List of the longest-running Broadway shows
This is a list of the longest-running shows on Broadway with 1,000 or more performances. Nine currently running shows (all musicals) have at least 1,000 performances: The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago (1996 revival), The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, Aladdin, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and Come from Away.
List
Unless otherwise noted, the run count listed is for the original Broadway production of the show. M denotes a musical, P denotes a straight play, R denotes revue, D denotes a predominantly dance musical, and S denotes a special case. Totals current through March 11, 2020, after which all Broadway theaters suspended performances during the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] In situations where a production ran at multiple theatres, they are listed in order of most performances. Shows in bold are currently running.
# | Title | Type | Opening date |
Closing date |
Performances | Awards | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | The Phantom of the Opera | M | January 26, 1988 | 13,370[2] | 7 Tony Awards in 1988, including Best Musical 7 Drama Desk Awards in 1988 |
Currently running at the Majestic Theatre Performances suspended during COVID-19 pandemic Broadway's longest-running show and musical | |
2. | Chicago (1996 revival) | M | November 14, 1996 | 9,692[3] | 6 Tony Awards in 1997, including Best Revival of a Musical 6 Drama Desk Awards in 1997, including Outstanding Revival of a Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 1998 |
Currently running at the Ambassador Theatre Performances suspended during COVID-19 pandemic Revival Original production in 1975 (936 performances) Broadway's longest-running revival Longest running show to have premiered on Broadway Broadway's longest running American show | |
3. | The Lion King | M | November 13, 1997 | 9,302[4] | 6 Tony Awards in 1998, including Best Musical 8 Drama Desk Awards in 1998 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 1999 |
Currently running at the Minskoff Theatre Performances suspended during COVID-19 pandemic Longest-running Disney Theatrical Productions show Highest-grossing Broadway show in history | |
4. | Cats | M | October 7, 1982 | September 10, 2000 | 7,485[5] | 7 Tony Awards in 1983, including Best Musical 3 Drama Desk Awards in 1983 Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album in 1984 |
Revival in 2016 (593 performances) |
5. | Wicked | M | October 30, 2003 | 6,836[6] | 3 Tony Awards in 2004 7 Drama Desk Awards in 2004, including Outstanding Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2005 |
Currently running at the Gershwin Theatre Performances suspended during COVID-19 pandemic | |
6. | Les Misérables | M | March 12, 1987 | May 18, 2003 | 6,680[7] | 8 Tony Awards in 1987, including Best Musical 5 Drama Desk Awards in 1987, including Outstanding Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Show Album in 1988 and 1991 |
Revivals in 2006 (463 performances) and 2014 (1,024 performances) |
7. | A Chorus Line | M | July 25, 1975 | April 28, 1990 | 6,137[8] | 9 Tony Awards in 1976, including Best Musical 5 Drama Desk Awards in 1976, including Outstanding Musical A Special Tony Award in 1984 for becoming Broadway's longest-running musical Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1976 |
Revival in 2006 (759 performances) |
8. | Oh! Calcutta! (1976 revival) | R | September 24, 1976 | August 6, 1989 | 5,959[9] | Revival Original production in 1969 (1,314 performances) First revival to match its original for 1000+ performances Broadway's longest-running revue | |
9. | Mamma Mia! | M | October 18, 2001 | September 12, 2015 | 5,758[10] | Longest-running "jukebox musical" on Broadway | |
10. | Beauty and the Beast | M | April 18, 1994 | July 29, 2007 | 5,461[11] | A Tony Award in 1994 | |
11. | Rent | M | April 29, 1996 | September 7, 2008 | 5,123[12] | 4 Tony Awards in 1996, including Best Musical 6 Drama Desk Awards in 1996, including Outstanding Musical Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1996 |
|
12. | Jersey Boys | M | November 6, 2005 | January 15, 2017 | 4,642[13] | 4 Tony Awards in 2006, including Best Musical 2 Drama Desk Awards in 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2007 |
|
13. | Miss Saigon | M | April 11, 1991 | January 28, 2001 | 4,092[14] | 3 Tony Awards in 1991 4 Drama Desk Awards in 1991 |
Revival in 2017 (340 performances) |
14. | The Book of Mormon | M | March 24, 2011 | 3,748[15] | 9 Tony Awards in 2011, including Best Musical 5 Drama Desk Awards in 2011, including Outstanding Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2012 |
Currently running at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Performances suspended during COVID-19 pandemic | |
15. | 42nd Street | M | August 25, 1980 | January 8, 1989 | 3,486[16] | 2 Tony Awards in 1981, including Best Musical 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1981 |
Revival in 2001 (1,524 performances) |
16. | Grease | M | February 14, 1972 | April 13, 1980 | 3,388[17] | 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1972 | Revivals in 1994 (1,505 performances) and 2007 (554 performances) |
17. | Fiddler on the Roof | M | September 22, 1964 | July 2, 1972 | 3,242[18] | 9 Tony Awards in 1965, including Best Musical A Special Tony Award in 1972 for becoming Broadway's longest-running musical |
Revivals in 1976 (167 performances), 1981 (53 performances), 1990, (241 performances), 2004 (781 performances), and 2015 (431 performances) |
18. | Life With Father | P | November 8, 1939 | July 12, 1947 | 3,224[19] | Broadway's longest-running straight play | |
19. | Tobacco Road | P | December 4, 1933 | May 31, 1941 | 3,182[20] | Revivals in 1942 (34 performances), 1943 (66 performances), and 1950 (7 performances) | |
20. | Hello, Dolly! | M | January 16, 1964 | December 27, 1970 | 2,844[21] | 10 Tony Awards in 1964, including Best Musical A Drama Desk Award in 1970 |
Revivals in 1975 (42 performances), 1978 (147 performances), 1995 (116 performances), and 2017 (550 performances) |
21. | My Fair Lady | M | March 15, 1956 | September 29, 1962 | 2,717[22] | 6 Tony Awards in 1957, including Best Musical | Revivals in 1976 (377 performances), 1981 (120 performances), 1993 (165 performances), and 2018 (509 performances) |
22. | Hairspray | M | August 15, 2002 | January 4, 2009 | 2,642[23] | 8 Tony Awards in 2003, including Best Musical 10 Drama Desk Awards in 2003, including Outstanding Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2003 |
|
23. | Mary Poppins | M | November 16, 2006 | March 3, 2013 | 2,619[24] | A Tony Award in 2007 2 Drama Desk Awards in 2007 |
|
24. | Avenue Q | M | July 31, 2003 | September 13, 2009 | 2,534[25] | 3 Tony Awards in 2004, including Best Musical | Original production moved Off-Broadway to New World Stages and ran for an additional 4,035 performances, closing May 26, 2019. |
25. | Aladdin | M | March 20, 2014 | 2,506[26] | A Tony Award in 2014 A Drama Desk Award in 2014 |
Currently running at the New Amsterdam Theatre Performances suspended during COVID-19 pandemic | |
26. | Kinky Boots | M | April 4, 2013 | April 7, 2019 | 2,505[27] | 6 Tony Awards in 2013, including Best Musical A Drama Desk Award in 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2014 |
|
27. | The Producers | M | April 19, 2001 | April 22, 2007 | 2,502[28] | 12 Tony Awards in 2001, including Best Musical 11 Drama Desk Awards in 2001, including Outstanding Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2002 |
Currently holds the record of Broadway production with the most Tony Award wins, winning 12. |
28. | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical | M | January 12, 2014 | October 27, 2019 | 2,416[29] | 2 Tony Awards in 2014 3 Drama Desk Awards in 2014 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2015 |
|
29. | Annie | M | April 21, 1977 | January 2, 1983 | 2,377[30] | 7 Tony Awards in 1977, including Best Musical 7 Drama Desk Awards in 1977, including Outstanding Musical Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album in 1978 |
Revivals in 1997 (239 performances) and 2012 (487 performances) |
Cabaret (1998 revival) | M | March 19, 1998 | January 4, 2004 | 2,377[31] | 4 Tony Awards in 1998, including Best Revival of a Musical 3 Drama Desk Awards in 1998, including Outstanding Revival of a Musical |
Revival Original production in 1966 (1,165 performances) and revivals in 1987 (261 performances) and 2014 (388 performances) | |
31. | Man of La Mancha | M | November 22, 1965 | June 26, 1971 | 2,328[32] | 5 Tony Awards in 1966, including Best Musical | Revivals in 1972 (140 performances), 1977 (124 performances), 1992 (108 performances), and 2002 (304 performances) |
Rock of Ages | M | April 7, 2009 | January 18, 2015 | 2,328[33] | |||
33. | Abie's Irish Rose | P | May 23, 1922 | October 1, 1927 | 2,327[34] | Revivals in 1937 (46 performances) and 1954 (20 performances) | |
34. | Oklahoma! | M | March 31, 1943 | May 29, 1948 | 2,212[35] | A Special Tony Award in 1993 for the show's 50th anniversary | Revivals in 1951 (100 performances), 1953 (40 performances), 1979 (293 performances), 2002 (388 performances), and 2019 (328 performances) |
35. | Smokey Joe's Cafe | R | March 2, 1995 | January 16, 2000 | 2,036[36] | Broadway's longest running original music revue. The longest running musical revue, Oh! Calcutta!, was a revival. | |
36. | Pippin | M | October 23, 1972 | June 12, 1977 | 1,944[37] | 5 Tony Awards in 1973 5 Drama Desk Awards in 1973 |
Revival in 2013 (709 performances) |
37. | South Pacific | M | April 7, 1949 | January 16, 1954 | 1,925[38] | 10 Tony Awards in 1950, including Best Musical Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950 |
Revivals in 1955 (15 performances) and 2008 (996 performances)
Held the record of Broadway production with the most Tony Award wins for 51 years with 10 wins, until it was surpassed by The Producers, which won 12. |
38. | The Magic Show | M | May 28, 1974 | December 31, 1978 | 1,920[39] | ||
39. | Hamilton | M | August 6, 2015 | 1,919[40] | 11 Tony Awards in 2016, including Best Musical Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2016 |
Currently running at the Richard Rodgers Theatre Performances suspended during COVID-19 pandemic Hamilton currently holds the record for Most Tony Award nominations for a production with 16 | |
40. | Aida | M | March 23, 2000 | September 5, 2004 | 1,852[41] | 4 Tony Awards in 2000 A Drama Desk Award in 2000 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2001 |
|
41. | Gemini | P | May 21, 1977 | September 6, 1981 | 1,819[42] | ||
42. | Deathtrap | P | February 26, 1978 | June 13, 1982 | 1,793[43] | ||
43. | Harvey | P | November 1, 1944 | January 15, 1949 | 1,775[44] | Revival in 1970 (79 performances) and 2012 (62 performances) | |
44. | Dancin' | D | March 27, 1978 | June 27, 1982 | 1,774[45] | 2 Tony Awards in 1978 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1978 |
Broadway's longest-running dance musical |
45. | La Cage aux Folles | M | August 21, 1983 | November 15, 1987 | 1,761[46] | 6 Tony Awards in 1984, including Best Musical 3 Drama Desk Awards in 1984 |
Revivals in 2004 (229 performances) and 2010 (433 performances) |
46. | Hair | M | April 29, 1968 | July 1, 1972 | 1,750[47] | A Drama Desk Award in 1968 Grammy Award for Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album in 1969 |
Revivals in 1977 (43 performances), 2004 (1 benefit performance), 2009 (519 performances), and 2011 (67 performances) |
47. | The Wiz | M | January 5, 1975 | January 28, 1979 | 1,672[48] | 7 Tony Awards in 1975, including Best Musical 5 Drama Desk Awards in 1975, including Outstanding Musical Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album in 1976 |
Revival in 1984 (13 performances) |
48. | Born Yesterday | P | February 4, 1946 | December 31, 1949 | 1,642[49] | Revivals in 1989 (153 performances) and 2011 (73 performances) | |
49. | Crazy for You | M | February 19, 1992 | January 7, 1996 | 1,622[50] | 3 Tony Awards in 1992, including Best Musical 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1992, including Outstanding Musical |
|
50. | Ain't Misbehavin' | R | May 9, 1978 | February 21, 1982 | 1,604[51] | 3 Tony Awards in 1978, including Best Musical 3 Drama Desk Awards in 1978, including Outstanding Musical Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album in 1979 |
Revival in 1988 (176 performances) |
51. | The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas | M | June 19, 1978 | March 27, 1982 | 1,584[52] | 2 Tony Awards in 1979 3 Drama Desk Awards in 1978 |
Revivals in 1982 (63 performances) and 2006 (1 benefit performance) |
52. | Spamalot | M | March 17, 2005 | January 11, 2009 | 1,575[53] | 3 Tony Awards in 2005, including Best Musical 3 Drama Desk Awards in 2005, including Outstanding Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2006 |
|
53. | Mary, Mary | P | March 8, 1961 | December 12, 1964 | 1,572[54] | ||
54. | Evita | M | September 25, 1979 | June 26, 1983 | 1,567[55] | 7 Tony Awards in 1980, including Best Musical 6 Drama Desk Awards in 1980, including Outstanding Musical Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album in 1981 |
Revival in 2012 (337 performances) |
55. | The Voice of the Turtle | P | December 8, 1943 | January 3, 1948 | 1,557[56] | ||
56. | Matilda the Musical | M | April 11, 2013 | January 1, 2017 | 1,554[57] | 4 Tony Awards in 2013 5 Drama Desk Awards in 2013, including Outstanding Musical A Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 2013 for the four original Matildas |
|
57. | Waitress | M | April 24, 2016 | January 5, 2020 | 1,544[58] | A Drama Desk Award in 2016 | |
58. | Jekyll & Hyde | M | April 28, 1997 | January 7, 2001 | 1,543[59] | 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1997 | Revival in 2013 (30 performances) |
59. | Barefoot in the Park | P | October 23, 1963 | June 25, 1967 | 1,530[60] | A Tony Award in 1964 | Revival in 2006 (109 performances) |
60. | 42nd Street (2001 revival) | M | May 2, 2001 | January 2, 2005 | 1,524[61] | 2 Tony Awards in 2001, including Best Revival of a Musical A Drama Desk Award in 2001, Outstanding Revival of a Musical |
Revival Original production in 1980 (3,486 performances) |
61. | Dreamgirls | M | December 20, 1981 | August 11, 1985 | 1,521[62] | 6 Tony Awards in 1982 4 Drama Desk Awards in 1982 Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album in 1983 |
Revivals in 1987 (177 performances) and 2001 (1 benefit performance) |
62. | Mame | M | May 24, 1966 | January 3, 1970 | 1,508[63] | 3 Tony Awards in 1966 Grammy Award for Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album in 1967 |
Revival in 1983 (41 performances) |
63. | Grease (1994 revival) | M | May 11, 1994 | January 25, 1998 | 1,505[64] | Revival Original production in 1972 (3,388 performances) and revival in 2007 (554 performances) | |
64. | Same Time, Next Year | P | March 14, 1975 | September 3, 1978 | 1,453[65] | A Tony Award in 1975 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1975, including Outstanding Play |
|
65. | Arsenic and Old Lace | P | January 10, 1941 | June 17, 1944 | 1,444[66] | Revival in 1986 (221 performances) | |
66. | The Sound of Music | M | November 16, 1959 | June 15, 1963 | 1,443[67] | 5 Tony Awards in 1960, including Best Musical Grammy Award for Best Show Album (Original Cast) in 1961 |
Revival in 1998 (533 performances) |
67. | Me and My Girl | M | August 10, 1986 | December 31, 1989 | 1,420[68] | 3 Tony Awards in 1987 5 Drama Desk Awards in 1987 |
|
68. | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | M | October 14, 1961 | March 6, 1965 | 1,417[69] | 7 Tony Awards in 1962, including Best Musical Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1962 Grammy Award for Best Original Cast Show Album in 1962 |
Revivals in 1995 (548 performances) and 2011 (473 performances) |
69. | Hellzapoppin | R | September 22, 1938 | December 17, 1941 | 1,404[70] | ||
70. | The Music Man | M | December 19, 1957 | April 15, 1961 | 1,375[71] | 6 Tony Awards in 1958, including Best Musical Grammy Award for Best Original Cast Album (Broadway or TV) in 1959 |
Revivals in 1980 (21 performances), 2000 (699 performances), and 2020 |
71. | Dear Evan Hansen | M | December 4, 2016 | 1,363[72] | 6 Tony Awards in 2017, including Best Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2018 |
Currently running at the Music Box Theatre Performances suspended during COVID-19 pandemic | |
72. | Funny Girl | M | March 26, 1964 | July 1, 1967 | 1,348[73] | Grammy Award for Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album in 1965 | Revival in 2002 (1 benefit performance) |
73. | Mummenschanz | S | March 30, 1977 | April 20, 1980 | 1,326[74] | Broadway's longest-running special | |
74. | Oh! Calcutta! | R | June 17, 1969 | August 12, 1972 | 1,314[75] | Original production Revival in 1976 (5,959 performances) | |
75. | Billy Elliot the Musical | M | November 13, 2008 | January 8, 2012 | 1,312[76] | 10 Tony Awards in 2009, including Best Musical 10 Drama Desk Awards in 2009, including Outstanding Musical |
|
76. | School of Rock | M | December 6, 2015 | January 20, 2019 | 1,309[77] | ||
77. | Movin' Out | D | October 24, 2002 | December 11, 2005 | 1,303[78] | 2 Tony Awards in 2003 A Drama Desk Award in 2003 |
|
78. | Brighton Beach Memoirs | P | March 27, 1983 | May 11, 1986 | 1,299[79] | A Tony Award in 1983 | Revival in 2009 (9 performances) |
79. | Angel Street | P | December 5, 1941 | December 30, 1944 | 1,295[80] | Revivals in 1948 (14 performances) and 1975 (52 performances) | |
80. | Lightnin' | P | August 26, 1918 | August 27, 1921 | 1,291[81] | First ever production with 1000+ performances Revival in 1938 (54 performances) | |
81. | Promises, Promises | M | December 1, 1968 | January 1, 1972 | 1,281[82] | 2 Tony Awards in 1969 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1969 Grammy Award for Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album in 1970 |
Revival in 2010 (289 performances) |
82. | Come from Away | M | March 12, 2017 | 1,251[83] | A Tony Award in 2017 3 Drama Desk Awards in 2017, including Outstanding Musical |
Currently running at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre Performances suspended during COVID-19 pandemic | |
83. | The King and I | M | March 29, 1951 | March 20, 1954 | 1,246[84] | 5 Tony Awards in 1952, including Best Musical | Revivals in 1977 (695 performances), 1985 (191 performances), 1996 (780 performances), and 2015 (499 performances) |
84. | Cactus Flower | P | December 8, 1965 | November 23, 1968 | 1,234[85] | ||
85. | Sleuth | P | November 12, 1970 | October 13, 1973 | 1,222[86] | A Tony Award in 1971, Best Play | |
Torch Song Trilogy | P | June 10, 1982 | May 19, 1985 | 1,222[87] | 2 Tony Awards in 1983, including Best Play 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1983, including Outstanding Play |
Revival in 2018 (77 performances) | |
87. | 1776 | M | March 16, 1969 | February 13, 1972 | 1,217[88] | 3 Tony Awards in 1969, including Best Musical 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1969 |
Revival in 1997 (333 performances) |
88. | Equus | P | October 24, 1974 | October 2, 1977 | 1,209[89] | 2 Tony Awards in 1975, including Best Play 4 Drama Desk Awards in 1975, including Outstanding Play |
Revival in 2008 (156 performances) |
89. | Sugar Babies | R | October 8, 1979 | August 28, 1982 | 1,208[90] | ||
90. | Guys and Dolls | M | November 24, 1950 | November 28, 1953 | 1,200[91] | 5 Tony Awards in 1951, including Best Musical | Revivals in 1955 (16 performances), 1965 (15 performances), 1976 (239 performances), 1992 (1,143 performances), and 2009 (121 performances) |
91. | In the Heights | M | March 30, 2008 | January 9, 2011 | 1,184[92] | 4 Tony Awards in 2008, including Best Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2009 |
|
92. | Amadeus | P | December 17, 1980 | October 16, 1983 | 1,181[93] | 5 Tony Awards in 1981, including Best Play 3 Drama Desk Awards in 1981, including Outstanding Play |
Revival in 1999 (173 performances) |
93. | Once | M | March 18, 2012 | January 4, 2015 | 1,168[94] | 8 Tony Awards in 2012, including Best Musical 4 Drama Desk Awards in 2012, including Outstanding Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2013 |
|
94. | Cabaret | M | November 20, 1966 | September 6, 1969 | 1,165[95] | 8 Tony Awards in 1967, including Best Musical Grammy Award for Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album in 1968 |
Revivals in 1987 (261 performances), 1998 (2,377 performances), and 2014 (388 performances) |
Memphis | M | October 19, 2009 | August 5, 2012 | 1,165[96] | 4 Tony Awards in 2010, including Best Musical 4 Drama Desk Awards in 2010, including Outstanding Musical |
||
96. | Mister Roberts | P | February 18, 1948 | January 6, 1951 | 1,157[97] | 5 Tony Awards in 1948, including Best Play | |
97. | Annie Get Your Gun | M | May 16, 1946 | February 12, 1949 | 1,147[98] | Revivals in 1966 (78 performances) and 1999 (1,045 performances) Oldest 1000+ original to be joined by 1000+ revival | |
98. | Guys and Dolls (1992 revival) | M | April 14, 1992 | January 8, 1995 | 1,143[99] | 4 Tony Awards in 1992, including Best Revival of a Musical 7 Drama Desk Awards in 1992, including Outstanding Revival of a Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 1993 |
Revival Original production in 1950 (1,200 performances) and revivals in 1955 (16 performances), 1965 (15 performances), 1976 (239 performances), and 2009 (121 performances) |
99. | The Seven Year Itch | P | November 20, 1952 | August 13, 1955 | 1,141[100] | A Tony Award in 1953 | |
100. | The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee | M | May 2, 2005 | January 20, 2008 | 1,136[101] | 2 Tony Awards in 2005 3 Drama Desk Awards in 2005 |
|
101. | Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk | D | April 25, 1996 | January 10, 1999 | 1,135[102] | 4 Tony Awards in 1996 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1996 |
|
102. | Butterflies Are Free | P | October 21, 1969 | July 2, 1972 | 1,128[103] | A Tony Award in 1970 | |
103. | Pins and Needles | R | November 27, 1937 | June 22, 1940 | 1,108[104] | ||
104. | Plaza Suite | P | February 14, 1968 | October 3, 1970 | 1,097[105] | A Tony Award in 1968 | Revival in 2020 |
105. | Fosse | D | January 14, 1999 | August 25, 2001 | 1,093[106] | 3 Tony Awards in 1999, including Best Musical A Drama Desk Award in 1999 |
|
106. | They're Playing Our Song | M | February 11, 1979 | September 6, 1981 | 1,082[107] | ||
107. | Kiss Me, Kate | M | December 30, 1948 | July 28, 1951 | 1,077[108] | 5 Tony Awards in 1949, including Best Musical | Revivals in 1952 (8 performances), 1999 (881 performances), and 2019 (125 performances) First show to win the Tony Award for Best Musical, among other Tony awards |
108. | Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark | M | June 14, 2011 | January 4, 2014 | 1,066[109] | Most expensive production in Broadway history | |
109. | Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope | R | April 19, 1972 | October 27, 1974 | 1,065[110] | 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1972 Grammy Award for Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album in 1973 |
|
110. | The Pajama Game | M | May 13, 1954 | November 24, 1956 | 1,063[111] | 3 Tony Awards in 1955, including Best Musical | Revivals in 1973 (65 performances) and 2006 (129 performances) |
111. | Shenandoah | M | January 7, 1975 | August 7, 1977 | 1,050[112] | 2 Tony Awards in 1975 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1975 |
Revival in 1989 (32 performances) |
112. | Annie Get Your Gun (1999 revival) | M | March 4, 1999 | September 1, 2001 | 1,045[113] | 2 Tony Awards in 1999, including Best Revival of a Musical A Drama Desk Award in 1999 A Special Drama Desk Award in 2001 for Reba McEntire Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2000 |
Revival Original production in 1946 (1,147 performances) and revival in 1966 (78 performances) |
113. | The Teahouse of the August Moon | P | October 15, 1953 | March 24, 1956 | 1,027[114] | 3 Tony Awards in 1954, including Best Play Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1954 |
|
114. | Les Misérables (2014 revival) | M | March 23, 2014 | September 4, 2016 | 1,024[115] | Revival Original production in 1987 (6,680 performances) and revival in 2006 (463 performances) | |
115. | Damn Yankees | M | May 5, 1955 | October 12, 1957 | 1,019[116] | 7 Tony Awards in 1956, including Best Musical | Revival in 1994 (533 performances) |
116. | Grand Hotel | M | November 12, 1989 | April 25, 1992 | 1,017[117] | 5 Tony Awards in 1990 5 Drama Desk Awards in 1990 |
|
117. | Contact | D | March 30, 2000 | September 1, 2002 | 1,010[118] | 4 Tony Awards in 2000, including Best Musical 4 Drama Desk Awards in 2000, including Outstanding Musical |
|
118. | Never Too Late | P | November 27, 1962 | April 24, 1965 | 1,007[119] | ||
119. | Beatlemania | M | May 31, 1977 | October 17, 1979 | 1,006[120] | ||
120. | Big River | M | April 25, 1985 | September 20, 1987 | 1,005[121] | 7 Tony Awards in 1985, including Best Musical 7 Drama Desk Awards in 1985 |
Revival in 2003 (67 performances) |
121. | Newsies | M | March 29, 2012 | August 24, 2014 | 1,004[122] | 2 Tony Awards in 2012 2 Drama Desk Awards in 2012 |
Timeline of longest-running Broadway shows
This is a list of shows that have held the record for being the longest-running show (including straight plays and musicals) on Broadway since 1853. A few probable longest-running plays prior to 1853 are also listed.
Not included below is the 1976 revival of the revue Oh! Calcutta!, which briefly overtook A Chorus Line as the Broadway show which had played the most performances, even though A Chorus Line had opened more than a year earlier and was still playing. Oh! Calcutta! achieved this distinction by playing more than the standard eight performances per week.[123] A Chorus Line retook the record for most performances after Oh! Calcutta! closed.
The longest running off-Broadway musical to date is The Fantasticks, which starred Jerry Orbach. When it closed on January 13, 2002, it had run for 42 years and 17,162 performances, making it the world's longest-running musical. The current longest-running musical on Broadway is The Phantom of the Opera, which opened in 1988 and played its 10,000th performance in 2012.[124]
M denotes a musical and P denotes a straight play.
Took lead | Title | Type | Opening date |
Closing date |
Performances | Comments/Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
[125] | January 9, 2006The Phantom of the Opera | M | January 26, 1988 | 13,370[126] | Currently running at the Majestic Theatre 7 Tony Awards in 1988, including Best Musical 7 Drama Desk Awards in 1988 Broadway's longest-running show and musical | |
[127] | June 19, 1997Cats | M | October 7, 1982 | September 10, 2000 | 7,485[128] | 7 Tony Awards in 1983, including Best Musical 3 Drama Desk Awards in 1983 Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album in 1984 |
[129] | September 29, 1983A Chorus Line | M | July 25, 1975 | April 28, 1990 | 6,137[130] | 9 Tony Awards in 1976, including Best Musical 5 Drama Desk Awards in 1976, including Outstanding Musical A Special Tony Award in 1984 for becoming Broadway's longest-running musical Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1976 Revival in 2006 (759 performances) |
[131] | December 8, 1979Grease | M | February 14, 1972 | April 13, 1980 | 3,388[132] | 2 Drama Desk Awards in 1972 Revivals in 1994 (1,505 performances) and 2007 (554 performances) |
[133] | June 17, 1972Fiddler on the Roof | M | September 22, 1964 | July 2, 1972 | 3,242[134] | Became longest running musical in July 1971, at 2,845 performances passing 2,844 mark of Hello Dolly!.[135]
9 Tony Awards in 1965, including Best Musical |
[136] | June 14, 1947Life with Father | P | November 8, 1939 | July 12, 1947 | 3,224[137] | Broadway's longest-running straight play. Started at Empire Theatre, moved to the Bijou Theatre in 1945, and finished up its run in 1947 at the Alvin Theatre. |
[138] | June 1939Tobacco Road | P | December 4, 1933 | May 31, 1941 | 3,182[139] | Revivals in 1942 (34 performances), 1943 (66 performances), and 1950 (7 performances) |
[140] | May 23, 1925Abie's Irish Rose | P | May 23, 1923 | October 1, 1927 | 2,327[141] | Revivals in 1937 (46 performances) and 1954 (20 performances) |
[142][143][144] | March 17, 1920Lightnin' | P | August 26, 1918 | August 27, 1921 | 1,291[145] | Revival in 1938 (54 performances) |
[146] | June 22, 1893A Trip to Chinatown | M | November 9, 1891 | August 7, 1893 | 657[147] | |
[148] | December 1885Adonis | M | September 4, 1884 | April 17, 1886 | 603[149] | |
May 1881 | Hazel Kirke | P | February 4, 1880 | May 31, 1881 | 486[150][151] | 250th performance programme claimed play had exceeded number of consecutive performances of any "similar play" in the country on its 238th performance,[152] which is no doubt a reference to Pique (1875) which ran for 237 performances.[153] |
[154] | August 5, 1867The Black Crook | M | September 12, 1866 | January 4, 1868 | 474[155] | First Broadway show to run for over one year.[156] In terms of a "musical", The Seven Sisters (1860–61, 253 perf.), was probably the longest running show closest to a "musical" prior to this.[157] |
[158] | 1853Uncle Tom's Cabin (Aiken version) | P | August 8, 1853 | May 13, 1854 | 325[159] | Has generally been classified as a play, though some arguments have been made that it was a musical. Played at the National Theatre.[160][161][162] |
1850 | The Drunkard | P | 1850 | October 7, 1850? | 100[163] | As of October 7, 1850, it hit 100 consecutive performances in New York, the first play to do so.[164] At Barnum's American Museum. It debuted in 1844 outside New York at the Boston Museum. |
September 24, 1844 | Putnam, the Iron Son of '76 | P | August 5, 1844 | November 2, 1844 | 78[165][166] | At the Bowery Theatre. If Mazeppa ran 43 nights in 1833 and was previous record, Putnam became most performed on its 44th performance on September 24, 1844. |
1833 | Mazeppa, Or, The Wild Horse of Ukraine | P | July 22, 1833 | September 9, 1833 | 43[167] | At the Bowery Theatre with George Gale as Mazeppa.[168][169][170] |
1831 | The Elephant of Siam and the Fire Fiend by Samuel Beazley | P | January 10, 1831 | ? | 18[170] | At the Bowery Theatre, the first season under Thomas S. Hamblin, who embraced melodramas which might support longer runs. The Elephant of Siam featured the elephant Mademoiselle D'Jeck, who of course needed to be used while available. The Water Witch, an adaption of a James Fenimore Cooper novel by Charles W. Taylor, which debuted on March 10, 1831 at the Bowery, also played for 18 performances.[170] |
See also
- Long-running musical theatre productions
- List of the longest-running West End shows
- List of the shortest-running Broadway shows
References
Notes
- ^ Paulson, Michael (March 12, 2020). "Broadway, Symbol of New York Resilience, Shuts Down Amid Virus Threat". The New York Times.
- ^ The Phantom of the Opera at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Chicago at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Lion King at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Cats at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Wicked at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Les Misérables at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ A Chorus Line at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Oh! Calcutta at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Mamma Mia! at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Beauty and the Beast at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Rent at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Jersey Boys at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Miss Saigon at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Book of Mormon at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ 42nd Street at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Grease at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Fiddler on the Roof at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Life with Father at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Tobacco Road at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Hello, Dolly! at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ My Fair Lady at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Hairspray at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Mary Poppins at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Avenue Q at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Aladdin at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Kinky Boots at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Producers at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Beautiful The Carole King Musical at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Annie at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Cabaret at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Man of La Mancha at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Rock of Ages at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Abie's Irish Rose at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Oklahoma! at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Smokey Joe's Cafe at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Pippin at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ South Pacific at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Magic Show at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Hamilton at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Aida at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Gemini at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Deathtrap at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Harvey at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Dancin' at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ La Cage aux Folles at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Hair at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Wiz at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Born Yesterday at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Crazy for You at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Ain't Misbehavin' at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Spamalot at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Mary, Mary at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Evita at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Voice of the Turtle at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Matilda The Musical at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Waitress at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Jekyll & Hyde at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Barefoot in the Park at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ 42nd Street at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Dreamgirls at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Mame at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Grease at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Same Time, Next Year at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Arsenic and Old Lace at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Sound of Music at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Me and My Girl at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Hellzapoppin' at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Music Man at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Dear Evan Hansen at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Funny Girl at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Mummenschanz at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Oh! Calcutta! at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Billy Elliot the Musical at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ School of Rock – The Musical at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Movin' Out at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Brighton Beach Memoirs at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Angel Street at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Lightnin' at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Promises, Promises at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Come From Away at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The King and I at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Cactus Flower at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Sleuth at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Torch Song Trilogy at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ 1776 at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Equus at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Sugar Babies at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Guys and Dolls at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ In the Heights at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Amadeus at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Once at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Cabaret at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Memphis at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Mister Roberts at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Annie Get Your Gun at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Guys and Dolls at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Seven Year Itch at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Butterflies Are Free at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Pins and Needles at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Plaza Suite at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Fosse at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ They're Playing Our Song at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Kiss Me, Kate at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Pajama Game at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Shenandoah at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Annie Get Your Gun at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Teahouse of the August Moon at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Les Misérables at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Damn Yankees at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Grand Hotel at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Contact at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Never Too Late at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Beatlemania at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Big River at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Newsies The Musical at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Rich, Frank (August 8, 1989). "Critic's Notebook; The Asterisks of 'Oh! Calcutta!'". The New York Times. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
- ^ "The World’s Longest-Running Musical Started Small – and Stayed Small", Time magazine
- ^ (January 6, 2006). ‘Phantom’ set to outlive ‘Cats’, Associated Press
- ^ The Phantom of the Opera at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ (June 19, 1997). With 6,138 Lives, 'Cats' Sets Broadway Mark, The New York Times
- ^ Cats at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ rothstein, Mervyn (April 30, 1990). After 15 Years (15!), 'A Chorus Line' Ends, The New York Times
- ^ A Chorus Line at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ (December 8, 1979). 'Grease' hits top of Broadway list, Associated Press
- ^ Grease at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ (June 19, 1972). Fiddler on the Roof longest running show, Ottawa Citizen (Associated Press)
- ^ Fiddler on the Roof at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ (July 21, 1971). 'Fiddler on the Roof' longest run musical on Broadway, Associated Press
- ^ (June 13, 1947). 'Life With Father' - A Broadway Record, The Milwaukee Journal
- ^ Life with Father at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ (November 18, 1939). If Any Record Is Left, Play Breaks It Tonight, Milwaukee Journal (reporting that on November 18, 1939, Tobacco Road had 2,533rd performance, beating 2,532 mark that was being used as record for Abie's Irish Rose, though it had been discovered that number included over 200 non-Broadway performances, so that record had been made 5 months prior)
- ^ Tobacco Road at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ (May 24, 1925). 'Abie's Irish Rose' Makes Record Run. Its 1,292d Performance, One More Than "Lightnin'," Is America's Highest Score, The New York Times
- ^ Abie's Irish Rose at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ (March 18, 1920). Lightnin' Breaks Record. Reaches 658th Performance, Eclipsing Long Run of Hoyt Farce, The New York Times
- ^ (May 1920). [1], Munsey's Magazine, p. 730 (" 'Lightnin' has now broken the record of 'A Trip to Chinatown' for the longest consecutive New York run ...")
- ^ Theatre Week (1990) (noting that at start of World War I, A Trip To Chinatown still held the record, which was beat by Lightnin after the war)
- ^ Lightnin' at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ (July 1893). The Stage, Munsey's Magazine (reporting that A Trip to Chinatown had 604th performance on June 22, 1893)
- ^ A Trip to Chinatown at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ (November 22, 1885). The Stage and Box Office, The New York Times (reporting that with 35 more performances, Adonis will bypass Hazel Kirke run of 486 performances)
- ^ Adonis at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Hazel Kirke at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ The Oxford Companion to American Theatre, p. 298 (Hazel Kirke at 486 performances was longest run of its time of any nonmusical play)
- ^ Hazel Kirke: 250th performance programme (1880)
- ^ The Cambridge History of American Theatre, Vol. II, p. 239 (1999)
- ^ (August 5, 1867). Black Crook advertisement, New York Tribune, p. 7 col. 3 (advertisement for 326th performance of The Black Crook on August 5, 1867; no recognition at this time that it was likely the longest)
- ^ The Black Crook at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Steyn, Mark. Broadway Babies Say Goodnight: Musicals Then and Now, p. 3 (1997)
- ^ Allen, Robert C. (c. 1991). Horrible prettiness: burlesque and American culture. University of North Carolina. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-8078-1960-9.
- ^ Uncle Tom's Cabin, New York Dramatic Mirror (December 1905)
- ^ Some Long Theatrical Runs, The World Almanac and Encyclopedia 1903, p. 269 (1902)
- ^ (November 17, 1853). Uncle Tom's Cabin, The New York Times (notes that 116 performances had been held to that point)
- ^ (February 23, 1854). Uncle Tom's Cabin, The New York Times (reported that 230th performance would be that evening)
- ^ (June 19, 1854). Uncle Tom's Cabin (advertisement), The New York Times (announcing revival of play "as performed at the National Theatre 325 consecutive times")
- ^ The Drunkard as a Drama of the Temperance Movement, p. 3 (1995)
- ^ Culture, Genre, and Literary Vocation: Selected Essays on American Literature, p. 108 (2001)
- ^ The Cambridge Guide To Theatre, p. 76 (1995)
- ^ Ireland, Joseph, Records of the New York stage, from 1750 to 1860, pp. 417, 438
- ^ Granqvist, Raoul. Imitation as Resistance: Appropriations of English Literature in Nineteenth-Century America, p. 170 (stating that Mazeppa ran at the Bowery Theatre for 48 consecutive nights)
- ^ (August 31, 1833). Amusements, New York Evening Post, p. 3, col. 5 (advertisement stating that evening will be 35th presentation of Mazeppa)
- ^ (September 9, 1833). Amusements, p. 3, col. 5 (announcing that Mazeppa will be performed that night "For the Benefit of Mr. Gale", appears to have been final consecutive performance)
- ^ a b c Shank, Theodore J. (1959). "Theatre for the Majority: Its Influence on a Nineteenth Century American Theatre". Educational Theatre Journal. 11 (3): 188–199. doi:10.2307/3204801. JSTOR 3204801. See p. 196, noting that Mazeppa had 43 performances; Elephant of Siam and the Water Witch in 1831 had 18 each.
External links
- Playbill article, "Long Runs on Broadway"
- Internet Broadway Database
- List of plays that have achieved runs of over 400 performances on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Toronto, Melbourne, Paris, Vienna, and Berlin
Further reading
- Laufe, Abe. Anatomy of a Hit: Long-Run Plays on Broadway from 1900 to the Present Day. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1966.
- Schildcrout, Jordan. In the Long Run: A Cultural History of Broadway's Hit Plays. New York and London: Routledge, 2019.
- Sheward, David. It's a Hit!: The Back Stage Book of Longest-Running Broadway Shows, 1884 to the Present. New York: Back Stage Books, 1994