Monday Night Footlights: Trade a Kickoff for a Kick-Line with These Five Broadway Shows

Hut, hut, hike! Yup, it’s that time of year again—Monday Night Football! Tailgates, team chants and touchdowns not your thing? Don’t worry, because Broadway.com came up with a game plan just for you! Here are five Broadway shows we love where the footlights shine on football night.

MISS SAIGON

You’ll feel like you scored a touchdown after seeing this Tony-nominated musical revival about a Vietnamese bar girl who falls in love with an American G.I. during the Vietnam War and the epic journey she embarks on to reunite with him. Featuring acclaimed stars Eva Noblezada, Alistair Brammer and Jon Jon Briones, Miss Saigon is a great kickoff to any week!

CHICAGO

While the city of Chicago may be known for deep-dish pizza, Sears Tower and its beloved Chicago Bears, it’s also the legendary setting for Broadway’s longest-running hit musical. With a sizzling score and dazzling dance moves, this Tony-winning crowd-pleaser never fumbles. And really, when you have rivals like Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart tackling each other for the spotlight, who need a Bears-Packers playoff?

CATS

While others are watching the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions growl at each other on the gridiron, you can do a reverse play and run over to the Neil Simon Theatre to watch the Jellicle Cats leap and prance in this Broadway revival of the worldwide megahit based on T.S Eliot’s collection of poems. Better hustle though—these cats need to punt on December 30.

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

Prefer snozzberries and chocolate waterfalls over soft pretzels and draft beer? Well, have we got the (golden) ticket for you! Adapted from Roald Dahl’s classic novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will blitz you with fizzy-lifting fun and tuneful treats. Willy Wonka and his team of Oompa-Loompas are ready to pull you away from the sideline and into their world of pure imagination.

SCHOOL OF ROCK

The Patriots may be rock stars in New England, but Broadway has its rock stars, too! In this family-friendly fave, wanna-be rock musician Dewey Finn poses as a substitute teacher and transforms his students into a bad-ass band. With a high-energy score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and a talented team of kid rockers, you’ll have so much fun at this feel-good musical, you’ll wish it went into overtime!

Looking for even more shows playing on a Monday night? You’ll find additional options on Monday, October 30, when a number of plays and musicals will perform (such as Kinky Boots, M. Butterfly and Wicked) instead of on Halloween. So, check out Broadway.com’s show directory, select a show and then just scroll through the calendar to October 30 to see if your favorite show is playing!