Barbecue, Beer & Broadway! Five All-American Shows to See on Fourth of July Weekend

Grab your sparklers and your American flags, because it’s time to celebrate the only holiday that makes it socially acceptable to sport these bad boys all weekend. After chowing down on delicious barbecued treats and watching fireworks (accompanied by the song stylings of If/Then star Idina Menzel) on the Fourth of July, here’s some great news—you’ve got the whole rest of the weekend to catch a Broadway show! Check out our picks for the best shows to see on Independence Day weekend.


The Book of Mormon
Hello! The boys from The Book of Mormon are as American as apple pie, so why not head to Utah (followed immediately by a thrilling missionary trip to Uganda) to hang out with Elder Price, Elder Cunningham and the rest of their pals this Fourth of July weekend? It’s a great opportunity to catch a usually-sold-out fan favorite while the rest of the East Coast is trying to claim a square of sand at the Jersey shore.


Jersey Boys
Wait, did someone say Jersey? After seeing the Four Seasons bring their signature tunes to the silver screen in the new Jersey Boys movie, we’ve been dying to go back to catch Frankie Valli and the boys live on Broadway. Featuring Four Seasons hits including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “December 1963,” Jersey Boys is a must-see for the whole family.


Newsies
Last we checked, America is the land of the free and the home of the brave—and nobody on Broadway exercises their first-amendment rights quite like the boys of Newsies. Based on the real-life Newsboys Strike of 1899, the Disney hit is only running on Broadway through August 24, so it’s time to get your hunks-doing-pirouettes fix now, before it’s too late.


Motown the Musical
Instead of sitting in traffic on the BQE, take a trip to Hitsville, U.S.A.! Where else can you relax inside an air-conditioned theater and hear 40 Motown songs performed live by a cast of stellar triple threats? Featuring a book by legendary record producer Berry Gordy, this jukebox musical might even teach you something about the history of American music. (No, not Frances Scott Key—Stevie Wonder!)


Rocky
If there’s anyone who fought from the heart, it’s the Founding Fathers of the United States. That’s why if these guys were all hanging out in New York City and decided to see a musical together, we’re pretty sure they’d choose Rocky. It’s also got gorgeous sets, and plenty of muscley, shirtless dudes hitting each other. And besides, there’s only one song more emotionally stirring than “The Star Spangled Banner,” and that’s “Eye of the Tiger.”