Broadway has become a huge part of modern media, with millions watching productions worldwide. While some productions run for a couple of years, others last decades and bring the same energy as the day they premiered. Out of all the Broadway productions, a few stand above the rest. Check out these top twenty best Broadway musicals now.
20. The Rocky Horror Show (1973-1980)
Starting our best Broadway musicals list is a cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. While it may not have garnered attention when it first premiered, it has since gained a large following. The musical follows Brad and Janet as they discover the mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter after getting a flat tire and meeting all the strange characters within.
– Performances: 2,960
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19. Falsettos (1992-1993)
Next on our best Broadway musicals list is Falsettos. While it didn’t have a long run, there have been several remakes and appearances of the musical in recent years. A combination of two off-Broadway works, the musical tells the story of a gay man, Marvin, his lover Whizzer, Marvin’s wife Trina, and their family during the 1980s. The musical brings to light the AIDS crisis and how this affected couples.
– Performances: 487
18. Newsies (2012-2014)
Twenty years after its release on Disney, Newsies made an appearance on the Broadway stage. Newsboy Jack Kelly dreams of a new life away from the hardship of the streets. However, when Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raised distribution prices, Jack rallied his fellow newsboys to strike. It’s one of the best Broadway musicals for its blend of coming-of-age and determination themes.
– Performances: 1,004
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17. Annie (1977-1983)
Everyone loves the redhead Annie, and so does our best Broadway musicals list. The production has been featured on stage several times, from the original 1977 premiere to high school plays. Each rendition follows orphan Annie as she finds a home with a New York millionaire during the Depression while evading her evil orphanage mistress.
– Performances: 2,377
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16. Into the Woods (1987-1989)
Sixteenth on our list of the best Broadway musicals is Into the Woods, where fairy tale characters’ stories get all mixed up. In the production, Little Red, a Witch, Cinderella, the Baker, and his wife must set their stories right. Even though it only had 765 performances, the Broadway production is still popular today.
– Performances: 765
15. In the Heights (2008-2011)
Head to NYC’s Washington Heights neighborhood with our fifteenth selection for best Broadway musicals, In the Heights. As housing costs and racial tensions soar, the people who live in this area find solace in the welcoming corner bodega. The production provides a glimpse into struggling families as they continue to look for hope in the world.
– Performances: 1,184
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14. Dear Evan Hansen (2016-2022)
Hopeful and heartbreaking, Dear Evan Hansen took the Broadway world by storm when it premiered in 2016. Later turned into a major motion picture, the musical follows Evan, an anxious and isolated high school student. Just trying to fit in, Evan gets pulled into a whirlwind when a letter he writes for a writing exercise falls into the hands of a couple whose son took his life.
– Performances: 1,672
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13. Hairspray (2002-2009)
You may remember Hairspray best with Zac Efron, but the fun production is also one of the best Broadway musicals. The 1988 film led to a 2007 and 2016 remake, and a Broadway production in 2002. In every rendition, teen Tracy Turnblad dreams of appearing on a TV dance show in 1960s Baltimore called “The Corny Collins Show.” As she pushes for her dreams, she also integrates African Americans into the show.
– Performances: 2,642
12. Cabaret (1966-1969)
Premiering for the first time in 1966, the original Cabaret ran for three years. The musical was focused on British nightclub singer Sally Bowles and American writer Cliff Bradshaw, set during the 1920s in Berlin. As mounting fear presses against Kit Kat Club’s walls, the Emcee draws you into another world where all your troubles and worries are gone.
– Performances: 1,166
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11. West Side Story (1957-1959)
Eleventh on our list of best Broadway musicals is West Side Story, based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The production was originally supposed to be about a Jewish girl and an Italian Catholic boy trying to be together, but when street riots by Chicano Americans happened in L.A. in 1955, a new idea emerged. Today, the story is set in New York’s West Side as two teenagers from opposite groups fall in love.
– Performances: 732
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10. Fiddler on the Roof (1964-1970)
Coming into the top ten best Broadway musicals is Fiddler on the Roof. The production follows Tevye, a Jewish milkman in the early 1900s who lives in Russia with his five daughters. Tevye must try and balance his religious traditions with growing anti-Jewish sentiment. The production won nine of the ten Tony Awards it was nominated, including Best Musical.
– Performances: 3,242
9. Mamma Mia! (2001-2015)
You’ve probably seen the film Mamma Mia, or at least heard about this spectacular story. Its popularity bleeds into the Broadway world, with the production running from 2001 to 2015. Featuring several of ABBA’s timeless classics, the story revolves around a mother, daughter, and three possible dads, culminating in a trip down the wedding aisle.
– Performances: 5,758
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8. Cats (1982-2000)
Another cult classic from the Broadway stage is Cats. Ranking eighth on our best Broadway musicals list, the production is based on the book of poems titled “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” by T.S. Eliot. Each scene introduces a new cat until the very end, gathering for the Jellicle Ball where one cat will become the “Heaviside Layer.”
– Performances: 7,485
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7. The Lion King (1997-Present)
Disney has come to Broadway with our seventh selection for best Broadway musicals, The Lion King. Entracing viewers with its blend of music, entertainment, and art, the production tells the story of Simba and his father Mufasa’s death. The production has earned 70 Major Theatre Awards internationally.
– Performances: 9,812+
6. Rent (1996-2008)
Seasoned theatre buffs will recognize our sixth selection, Rent. The production is set during the AIDS era in East Village, New York. Each scene focuses on several downtrodden characters, such as Rodolfo, Mimi, and Marcello. Each one goes through a transformation while living in the neighborhood, but not all of them are good. Rent won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1996.
– Performances: 5,123
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5. Lés Miserables (1987-2003)
There couldn’t be a complete list of the best Broadway musicals without including Lés Misérables. The production premiered in 1987 and had 6,680 performances before closing in 2003. During that period, it received twelve Tony Award nominations, winning eight of them, including Best Musical. Lés Misérables is adapted from Victor Hugo’s novel, telling a story of love and perseverance during the French Revolution.
– Performances: 6,680
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4. Hamilton: An American Musical (2015-Present)
Dive into history with our fourth selection for best Broadway musicals, Hamilton. The production follows Founding Father Alexander Hamilton as he creates his legacy in the New World. The musical score brought something new and refreshing to the Broadway stage and has since greatly impacted culture, politics, and education.
– Performances: 2,901+
3. Wicked (2003-Present)
Rounding out the top three best Broadway musicals is Wicked. Now a major motion picture, take a step into the world of Oz before Dorothy’s time, when a young woman born with green skin is greatly misunderstood. Meeting a popular blonde teen, their rivalry turns into a tight friendship until the world deems one “good” and the other “wicked.”
– Performances: 7,486+
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2. Chicago (1996-Present)
Second on our list of best Broadway musicals is Chicago, set during the Roaring Twenties. Aspiring chorus girl Roxie Hart and vaudeville star Velma Kelly are facing a murder trial. The two battle for shady lawyer Billy Flynn, who promises to make them stars to finagle their way out of a murder sentence. The main features of this production are the dancing and musical numbers.
– Performances: 10,000+
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1. The Phantom of the Opera (1988-2023)
Last but not least on our best Broadway shows list is The Phantom of the Opera. The longest-running Broadway show ever, it ran for thirty-five years and nearly 14,000 performances. Hiding beneath the beauty of the Paris Opera is the Phantom, shunned by his physical appearance and feared by all. That is, until he meets protégée Christine Daaé, falling deeply in love with her to the point where Daaé’s heart cannot even resist.
– Performances: 13,981
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