As 2018 comes to a close, Tumblr exclusively shared the top 10 musical theatre fandoms of 2018 with Playbill as part of Tumblr's 2018 Year in Review. How was the list determined? "The lists are ranked by our proprietary trending score, which includes all the searches, original posts, reblogs and likes made on Tumblr in 2018. Each fandom is denoted by the tag used for the show, ie: #hamilton and #bemorechill," Tumblr meme librarian Amanda Brennan shares. Here are what Broadway fans obsessed over the most on Tumblr in 2018!
10. Mean Girls
OMG, we love your Tumblr fandom, where did you get it? The Broadway stage adaptation of Tina Fey’s 2004 hit comedy film opened on Broadway in spring 2018, and has been a massive deal ever since. Between getting nominated for 12 Tony Awards and celebrating October 3rd on a Wednesday, the Plastics (and fandom) have had plenty to celebrate this year.
9. Waitress
It’s amazing what the Waitress fandom can do! The 2016 Tony-nominated musical boasted an all-creative female team, with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, book by Jessie Nelson, direction by Diane Paulus, and choreography by Lorin Latarro. This year, the musical welcomed Smash star Katharine McPhee and Nicolette Robinson as the first Jenna of color, and switched the gender of the character of Old Joe to Old Josie, casting June Squibb.
8. Les Misérables
Who will join in the Les Misérables fandom, who will be strong and stand with me?! Even though Les Misérables’ most recent revival closed in 2016, the Tony-winning musical has remained a fan-favorite since its original production in 1987, helped by the current national tour.
7. The Phantom of the Opera
And do I dream again? For now I find The Phantom of the Opera fandom! As Broadway’s longest-running musical, Phans of the show have enjoyed Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony-winning musical for over 30 years.
6. Falsettos
This Tumblr fandom loves a tight-knit family! Between the Tony-nominated 2016 revival and the 2017 PBS airing, fans can’t get enough of Marvin, Whizzer, and company. This year, a national tour of the Lincoln Center Theater revival was announced, bringing the four unlikely lovers to theatres around the country beginning in February 2019.
5. Wicked
Let us be glad and let us be grateful that Wicked is the No. 5 Tumblr fandom! Wicked celebrated its 15th anniversary (the Glinda way) October 30, 2018, with a concert special on NBC, reuniting the original stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, with special guests Ariana Grande, Pentatonix, Adam Lambert, and Ledisi.
4. Newsies
Ain’t it a fine life when Newsies is the No. 4 Tumblr fandom?! The Tony-nominated Disney musical developed a strong fandom during its 1,005-performances Broadway run, and continue to carry the banner—especially during its theatrical broadcast and encore screenings in 2017.
3. Dear Evan Hansen
Dear Evan Hansen fans, this year is going to be a great year, and here’s why: Dear Evan Hansen is Tumblr’s No. 3 fandom! From 360-degree fan videos to streaming song previews, the show’s focus on social media quickly extended offstage and into the lives of the fans after its Broadway opening in 2016.
2. Be More Chill
C-c-c-c’mon, c-c-c-c’mon, let’s go! Even though Be More Chill has yet to play on Broadway, the digital community’s enthusiasm for the musical garnered so much attention that it received an Off-Broadway production in summer 2018, with its subsequent Broadway transfer beginning performances in February 2019.
1. Hamilton
Man, the musical is non-stop! It’s no surprise that Hamilton is Tumblr’s No. 1 fandom, as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-winning musical has taken the (digital and real) world by storm since its Off-Broadway production at the Public Theater in 2015. The musical won 11 Tony Awards in 2016 and has inspired countless pieces of fan art, YouTube covers, and even its own musical parody, Spamilton.
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