In recent years, familiarity has been embraced by producers anxious to guarantee that they recoup their considerable investments, if not show a healthy profit. The reuse of plots has been considered by some critics to be a redefinition of Broadway: rather than a creative outlet, it has become a tourist attraction.  The musical is being pulled in a number of different directions. Gone are the days when a sole producer will back a production. Corporate sponsors dominate Broadway, and often alliances are formed to stage musicals which require an investment of $10 million or more. Typically, off-Broadway and regional theatres tend to produce smaller and therefore less expensive musicals, and development of new musicals has increasingly taken place outside of New York and London or in smaller venues.

It also appears that the spectacle format is on the rise again, returning to the times when Romans would have mock sea battles on stage.  Disney and other animated musicals and more adult animated musical films paved the way for the revival of the movie musical. In addition, India is producing numerous "Bollywood" film musicals, and Japan is producing "Anime" film musicals. Occasionally, "made for TV" movies are made in musical format.

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