Les Miserables is my favorite, but is not what I would call upbeat. Plus, I think its run is ending in March. You will laugh your butt off at the Producers--I would highly recommend that. Cabaret at Studio 54 is another favorite of mine--very lively! And there are always old classics like 42nd Street and Oklahoma.

the hottest show in NYC right now is "Hair Spray". You can buy tickets in advance.

Having said this why not consider some serious productions. So much of these musicals are manufactured for the tour bus crowd. So many are just plain silly.I would at least look at reviews on line. Some of the suggestions I see here have been paned by other fodorites, producer, La Miserab.

You are coming all this way why not see a sophisticated performance and not something that panders to people that are not regular theatre goers.

I think Millie will still be around. Try to go to Hairspray. I think the Producers was a little overhyped-its funny but raunchy and slapstick. If you like things like Phantom you would like Beauty and the Beast, Lion King or LaBoheme. Have fun.

What makes people think that if someone likes a fun musical, they'd like a full fledged opera in Italian --La Boheme? I don't get the connection.

Hairspray is great, couldn't be more upbeat. Lion King is excellent as well. Also if you like Billy Joel and dance you may enjoy Movin' Out.

Has anyone seen Flower Drum Song or heard anything about it?

When Rent played Boston I realized there is a tremendous generational gap in the following. My daughter loved it (she about 18 at the time) and played the CD constantly. I saw it and hated it, and I'm usually very generous in my approval of shows.

I enjoy seeing productions about young people and the issues they may face, but those kids in RENT whined for almost 2 hours. UGH.

You certainly could never go wrong with GYPSY with Bernadette Peters....(if you can still get tickets).

If you enjoy country western music, URBAN COWBOY, will be opening this spring at the Broadhurst Theater with some great music from artists such as Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain favorites as well as some original music just for the play. NINE with Antonio Banderas will also be opening soon at the Eugene O'Neil. (not sure if Nine is a musical or not?)

CABARET!!! Definately upbeat(great music). I also loved Phantom, Beauty and The Beast. Hated RENT.

I simply don't get Rent..I think I'll make a special trip to see Bernadette Peters in Gypsy. That should be something! I'm planning to go up to NYC to see the Matisse/Picasso show at the MOMA temporarily housed in Queens or somewhere. ...Will Gypsy open before May? LMF

Oh Gosh, "I Do, I Do" is my favorite of all time. Grew up with the soundtrack with Mary Martin and Robert Preston. Did you see it on TV with (can you believe it) Hal Linden and Lee Remick?

Anyway, as for current shows, we've seen "Chicago", "Cabaret" and "Phantom", along with "Jeckyl & Hyde", many times. All are positively awesome! Other favorites have been "42nd Street" (silly story line, but fabulous music, dancing, show-stopping numbers...), "The Producers" (it's such a fine show you needn't worry who's starring in it this week), "Man of LaMancha".

"Flower Drum Song" is another of my all-time favorites, for the music. We saw the current production. The cast is spectacular, though we weren't fond of the "new book". To us, the original story was just fine and more plausible.

As for "Rent", were it not for the magnificent music and dancing, and the fact that Carrie Hamilton starred in the Boston production we saw, we'd have left. We found the storyline despicable, offensive actually (close friends they were?). I cannot believe this won a Pulitzer Prize!

Anyway, for anyone who hasn't seen all of the current shows, your best bet is to sign up at Playbill.com, and the various other websites with discount tickets. Pick as many as you find appealing and have time to see, but haven't seen. You really can't go wrong.

Answsering LilMsFoodie, Gypsy starts previews on March 31, with the official opening around May 1.