Whether it's a friend or family member, it can be difficult being a thespian or Broadway buff when someone in your life doesn't like musicals. I know how you feel, Broadway Lover. You've tried all your favorite scores and begged and pleaded but nothing seems to work. You've tried "Evita," you've tried "Seussical," you've tried "Next to Normal," but nothing seems to open their anti-Broadway mind. While I can't guarantee success, my experience has shown that at least one of the following shows will convert the non-Broadway lover in your life. Beware, use of these soundtracks may result in a spontaneous car ride karaoke rendition of "Diva's Lament" or "La Vie Boheme."

Use with caution.

1. "Spamalot"

Fans of "Monty Python" will love "Spamalot," a musical adaptation of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." The songs are catchy satire and there's no chance of becoming overly invested in the show, which is a win for those just looking for some fun entertainment. It's a great, lighthearted show sure to entertain even the most anti-Broadway of audience members. The Broadway cast recording is available for streaming on Spotify and for purchase on iTunes.

2. "Rent"

The mother of all rock musicals, "Rent" is always a hit thanks to some of its heavier themes. "Rent" follows a group of 20-somethings living in New York City during the earlier days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and navigating love, loss, careers and illness. The musical was one of the first to feature a fully rock score, LGBTQIA+ characters and characters of color. "Rent" wows with its universally enjoyable score and its message of hope and living without regret. For anyone who thought Broadway wasn't for them, "Rent's" rock score, honest story and incredibly human characters prove otherwise. While the original score is available on Spotify and iTunes and covers almost the entirety of the show (give or take a few lines), there is also an adapted movie version of "Rent" starring most of the original Broadway cast available to stream on Netflix.

3. "9 to 5"

For all the country fans in your life, the Dolly Parton scored musical "9 to 5," based on the film of the same name, is sure to pull them in. The show includes some of Parton's hits including "9 to 5" and "Backwoods Barbie," as well as new songs written for the show by Parton. Though the original Broadway run closed after only 148 performances, the show had a largely successful U.S. tour and has become a favorite of regional and community theaters with its surprisingly heartwarming story and lovable characters. The original Broadway cast recording is available on iTunes.

4. "Venice"

"Venice" may require more of a willingness to hear a story told through music than some other musicals on the list, but it is nonetheless sure to pull in listeners who would never have been pulled into theatre otherwise. "Venice" is the story of a dystopian city wiped out by a terrorist attack. The safest places in the city are reserved for the elite, while the lower classes are forced to survive in the ruins of the old city. When a leader comes along to reunify the city, a story bearing striking resemblances to Shakespeare's "Othello" unfolds, drawing in listeners with its rock and hip-hop score, and warning them against the musical's potential for becoming truth. While the ill-fated show is hardly off-Broadway's best (its brief run at The Public was largely criticized as being too shallow to achieve its goals by critics while being simultaneously pleasing audience members) the original cast recording is universally good and has a broad appeal for those who wouldn't love a musical otherwise, especially for those who are politically inclined. The original cast recording can be found on iTunes.

5. "Hamilton"

You all knew it was coming. Part of "Hamilton's" overwhelming success is its ability to appeal to audiences from all walks of life. Its rap and R&B score brings in younger, more diverse crowds, while songs like the tear jerking "Burn" and British Invasion-styled "You'll Be Back" provide more traditional fare for Broadway purists. "Hamilton" is no compromising attempt to bring hip-hop to the Great White Way (I'm looking at you, "Holler If Ya Hear Me"). "Hamilton" makes it seem as though hip-hop is already part of the musical theatre canon and makes you wonder how you missed that. The history buffs will enjoy watching Lin-Manuel Miranda take liberties with Alexander Hamilton's story without, as he says, "breaking history;" the musical lovers will enjoy its fresh take on how a musical can tell a story, the hip-hop experts will enjoy Miranda's allusions to some of the most classic rap artists and tropes, and newly baptized theatre goers will love a story about American history told in a music and a language they can easily recognize and embrace. If nothing else on the list works, "Hamilton" is sure to bring in even the most skeptical, most anti-Broadway listeners. The original Broadway cast recording is available on Spotify, iTunes and wherever else music is streamed and sold, and tickets are available (yeah right) on Ticketmaster and at the Richard Rogers Theatre.