Movies Gallery Stage Musicals: 10 All-Time Greatest From ''Okahoma!'' and ''Carousel'' in the '40s to ''The Book of Mormon'' today -- let us sing their praises By Thom Geier Published on July 12, 2013 03:00PM EDT Trending Videos Close this video player 10. The Book of Mormon (2011) Joan Marcus Music, Lyrics & Book by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Robert Lopez An old-fashioned book musical for the 21st century, complete with wicked satire and a liberal sprinkling of F-bombs. Download it:AmazoniTunes 9. Carousel (1945) Everett Collection Music by Richard RodgersLyrics & Book by Oscar Hammerstein II Carnival barker Billy Bigelow's first-act-closing soliloquy offers a master class for songwriters trying to use song to tell a story with both emotional impact and nuance. Download it:AmazoniTunes 8. Rent (1993) Joan Marcus Music & Lyrics by Jonathan Larson Larson died suddenly and tragically just before the premiere of his rock-opera update on Puccini's La Bohème. But his depiction of the AIDS crisis and young urban hipsters remains as vibrant as ever. Download it:AmazoniTunes 7. A Chorus Line (1975) Martha Swope Music by Marvin HamlischLyrics by Edward KlebanBook by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante The supporting players take center stage in this backstage musical, a valentine to theater performers featuring a glut of memorable solos and a high-kicking finale that remains one singular sensation. Download it:Amazon 6. Cabaret (1966) Everett Collection Music by John KanderLyrics by Fred Ebb Even the orchestra is beautiful in this perfectly marvelous portrait of a young English cabaret singer named Sally Bowles in 1931 Berlin during the rise of the Nazis. Download it:AmazoniTunes 5. West Side Story (1957) Everett Collection Music by Leonard BernsteinLyrics by Stephen SondheimBook by Arthur Laurents Who wouldn't want to live in an America with an exuberant update of Romeo and Juliet featuring rival inner-city gangs of singing and dancing hooligans? Download it:AmazoniTunes 4. Oklahoma! (1943) Everett Collection Music by Richard RodgersLyrics & Book by Oscar Hammerstein II Rodgers & Hammerstein's unlikely hit ushered in a golden age of American musicals, boosted by infectious melodies such as ''Oh, What a Beautiful Morning,'' ambitious dance numbers (including a 15-minute mini-ballet in the second act), and a mature love story that doesn't rely mainly on jokes. Download it:AmazoniTunes 3. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979) Everett Collection Music & Lyrics by Stephen SondheimBook by Hugh Wheeler Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd, a Grand Guignol fable featuring a murderous barber, his cannibalistic sidekick, and some of the twistiest lyrics and most challenging melodies ever to worm their way into your memory. Download it:AmazoniTunes 2. Gypsy (1959) Everett Collection Music by Jule StyneLyrics by Stephen SondheimBook by Arthur Laurents Though the title character is notorious stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, the real star is her mother, that pre-Toddlers & Tiaras bundle of gumption and ambition known as Mama Rose. Download it:AmazoniTunes 1. Guys and Dolls (1950) Everett Collection Music & Lyrics by Frank LoesserBook by Joe Swerling and Abe Burrows Forget the 1950 movie, which miscasts Marlon Brando as a crooning gambler named Sky Masterson. This is an almost perfect show featuring parallel love stories and a winning big-city setting. Download it:AmazoniTunes