Numerous plays and musical that have circulated through Broadway continue to excite me, regardless of their existence on the stage currently. You cannot help but get swept up in the drama of a unique and dynamic plot line, or the brilliance and mastermind that goes into creating an original score. Speaking of those shows that bring me joy, here are a few that I would love nothing more than to see, or have make a resurgence on one of the many beautiful New York City stages.

1. Hamilton

Is an explanation for this really necessary? Lin-Manuel Miranda is but a musical and theatrical genius. His ability to combine history and modern musical numbers to create the wonderful piece of art that he did is beyond extraordinary. Lin somehow managed to make learning about the founding fathers easy, and actually fun! Lin, if you're reading this, I bid you farewell and the best of luck on your future endeavors. Although, I will remain hopeful that one day I will get to witness the masterpiece of your brilliance with you fulfilling the role of Alexander Hamilton once again.

2. American Idiot

I was fortunate enough to have seen this play on several different occasions, and with that came a number of cast changes. With each new member that joined the ensemble, the musical only improved. Through this show, I gained more of an appreciation for not just my favorite band, but for theater overall. Of course during the time American Idiot was around I had already seen a few other shows and adored the soundtracks of others, but this cast had me experiencing a roller coaster of different emotions I hadn't with the other musicals. American Idiot focused on bringing the story Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tre Cool were trying to tell back in 2004 to life, and certainly succeeded in their attempts when letting it makes its big Broadway debut. The only thing bad about this show was that it ended it's run on April 24th, 2011. I somehow managed to score tickets to the final performance, and cried more than I ever thought possible.

3. Next to Normal

The rock opera that follows The Goodman's, a suburban family coping with an abundance of mental illness, the loss of a child, and some heavy "coping mechanisms," such as substance abuse and suicide. The soundtrack tells the story of the family's struggle to remain together due to the strengthening symptoms of Diana's bipolar disorder. Like American Idiot, Next To Normal ended its run on Broadway in 2011. I never actually got to see this play, but certainly hope one day I will. There are songs on here that will absolutely just break your heart, but you still can't get enough of them. I listen to the soundtrack practically every day. Next To Normal will open your eyes to the world of mental illness and the disastrous effects treatment and it's symptoms could have on not just the one suffering, but everyone around.

4. Spring Awakening

And last but certainly not least, Spring Awakening. I found myself obsessing over this musical around the time American Idiot stomped it's way onto Broadway. This play features two of my favorite actors, Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele. Spring Awakening also had it's fair share of American Idiot cast members, including John Gallagher Jr, another one of my favorites. This musical's takes place in 19th-century Germany, and follows the lives of a group of teenagers struggling with growing up. Spring Awakening delves into the age of identifying sexuality, exploring the inhibited world of sex, and coming to terms with the fact that each character is ignorant to a world of different things each other is keeping a secret. Wendla has been sheltered her whole life and is quite naive when it comes to adult topics such as sex, so her experience with her long time friend Melchior was quite frightening. The musical also touches up on rising to meet people's expectations but cracking under pressure, abuse, and suicide. Although Spring Awakening made a unique revival back in 2015, it's run ended again earlier this year. I'm crossing my fingers that it will come back once again to excite fans like me, who were not lucky enough to purchase tickets during its first two runs.