it delivers a gut-wrenching reality check that took the committee’s breath away.
“You Will Be Found” – Dear Evan Hansen
The Act One Finale
An Act 1 finale is meant to leave the audience buzzing—emotionally unresolved but deeply affected. This anthem of zoom-era solidarity has become so iconic that the committee can look past our current knowledge that Ben Platt just is that annoying.
“Haus of Holbein” – Six
The Entr’acte
The Entr’acte resets the tone and energy after the emotional Act 1 cliffhanger—and this ensemble number does it with absurd flair. This hilarious, high-concept interlude gets us laughing, refreshed, and ready for Act 2 without needing to leave our seats.
“Sonya Alone” – Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
The Reflection Song
This song revisits earlier themes and reveals inner clarity in Act 2—often a quiet emotional moment in the chaos, where more of our players have grasped the unfolding plot. “Sonya Alone” is all that and more: a haunting, singular spotlight in a large ensemble show, deeply personal and unforgettable for the GROHN committee.
“Wait for Me (Reprise)” – Hadestown
The Dark Night of the Soul Song
This is the story’s emotional breakpoint—a moment of despair, doubt, and tension, pulling all the threads together toward our climax. This reprise is so gripping it pins you to your seat with its urgency, begging for the show’s resolution.
“She Used to Be Mine” – Waitress
The 11 O’Clock Number
This is the emotional climax, where a major character hits their turning point (barely sung at 11 any longer!). Our lead finally articulates her truth—and we break with her. Devastating, cathartic, and vocally breathtaking. This might be the best 11 o’clock number written this century. Sorry, Eliza—this one doesn’t just burn, it scorches.
“You Coulda Knocked Me Over with a Feather” – Some Like It Hot
The 11 O’Clock Number II
There’s room for more than one 11 o’clock number—especially when this one sparks tears of joy. A celebration of self-discovery and power, as our lead belts their truth, it brings the audience to its feet for entirely different (and equally worthy) reasons.
“Six” – Six
The Finale
A great finale wraps it all up—often with reprises, ensemble power, and confetti. With its party energy, “Six” is the ultimate megamix ending and absolutely justifies every bit of glitter shot into the air.
As you dance your way out of the theatre, we here at the GROHNs hope you enjoyed this recent musical remix. Look up more on your favorite tracks, discover your next favorite musical, and thank you for being here!
If you can’t get enough, check out this behind the scenes making of the 2015-2025 Musical Revue!