Top 10 Broadway Divas 

Yes I agree Ms.Lansbury should have been top three.

There should be "Another" Broadway Divas list.

I think people vote in their sleep 🤣

Matt R Exactly

Matt R where is Elaine page?

I agree i am a fan I love Barbara but not on this list again watchmojo sometimes gets confuse and base on the stardom of someone.

She's maintained the Broadway catalog and brought it into pop music for everyone. That's a good thing, but agree, she's not the quintessential Broadway diva

No disrespect Ben Lau, but how does her not performing on Broadway for years make her any less of one of the top ten divas? Would you say Michael Jordan's not one of the top ten best basketball players of all time because he doesn't play anymore? C'mon now.

Agree that Streisand belongs nowhere on the list. If for no other reason that she RUINED the movie version of "Hello, Dolly!" In fact, most of her big-screen work is unwatchable it is so bad. I believe Streisand is a completely manufactured talent.

I was thinking about it and I guess the fact that she has done like 5 film musicals and the fact that at least half of what she sings nowadays (including the most recent album) are Broadway hits. Buuuuuut still....not saying we don't love Babs and her voice like buttah, but one starring and one supporting role on Broadway just isn't quite there for this list.

k a y l e e I AGREE COMPLETELY SHE ORIGINATED THE WITCH IN INTO THE WOODS SO LIKE SHES QUEEN

She’s amazing

Couldn't agree more.

This so much!

She certainly deserves to be on the list before Chenowith (who is an amazing talent but...)

Those last 2 would not have made the list

Katie Tucker Where would Patti Lupone fit into that list? Because that bitch has been doing leading roles since the late 70s until literally THIS year.

Katie Tucker I would put Bernadette in "contemporary" but I agree with you

There are no younger stars, they have no star quality, or great talent.

none I’m trying to work out what you’re saying because I know you’re not dumb enough to think that Kristin Chenoweth is talentless

THIS.

can't believe she was only an honorable mention here, lol

Can't I like this more than once?!!

Tell that to Bernadette Peters who won two and originated some iconic roles like into the woods. This is a biased list.

She also won the Olivier for Miss Saigon.

I love Lea Salonga but some of the credits mentioned aren't Broadway. Just sayin;. She's def a legit Broadway diva tho.

Yes

I know, right?!

Snoz Berries she hasn't been on Broadway as long as everyone else on the list.

All that yazz are you talking about Bernadette or Sutton? Because if you're talking bout Bernadette, that's just wrong

Magic_The _Cat12 I'm talking about sutton

So? Sutton's done a hell of a lot more on Broadway than Babs ever did, not to mention (as much as I love her) Kristen. Let's stop looking at how long they have been alive and look at serious CONTRIBUTION. Sutton has half this list beat. And Audra at 8? That's just horse sh*t. Audra's so much better than Chita ever saw the day to be.

i know she cant sing

@@marjanf56 she can sing come on.

Funny Girl was a big sensation on Broadway in the 1960s, so I guess that's why. However, because she hasn't been on Broadway since then, Barbra Streisand should've been much lower on the list. Bernadette Peters being relegated to honorable mentions is wrong.

I know, I can't believe it either.

Janet Wickline I agree! No way are Streisand nor Rivera better than Julie!

@@mlchc9004 I agree Julie shouild be before Rivera who is great but isnt the best all time Broadway star;I dodntg know who made thos list but how can be out Mary Martin,Barbara Cook,Bernadettr \Peters,Gwen Verdon and ot her great Broadway ladies? Who made this list?

Yeah, but she did NOT do Maria in The Sound Of Music ON BROADWAY!!! Mary Martin did. How utterly annoying that they got that wrong.

Dominique Town correct

I agree Where are Barbara Cook,Gwen Verdon, and other great artists? Barbara influenced some of the artists that are here like Audra Mc Donald and Kristyn Chenoweth..Gwen received four Tony awards .

I agree. I think some of the ladies mentioned on this list are there more because of film/TV notoriety & not Broadway successes.

emmamaria truer words were never spoken. This list was made for me, and most of the classics I was expecting. But we NEED a contemporary one THIS INSTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoever thought they could get away with putting Kristin there and not idina should be lined up with the poor soul who made the mistake of only putting Bernadette and lea as honourable mentions and also shot.

Bailey Bieganek Don't shoot me....but I would choose Kristin over Idina any day. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE Idina, her acting and her voice. Kristin is a FAR more consistent live performer and her vocal abilities are just astounding! Listen to "The Girl in 14G" for a reference point.

emmamaria lol I'm not going to shoot you. People are entitled to their opinions and I can't say I like idina better than Kristin because I don't know too much else of her work aside from wicked. My love of idina over her stems from my love of elphaba over Glinda, though both are incredible characters. Regardless of who thinks who is better, my fault with this list is that it gave Kristin a well-deserved spot, and it MENTIONED idina. Not even honourably mentioned her. And that is not ok, especially not if you're going by wicked as your main reference point. I agree with you on all your points; I wouldn't want to shoot such an eloquent and polite fellow RU-vid commenter!!!!

emmamaria I totally agree with you, but I think that this was one of their better lists

R Lloyd Wow. You clearly don't know anything about musical theatre to know that this isn't an insult, all of these women are Broadway legends.

Justify that statement!? The list is far too broad, I will completely agree with that, but each of these women deserve a place on this list.

emmamaria I simply meant that putting Audra McDonald and Angela so late on this list is completely unjust. They are two of the most decorated and important actresses of their respective generations. Leaving Bernadette Peters out is also completely unfair. The woman has been given us some of the most beautiful performances to ever grace the stage. I agree that basically all the women deserve a spot up their but the order is debatable.

R Lloyd I will agree with that...please see the comment I just added myself to the general comments on this video. I just think that your wording was a bit too damning. This list is not completely hate-worthy. Just many problems with it ;)

Not to mention Barbara at number 3??? Even they said she's only been in 2 shows.... she doesn't hold a candle to Julie but surpassed her on the list??? No thanks.

Brilliant

BahstX yes! Julie Andrews is # ONE! No way is Streisand nor Rivera ahead of Julie!

Betty is phenomenal.

I had no idea she sang. I seriously only knew her from Carrie and Split

Yeah she made her debut in Rent, won a Tony for her performance in Wicked, and was nominated for If/Then. She's also done great stuff off Broadway, but none of that matters.

Or such awesome performers as Sierra Boggess, and Lea Salonga only got an honorable mention along with Bernadette Peters? No they deserved more credit.

Compared to those on the list, she does not have the number of productions and longevity, YET. Give her time.

Idina was also in the films "Enchanted" (portrayal/voice of Nancy Tremaine) and "Frozen" (voice of Elsa, the Snow Queen).

Angie Maniaci That's true!!

Éponine Johanna Tuck I agree

I love your list! I'd personally shift Ethel Merman higher, but I think you have a better take on this than most.

How about Gwen Verdon, Anne Reinking, Bebe Neuwirth, Eileen Page (ok, she's mostly England)

And where are Barbara Cook, andMary Martin Eponine?

I Love me some Bette but she only did 2 Book Musicals and Julie only did 4 with no Tony. What about Barbara Cook, Gwen Verdon, Dorothy Loudon, Elaine Stritch!!! There's so many, it's really hard to pick just 10!!!

I KNOW RIGHT?!?!!?!!?

Sodapop246 8 in 10 years maybe 😉

11LadyFie Me too!

and me. I have seen Sound of Music and Mary Poppins over 100 times and I still love it

Lucy Preece Same. And I've watched Victor, Victoria (both movie & stage version) over 100 times too.

11LadyFie Yesss! Julie should be # ONE!!!

I love her also I know nearly all of her songs she sang I started watching her when I was 3 and now I’m 18

DEv INity Then you’re not really well versed in musical theatre 😂 she played both eponine and fontine in les miserables (which are both coveted roles) and starred in Miss Saigon (in which she got a tony). Not to mention her voicing both jasmine and Mulan.

Betty Buckley?

Ummmm, Idina Menzel?

Jenika McCandless I was thinking the exact same thing!

Jenika McCandless I am honestly OUTRAGED that they weren't even in the honorable mentions!

Jenika McCandless ya and Bernadette Peters was only a honorable mention

Well I’m just a sucker for the originals. In my opinion the originals paved the way do Sutton and Idina. Without them there jobs would barely exist eek

Charlotte Talkstageytome Yes to all of those you have mentioned! You have awesome taste!

Michael Miller I totally agree Mary Martin should have been right behind Ethel merman

Michael Miller--Mary Martin did so much more on Broadway than just Peter Pan (although most Boomers will remember her for her NBC-TV performance as Pan in the early 1950s, and her reprising the role in the 1970s with most, if not all, of the original lead players in the cast). She was the lead in South Pacific, for starters.

You don't know what you're talking about. Your very uneducated in the Great White way. Mary Martin an Honorable mention. she was the 2nd biggest star that ever played Broadway. Merman was number one. Honey, go into winter sports.. Freeze your teeth & give your tongue a slay ride.

Mark g. Richard--To whom are you directing your invective? If you're directing your comments to people who, here, appear to agree with you, then reading comprehension is not your strong suit. However, if you're castigating the talking head voice from Ms Mojo, then I fully agree. However, do keep in mind that she is likely a Millennial who has absolutely no knowledge, or interest in learning about, any of the eons of time BEFORE the little twit was born. Nothing exists for them that occurred before they reached the age of puberty.

I love that word "Invective" to describe my opinion.. Not seen it used before.. (ONLY VINDICTIVE) Good vocabulary! Of course I was directing my reply to the idiot who put that list up.. I agree with you. I said that in my first reply.. "Very Uneducated in the Great White Way" Merman whether one liked her or not was Number 1. Mary Martin was number 2. They were Broadways golden stars. Alfred Drake for the men was Number 1. Bernadette Peters was the most over rated performer ever on Broadway in my opinion but admittedly I'm in a rare club.. She was excellent in Mack & Mabel. She came across so involved with her moody self. She was terrible in Gypsy ,worse in "Annie get your Gun" a flop in "Dolly" who advised her? Why did she or they think she was another Ethel Merman? The best Mamma Rose next to Merman was Bette Middler in a T.V. production. She was marvelous in "Dolly'' But no one could eat all those dumplings funnier then Channing. But again Middler had a limited career on Broadway.. More $$ elsewhere She was however a world class entertainer.. Bernadette was a lackluster bore. Enough of that hair!!! Merman wasn't much of an actress but her timing was perfect that put it over. The way she mugged "Frank Butler in "Annie Get Your Gun" was hilarious when she saw him for the 1st time. She repeated this at Lincoln Center I think in 1966. I saw this one opening night . "Call me Madame" was genius! When she sang the song the story was told. You believed it was possibly true.The British audiences loved her.. Martin in South Pacific has never been equaled in the role of Nellie Forbush. Yes a lot of the people today are good on stage with great talent. But a star comes past the foot lights into your lap & performs just for you.. You eat it up & not a cough or a sound is heard.. A magical veil presence comes over the house .. Mary Martin could do that better then any one.. She was was that Famous "IT"!! Ms. Mojo (OY) Should go to Sardi's & have a Shirley Temple. Then get off the "Good Ship Lollipop". Who ever acknowledged my reply opinion.. You made my day... You know your stuff even if I ruffled some... Love too all. xxx

PhantomifyEponine no one had the talent that Barbra did, although she only did 2 musicals- 1 in which she starred in so young. So she's is broadway biggest star. And has/ had the best voice in the world.

PhantomifyEponine I ageee

Streisand sux.

Streisand has more than earned her Broadway kudos. Aside from the two musicals she did, her first four movies were based on Broadway shows. She has recorded three albums consisting of Broadway material, and all three went to number one. She also sprinkled show tunes among her pop albums during the seventies. I guarantee more people have heard Broadway music because of her than through any other artist.

Streisand does seem out of place on this list, especially considering Bernadette got left in the cold.

Not a bad list. I think Mary Martin or Sutton Foster rank higher than Betty Buckly, and I'd move Verdon up a few notches, but if this was their list, I wouldn't nit pick.

Barbara Cook,Mary Martin,Julie Andrews

This list is a whole lot better!

Where is BARBARA COOK in this list?Look at the tributes she had and you will see her importance as Broadway leading ladies. Even stars like Betty Buckley ,Audra Mac Donakld and Patti LuPone who are in your list talked about her and gave a big tribute, Where are Mary Martin and Julie Andrews inthos list;MY LIST IS THIS ONE 1) ETHEL MERMAN,2) MARY MARTIN 3) ANGELA LANSBURY 4) BARBARA COOK 5) GWEN VERDON 6) CHITA RIVERA 7) JULIE ANDREWS 8) AUDRA MAC DONALD 9) PATTI LUPONE 10) BERNADETTE PETERS-BETTY BUCKLEY(TIE)

This is much better. We have Gertrude Lawrence, Barbara Cook, and Mary Martin, each of whom could be credibly put in a Broadway Diva list as well.

You forgot that she was the best Ariel in The Little Mermaid!

Emily Rule ALW had at least 3 or 4 best Christine 😂 I mean she's undoubtedly great but I think she still have to do other works (in musicals or not) to prove herself.

Diva though? No

Artie Skuld I agree, her resume is so saturated by Phantom - I want to see her in other things. She was so good in Ever After and Into the Woods!

Artie Skuld I’ve heard his “real” favourite is apparently Joke de Krujif, the Dutch Christine and one of the most popular foreign portrayals (though it should be Sarah). I don’t like how he creepy he is towards Sierra - the way he’s constantly grabbing her makes me feel queasy.

i agree she should have been very high on the list.

passelfizzel and bernadette peters!!

Ikr. The inconsistency is so blinding. I don't get it, Lea had lots of broadway appearances than Barbra who got only two appearances but she was only placed in the honorable mentions lol

Hadley Epstein This list is legit!

Would you consider putting Rebecca Luker on that list as an honorable mention? We don’t talk about her nearly enough!

suggest page

Alexis Quinn Jeremy Jordan !

Alexis Quinn Nathan Lane, Jerry Orbach, Robert Preston, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christian Borle, Brian Darcy James, Hugh Jackman, Alan Cumming........

George Hearn

Colm Wilkinson, Michael Crawford, Terrence Mann, Yul Brynner

Bella Boo Me too! Am sticking to my own list with Julie topmost # ONE!

I guess because they've only become stars in the last few years, enough time hasn't passed to see how legendary they'll be regarded as in the future.

@janey grace rotfl... Please explain to me how, Laura, Megan, or Sierra shaped bway. Laura I might can see if I squint my eyes a lot.

I love Sierra she’s my queen

Omg I was looking for Sierra! But, she IS a legendary. I was Also looking for Sarah Brightman.

Nick Corvello She was only ever in two Broadway productions, plus she can't act.

MC Wyman id have to see that for myself. She did well in Phantom of the Opera. That alone is enough for me. And im sure she was fine in "Cats"

Nick, I love Sarah but I think the criteria for this was people whose stardom started on Broadway. Phantom began in the West End in London, she already had fame then...so you could say it was London that really launched her stardom, not Broadway. Phantom is definitely what shot her into superstardom, but that started in London is my basic point.

A lot of people don’t like her voice

she's on your profile pic

Love me some Julie but she only did 4 shows with no Tony wins or Specials! She more of a movie diva than a Broadway diva!

I mean as much as I love all of the people listed above this list was pretty accurate. I mean we are talking about some of the most legendary people that were on broadway.

Honestly, Sarah Brightman doesn't belong on this list. Of course, she originated one of the most iconic roles in theatre history, Christine Daaé, but you can count her theatre credits on one hand and she hasn't been in a Broadway or West End show in almost 30 years. She's a stunning vocalist, but I don't think you could really say her career is theatre.

Sarah Brightman can't act for shit. Sorry, but she has one dazed expression the whole time she sings.

Bittou flan plus Bernadette Peters is only an honorable mention

Sarah Brightman has had one role on broadway. That didn't even land her a tony nod. Lansbury and McDonald have 11 between the two of them. That's a broadway legend. Not a one hit wonder soprano.

I don't know, but it is truly insulting, as she truly is a legend.

Despite her 3 Tony wins, she's mainly associated with film and television.

James Nojmam She isn’t really known for a lot of theatre acting...She was in Once Upon A Mattress back in the day, but not much else that I’m aware of.

She's appeared on Broadway, but isn't necessarily considered one of musical theater's best stars.