Long-running musical theatre productions

This is a selected list of the longest-running musical theatre productions in history divided into two sections. The first section lists all Broadway or West End productions that have exceeded 2,500 performances in order of greatest number of performances in either market. The second section lists musicals that have broken historical long run records on Broadway, in the West End or Off-Broadway throughout history, in alphabetical order.

Legend:

m = music, l = lyrics, b = book

(Noteworthy trivia appear in parentheses)

(5,678) = number of performances (in original Broadway production if not specified)

> denotes shows that are still in production. The number of Broadway performances is updated per Playbill.com as of August 2011. The number of West End performances is updated sporadically as information becomes available.

"Tony Award winner" denotes winner of Tony for Best Musical

"Olivier Award winner" denotes winner of award for Best New Musical

Longest-running musicals on Broadway and the West End

The following is a list of musical theatre productions that have exceeded 2,500 performances in Broadway or West End theatres.

1. Les Misérables, 1980 in Paris, 1985 in London, 1987 on Broadway, m Claude-Michel Schönberg, lb Alain Boublil (English lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer) (>10,500 in London (the longest-running West End musical in history); 6,680 on Broadway) (1987 Tony Award winner; nominated for 12 Tony Awards and won eight)
2. The Phantom of the Opera, 1986 in London, 1988 on Broadway m Andrew Lloyd Webber, l Charles Hart, b Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe (>10,300 in London); >9,800 on Broadway (the longest-running Broadway musical in history) (1988 Tony Award winner)
3. Blood Brothers, 1983, mlb Willy Russell (>9,500 in London, 1988 revival; 839 on Broadway) (1983 Olivier Award winner)
4. Cats, 1981, m Andrew Lloyd Webber, l T. S. Eliot, b Lloyd Webber and Trevor Nunn ("Memory") (8,300+ in London (some references say 8,949); 7,485 on Broadway) (1983 Tony Award winner)
5. Starlight Express, 1984 in London, 1988 in Bochum, Germany, m Andrew Lloyd Webber, l Richard Stilgoe (with later revisions by Don Black and David Yazbek; through composed; staged with the cast entirely on skates) (7,406 in London; >more? in Germany)
6. Black and White Minstrels, 1960, mlb George Mitchell (musician) (this minstrel show (a revue) was in The Guinness Book of Records as the stage show seen by the largest number of people and had international fame) (6,477 in London, the longest-running work of musical theatre (other than The Fantasticks), until beaten by Les Misérables)
7. Chicago, (1996 Revival), m John Kander, l Fred Ebb, b Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb (>6,184 on Broadway; >5,100 in London) (longest-running American musical in both West End and Broadway history, surpassing A Chorus Line in 2011, and the longest-running revival in both West End and Broadway history)
8. A Chorus Line, 1975, m Marvin Hamlisch, l Edward Kleban, b James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante (6,137, the longest-running Broadway musical in history, until beaten by Cats) (1976 Tony Award winner)
9. Oh! Calcutta!, m Peter Schickele (aka “PDQ Bach”), Robert Dennis and Stanley Walden, lb various (1976 Revival, 5,959; 2,305 in London's 1969 production) (nude revue)
10. The Lion King, 1997, m Elton John, l Tim Rice, b Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi (>5,700 on Broadway; >4,300 in London) (1998 Tony Award winner)
11. Beauty and the Beast, 1994, m Alan Menken, l Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, b Linda Woolverton (5,461) (1998 Olivier Award winner)
12. Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, 1995, ml Buddy Holly, b Alan Janes (5,140 in London)
13. Rent, 1996, mlb Jonathan Larson (5,124 on Broadway) (Pulitzer Prize Winner, 1996 Tony Award winner)
14. Mamma Mia!, 2001, ml Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, b Catherine Johnson (>4,700 in London; >4,100 on Broadway)
15. Miss Saigon, 1989, (An adaptation of Puccini's Madame Butterfly), m Claude-Michel Schönberg, l Alain Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr.,b Alain Boublil (4,264 in London; 4,097 on Broadway)
16. We Will Rock You, 2002, m Queen, lb Ben Elton and Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor (>3,600 in London)
17. 42nd Street, 1980, m Harry Warren, l Al Dubin, b Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble (3,486; 1,824 in London) (1981 Tony Award winner; 1984 Olivier Award winner)
18. Grease, 1972, mlb Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey (3,388, the longest-running Broadway musical in history, until beaten by A Chorus Line)
19. Jesus Christ Superstar, 1971 Broadway, 1972 London, m Andrew Lloyd Webber, lb Tim Rice (3,358 in London; 720 on Broadway) (seminal rock opera and briefly the longest-running musical in history (not counting Black and White Minstrels or The Fantasticks), until beaten by Grease)
20. Me and My Girl (1985 revival), (3,303 in London; 1,420 on Broadway), m Noel Gay, lb Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose (originally ran 1,646 performances in 1937, which was unusual at the time) (1985 Olivier Award winner) (In 1937, with World War II impending, The Times famously used its hit song in a headline: "While dictators rage and statesmen talk, all Europe dances - to 'The Lambeth Walk'.")
21. Fiddler on the Roof, 1964, m Jerry Bock, l Sheldon Harnick, b Joseph Stein ("If I Were a Rich Man") (3,242, the longest-running Broadway musical in history, until beaten by Grease; 2,030 in London) (1965 Tony Award winner)
22. Wicked, 2003, ml Stephen Schwartz, b Winnie Holzman (>3,200 on Broadway; >2,100 in London)
23. Rocky Horror Show, 1973, mlb Richard O'Brien (2,958 in London)
24. Evita, 1978, m Andrew Lloyd Webber, l Tim Rice (combined innovative styles of music and was the last collaboration between Lloyd Webber and Rice on a musical) (2,900 in London; 1,567 on Broadway) (1978 Olivier Award winner; 1980 Tony Award winner)
25. Hello, Dolly!, 1964, ml Jerry Herman, b Michael Stewart (2,844, the second longest-running Broadway musical in history until Grease pushed it down a rank) (1964 Tony Award winner; won 10 Tonys)
26. My Fair Lady, 1956, m Frederick Loewe, lb Alan Jay Lerner ("I Could Have Danced All Night," "On the Street Where You Live") (2,717, the longest-running musical in history, until beaten by The Fantasticks off-Broadway and Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway; 2,281 in London) (1957 Tony Award winner)
27. Hairspray, 2002, m Marc Shaiman, l Shaiman and Scott Wittman, b Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan (2,642 on Broadway) (2003 Tony Award Winner, nominated for 13, won eight) (2008 Olivier Award Winner, nominated for 11, won 4)
28. Oliver!, 1960, mlb Lionel Bart ("Where is Love?") (2,618 in London; 774 on Broadway)
29. Avenue Q, 2003, ml Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, b Jeff Whitty (2,534) (2004 Tony Award winner)
30. The Producers, 2001, ml Mel Brooks, b Brooks and Thomas Meehan (2,502) (2001 Tony Award winner; won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards)

Other historic long runs

The following is an annotated alphabetical list of other musicals that have set records for long runs.

• A Chinese Honeymoon, 1901, m Howard Talbot and Ivan Caryll, l Harry Greenbank, and lb George Dance (1,075) (The first musical to run for more than 1,000 performances)
• Annie Get Your Gun, 1946, ml Irving Berlin, b Herbert and Dorothy Fields (1,147: 1,304 in London - the longest-running musical of the 1930s) (Berlin wrote the songs when Jerome Kern died suddenly)
• The Belle of New York 1898, m Gustave Kerker, lb Hugh Morton (697 in London) (After New York run, transferred to London in 1898, where it ran for an almost unprecedented 697 performances and became the first American musical to run for over a year in London.
• The Boy Friend, 1954, mlb Sandy Wilson (2,078 in London; briefly the third longest-running musical in history, after Chu Chin Chow and Oklahoma!, until demoted by Salad Days) (Julie Andrews' American debut)
• Carousel, 1945, m Richard Rodgers, b Oscar Hammerstein II (899) (the authors' favorite of their musicals) (one of the longest-running Broadway shows up to that time)
• The Chimes of Normandy (adapted from the French Les Cloches de Corneville), 1878, m Robert Planquette, lb H. B. Farnie and R. Reece (705) (the longest-running piece of musical theatre in history until Dorothy broke its record in 1886)
• Chu Chin Chow, 1916, m Frederic Norton, b Oscar Asche (2,238 in London) (longest-running musical in history from 1916 until Salad Days in 1954, and one of the World War I smash hits that defined the music of the era. See also The Maid of the Mountains).
• Dorothy, 1886, m Alfred Cellier, lb B. C. Stephenson (931) (one of the first "modern" musicals, and the longest-running piece of musical theatre in history until A Chinese Honeymoon in 1901.
• The Fantasticks, 1960, m Harvey Schmidt, l Tom Jones (17,162) Longest-running musical in history.
• Florodora, 1899, m Leslie Stuart and Paul Rubens, l Edward Boyd-Jones and Rubens, b Owen Hall (552) (second longest-running Broadway musical (after A Trip to Chinatown) until Irene in 1919 pushed it down to third; it was first very successful in London (455 performances) and achieved international success in Europe and elsewhere, including Broadway in 1900. It was the first instance of a British production achieving such a long initial Broadway run.)
• Forbidden Broadway, 1982, m arranged in part and written in part by Gerard Alessandrini, lb Gerard Alessandrini (2,332) (briefly the third longest-running off-broadway production; this spoof of current musicals ran almost continuously from 1982 to 2010 in various versions)
• The Geisha, 1896, m Sidney Jones and Lionel Monckton, l Harry Greenbank, b Owen Hall (760 in London) (The second longest-running piece of musical theatre (after Dorothy) until it was edged out by San Toy in 1899. It was one of a series of highly successful musicals at Daly's Theatre in London.)
• Hellzapoppin (revue), 1938, ml Sammy Fain and Charles Tobias, b John "Ole" Olsen and Harold "Chic" Johnson (1,404, the longest-running Broadway musical, until beaten by Oklahoma! Its opening scene was Hitler speaking in a Yiddish accent, and it included audience participation.)
• H.M.S. Pinafore, 1878, m Arthur Sullivan, lb W. S. Gilbert (571 in London) (first G&S smash hit and second longest-running piece of musical theatre in history until it was edged out by Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience in 1881. One of the most frequently produced pieces of musical theatre in the world)
• I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, 1996, m Jimmy Roberts, lb Joe DiPietro (5003) (2nd longest-running Off Broadway musical in history)
• Irene, 1919, m Harry Tierney, l Joseph McCarthy (lyricist), b James Montgomery (670) (longest-running Broadway show up to that time (though London had already had many longer-running shows [1]) until Hellzapoppin in 1938)
• Little Shop of Horrors, 1982, m Alan Menken, lb Howard Ashman (2,209) (the highest-grossing production in off-Broadway history; revived successfully on Broadway)
• The Maid of the Mountains, 1917, m Harold Fraser-Simson, l Harry Graham, b Frederick Lonsdale ((1,352 in London) (second longest-running musical (see Chu Chin Chow) and one of the World War I smash hits that defined the music of the era)
• The Mikado, 1885, m Arthur Sullivan, lb W. S. Gilbert (672 in London) (longest-running G&S piece and second longest-running piece of musical theatre in history until Dorothy in 1886. Probably the most frequently produced piece of musical theatre in the world)
• No, No Nanette, 1925, m Vincent Youmans, l Irving Caesar, lb Otto Harbach, b Frank Mandel (665 London; 321 Broadway, one of the longest-running interwar shows with international success)
• Nunsense, 1985, mlb Dan Goggin (3,672) (2nd longest-running Off-Broadway musical until surpassed by I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change)
• Oklahoma!, 1943, m Richard Rodgers, lb Oscar Hammerstein II, (2,212, the longest-running Broadway show in history, until My Fair Lady)
• Salad Days, 1954, mlb Julian Slade, l Dorothy Reynolds (2,329 in London, finally breaking the long-held record of Chu Chin Chow for longest-running musical. It held the record until My Fair Lady)
• San Toy, 1899, m Sidney Jones, l Harry Greenbank and Adrian Ross, b Edward Morton (768 in London) (It edged out The Geisha as the second longest-running piece of musical theatre (after Dorothy) and held that record until it was thrashed by A Chinese Honeymoon in 1901. It was one of a series of highly successful musicals at Daly's Theatre in London.)
• The Shop Girl, 1894, m Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton, l Adrian Ross, lb H. J. W. Dam (546 in London) (one of the first of the innovative Gaiety Theatre, London musicals produced by George Edwardes in the 1890s)
• The Sound of Music, 1959 on Broadway, 1961 in London, m Richard Rodgers, l Oscar Hammerstein II, b Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse (2,385 in London; 1,442 on Broadway) (1960 Tony Award winner)(1965 film became one of the most popular movie musicals)
• South Pacific, 1949, m Richard Rodgers, lb Oscar Hammerstein II, b Joshua Logan (1,925, the second longest-running Broadway musical up to that time) (1950 Tony Award winner)
• The Threepenny Opera, 1954, m Kurt Weill lb Marc Blitzstein (from the German of Bertolt Brecht) (2,707) (longest-running off-Broadway musical until The Fantasticks)
• A Trip to Chinatown, 1891, m Percy Gaunt, lb Charles Hoyt (657) (first Broadway musical to exceed 500 performances, although London had already had a few longer-running musical theatre pieces. It held the Broadway record until Irene in 1919)

See also

• Musical theatre
• Broadway theatre
• West End theatre
• Off-Broadway
• Lists of musicals
• List of the longest-running Broadway shows
• List of Tony Award and Olivier Award winning musicals
• AFI's 100 Years of Musicals

References

• Longest-running plays on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Toronto, Melbourne, Paris, Vienna, and Berlin
• List of longest-running Broadway productions from Playbill.com
• List of longest-running plays in London and New York, 1875 to 1920
• West End theatre#Long-running shows

External links

• Ganzl, Kurt. The Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre (3 Volumes). New York: Schirmer Books, 2001.
• The Broadway Musical Home
• The Cyber Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre, TV and Film