Broadway is full of screen-to-stage adaptations, including several stage adaptations of cult classic films—films that weren’t necessarily blockbusters upon their initial release, but have since grown passionate, dedicated fanbases. Here’s a list of cult classics that you can catch live on stage right now, both on and off-Broadway.
Beaches
While Beaches is technically an adaptation of the 1985 novel by Iris Rainer Dart, many instead recall this story from the 1988 film adaptation by Garry Marshall that starred Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. The story follows the unlikely lifelong friendship between two women, the flamboyant performer Cee Cee Bloom (“C.C.” in the film) and the put-together Bertie White (Hillary Whitney in the film), who meet on a beach as children. Now regarded as a cult classic, the Beaches film is beloved by women around the world who have been touched by its story of female friendship. The musical, whose book and lyrics are by Iris Rainer Dart, had its world premiere in 2014 and has now arrived on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre, where it opened on April 22, 2026. It stars Kelli Barrett as Bertie and Jessica Vosk as Cee Cee and marks Vosk’s first time originating a leading role on Broadway.
Death Becomes Her
The Tony Award–winning musical Death Becomes Her is an adaptation of the 1992 cult classic black comedy film of the same name, directed by Robert Zemeckis. It follows two best-of-frenemies women, self-absorbed actress Madeline Ashton and aspiring writer Helen Sharp, who drink a magic potion given to them by the mysterious Viola Van Horn (“Lisle von Rhuman” in the film) that promises eternal youth. The musical, with music and lyrics by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey and a book by Marco Pennette, opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in November 2024. It stars Jennifer Simard as Helen Sharp and Betsy Wolfe as Madeline Ashton, who was originally played by Megan Hilty until January 2026.
Heathers
While Heathers currently plays Off-Broadway at New World Stages, this musical by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy has a history dating back to its 2013 premiere in Los Angeles, followed by an Off-Broadway production in 2014 and a series of productions in Australia and the U.K., notably including a West End run in 2018. The musical is based on the 1988 cult classic film of the same name, directed by Michael Lehmann and starring Winona Ryder. The story follows Westerberg High student Veronica Sawyer, the only member of her popular, cruel clique not named Heather, and her nihilistic boyfriend J.D., who is intent on killing popular students and staging their deaths as suicides. The current New World Stages production of Heathers stars Isabella Esler as Veronica Sawyer, John Cardoza as J.D., Zan Berube as Heather Chandler, Jackera Davis as Heather Duke, and Elizabeth Teeter as Heather McNamara.
The Rocky Horror (Picture) Show
If asked to think of a quintessential cult classic film, there’s a high chance you would think of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Known for its culture of raucous midnight screenings where “shadow casts” of fans mime the film’s actions in costume and the audience calls lines back to the screen, this 1975 film by Jim Sharman has taken on a life of its own. While most musicals on this list were adaptations of their film counterparts, The Rocky Horror Picture Show film was actually an adaptation of the 1973 West End premiere of the musical The Rocky Horror Show by Richard O’Brien, which was first staged on Broadway the same year as the film’s release. The story follows the conventional couple Brad and Janet who, while seeking a phone during a rainstorm on a road trip, enter the mansion of the seductive mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The Rocky Horror Show was recently revived on Broadway, where it opened at Studio 54 on April 23, 2026. This production, directed by Tony Award winner Sam Pinkleton, stars Luke Evans as Frank-N-Furter, Stephanie Hsu as Janet, Andrew Durand as Brad, and Rachel Dratch as the Narrator. It was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Rachel Dratch, Best Lead Actress in a Musical for Stephanie Hsu, Best Lead Actor in a Musical for Luke Evans, and Best Revival of a Musical.
Little Shop of Horrors
Little Shop of Horrors, which currently plays Off-Broadway at the Westside Theatre, originally premiered Off-Off-Broadway before moving to the Off-Broadway Orpheum Theatre in 1982, where it ran for five years. The musical, with its book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, is a loose adaptation of the 1960 low-budget black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors, a cult classic directed by Roger Corman. The story follows flower shop assistant Seymour Krelborn, who discovers a man-eating alien plant—which he names Audrey II after his co-worker—that attracts business for the struggling store but only feeds on human flesh. The current Off-Broadway production, which opened in 2019, stars Nikki M. James as Audrey and Jordan Fisher as Seymour.
The Lost Boys
The Lost Boys, with music and lyrics by the indie rock band The Rescues and a book by David Hornsby and Chris Hoch, is an adaptation of the 1987 cult classic comedy horror film of the same name, directed by Joel Schumacher. The story follows a family—Lucy Emerson and her sons Michael and Sam—that has just moved to the fictional California town of Santa Carla to escape their abusive father. Michael becomes involved with the local counterculture scene, befriending a rock band and developing a romantic interest in a girl named Star, but soon discovers that the band is a group of vampires. The musical opened at the Palace Theatre on April 26, 2026, and stars LJ Benet as Michael, Benjamin Pajak as Sam, Shoshana Bean as Lucy, and Ali Louis Bourzgui as the vampire David. It garnered 12 Tony Award nominations, including Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Ali Louis Bourzgui, Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Shoshana Bean, and Best Musical.
