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 and West End productions of musicals that have exceeded 2,500 performances, in order of greatest number of performances in either market. The second section lists, in alphabetical order, musicals that have broken historical long run records for musical theatre on Broadway, in the West End or Off-Broadway, since 1866, in alphabetical order.

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 a single run in a Broadway or West End theatre.
TitleCreatorsBroadway Perfs.West End Perfs.Comment
Les Misérablesm Claude-Michel Schönberg, lb Alain Boublil 6,680>15,7001985 London, 1987 Broadway
The Phantom of the Operam Andrew Lloyd Webber, l Charles Hart, b Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe13,981>15,4001986 London, 1988 Broadway
Chicagom John Kander, l Fred Ebb, b Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb>11,4006,1871996 Revival
The Lion Kingm Elton John, l Tim Rice, b Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi>11,000>10,1001997 Broadway, 1999 London
Mamma Mia!ml Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, b Catherine Johnson5,773>10,4001999 London, 2001 Broadway
Blood Brothersmlb Willy Russell83910,0131983 London, 1993 Broadway
Catsm Andrew Lloyd Webber, l T. S. Eliot, b Lloyd Webber and Trevor Nunn 7,4858,9491981 London, 1982 Broadway
Wickedml Stephen Schwartz, b Winnie Holzman>8,500>7,4002003 Broadway, 2006 London
Starlight Expressm Andrew Lloyd Webber, l Richard Stilgoe 7617,4061984 London, 1987 Broadway, 1988 Bochum, Germany
>10,000 in Germany
Black and White Minstrelsmlb George MitchellN/A6,4771960 London
This minstrel show was in The Guinness Book of Records as the stage show seen by the largest number of people and had international fame
A Chorus Linem Marvin Hamlisch, l Edward Kleban, b James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante6,1379691975 Broadway, 1976 London

Oh! Calcutta!m Peter Schickele, Robert Dennis and Stanley Walden, lb various5,9593,9181969 Broadway, 1970 London
1976 Broadway revival
Beauty and the Beastm Alan Menken, l Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, b Linda Woolverton5,4611,0771994 Broadway, 1997 London
The Book of Mormonmlb Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone>5,400>4,4002011 Broadway, 2013 London
Buddy – The Buddy Holly Storyml Buddy Holly and others, b Alan Janes2255,1401989 London, 1990 Broadway
Rentmlb Jonathan Larson5,123c. 6001996 Broadway, 1998 London
Matilda the Musicalml Tim Minchin, b Dennis Kelly1,554>5,0002011 London, 2013 Broadway
We Will Rock Youm Queen, lb Ben Elton and Queen members Brian May and Roger TaylorN/A4,6592002 London
Thriller – Liveml The Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson, b Adrian GrantN/A4,6572009 London
Jersey Boysm Bob Gaudio, l Bob Crewe, b Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice4,6423,7872005 Broadway, 2008 London
Billy Elliot the Musicalm Elton John, lb Lee Hall1,3044,5662005 London, 2008 Broadway
Aladdinm Alan Menken, l Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin, b Beguelin>4,1001,3612014 Broadway
Miss Saigonm Claude-Michel Schönberg, l Alain Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr.,b Alain Boublil4,0924,2641989 London, 1991 Broadway
Hamiltonmlb Lin-Manuel Miranda>3,600>2,3002015 Broadway, 2017 London
Avenue Qml Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, b Jeff Whitty2,5343,5862003 Broadway, 2006 London
42nd Streetm Harry Warren, l Al Dubin, b Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble3,4861,8241980 Broadway, 1984 London
Greasemlb Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey3,3882,5291972 Broadway, 1973 London
Jesus Christ Superstarm Andrew Lloyd Webber, lb Tim Rice7203,3571971 Broadway, 1972 London
Me and My Girlm Noel Gay, lb Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose1,4203,3031985 revival
Fiddler on the Roofm Jerry Bock, l Sheldon Harnick, b Joseph Stein 3,2422,0301964 Broadway, 1967 London

Evitam Andrew Lloyd Webber, l Tim Rice1,5673,1761978 London, 1979 Broadway

The Rocky Horror Showmlb Richard O'Brien452,9581973 London, 1975 Broadway
Hello, Dolly!ml Jerry Herman, b Michael Stewart2,8447941964 Broadway, 1965 London

My Fair Ladym Frederick Loewe, lb Alan Jay Lerner 2,7172,2811956 Broadway, 1958 London

Hairspraym Marc Shaiman, l Shaiman and Scott Wittman, b Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan2,642c. 1,0002002 Broadway, 2007 London
Mary Poppinsml Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, b Julian Fellowes2,6191,4282004 London, 2006 Broadway
Oliver!mlb Lionel Bart7742,6181960 London, 1963 Broadway
Kinky Bootsml Cyndi Lauper, b Harvey Fierstein2,5071,400+2013 Broadway, 2015 London
The Producers''ml Mel Brooks, b Brooks and Thomas Meehan2,5029402001 Broadway, 2004 London

Other historic long runs

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