“Versailles” and “Strangers” couldn’t be less alike. The former was a big-budget affair (a reported $22.5 million) featuring a major star (Kristen Chenoweth) and it came replete with a building-a-gilded-mansion story that’s all about excess itself. The latter is a shoestring affair (at least by Broadway standards -- $8 million) with a cast of two relatively unknown actors and it’s seemingly just a straightforward rom-com with a New York vibe.

But you don’t need money or name talent to make a musical work. And while a good story doesn’t hurt, it’s not necessarily about that, either. You need a little thing called alchemy. And “Strangers” has it in abundance. “Versailles” couldn’t have found it even if its budget was doubled.

I could tell within the first 10 minutes that I was going to love “Strangers.” Its characters were relatable. Its music caught my ear. And it had a sense of purpose that telegraphed it was perhaps more than just a rom-com. In the case of“Versailles,” I suffered through its nearly three-hour duration without any real idea what it was saying. And I couldn’t hum back a single refrain from its umpteen songs.

Look, some shows work and some don't. But Broadway has become such an expensive platform that when a pricey endeavor flops, it reinforces a message heard all too often these days – that the musical is an endangered species. “Strangers” proves you don’t need tons of money to make a successful musical.

But the show has to be damn good in the first place. — Charles Passy

(Posted: Nov. 24, 2025)