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.
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 June 2026. The number of West End performances is updated per officiallondontheatre.com as of January 2025, and 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 a single run in a Broadway or West End theatre. +TitleCreatorsBroadway Perfs.West End Perfs.CommentLes Misérablesm Claude-Michel Schönberg, lb Alain Boublil (English lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer) 6,680>16,1001985 London, 1987 Broadway (1987 Tony Award winner; nominated for 12 Tony Awards and won eight)The Phantom of the Operam Andrew Lloyd Webber, l Charles Hart, b Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe 13,981>15,6001986 London, 1988 Broadway (the longest-running musical in Broadway history since surpassing Cats; 1988 Tony Award winner)DiLella, Frank. "Phantom Celebrates Its Silver Anniversary On Broadway" , NY1, January 27, 2013Chicagom John Kander, l Fred Ebb, b Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb>11,6006,1871996 Revival (longest-running American musical in both West End and Broadway history, surpassing A Chorus Line in 2011, and the longest-running revival in Broadway history)The Lion Kingm Elton John, l Tim Rice, b Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi>11,200>10,5001997 Broadway, 1999 London (1998 Tony Award winner)Mamma Mia!ml Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, b Catherine Johnson5,773>10,7001999 London, 2001 BroadwayBlood Brothersmlb Willy Russell 83910,0131983 London, 1993 Broadway (1983 Olivier Award winner; longest-running musical revival in history)Catsm Andrew Lloyd Webber, l T. S. Eliot, b Lloyd Webber and Trevor Nunn ("Memory")7,4858,9491981 London, 1982 Broadway (1983 Tony Award winner, the longest-running work of musical theatre (other than The Fantasticks), until beaten by Les Misérables)Wickedml Stephen Schwartz, b Winnie Holzman>8,800>7,6002003 Broadway, 2006 LondonStarlight Expressm Andrew Lloyd Webber, l Richard Stilgoe (with later revisions by Don Black and David Yazbek; through composed; staged with the cast entirely on skates)7617,4061984 London, 1987 Broadway, 1988 Bochum, Germany >10,000 in GermanyThöne, Martina. "25 Jahre Starlight Express: Musicalerfolg tief im Westen", WZ Newsline, 11 June 2013Black and White Minstrelsmlb George MitchellN/A6,4771960 London 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 (the longest-running work of musical theatre (other than The Fantasticks), until beaten by Cats)A Chorus Linem Marvin Hamlisch, l Edward Kleban, b James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante6,1379691975 Broadway, 1976 London (the longest-running Broadway musical in history, until beaten by Cats) (1976 Tony Award winner)Oh! Calcutta!m Peter Schickele (aka “PDQ Bach”), Robert Dennis and Stanley Walden, lb various5,9593,9181969 Broadway, 1970 London 1976 Broadway revival (nude revue)The Book of Mormonmlb Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone>5,600>4,8002011 Broadway, 2013 London (2011 Tony Award winner; won 9 Tonys)Beauty and the Beastm Alan Menken, l Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, b Linda Woolverton5,4611,0771994 Broadway, 1997 London (1998 Olivier Award winner)Matilda the Musicalml Tim Minchin, b Dennis Kelly1,554>5,4002011 London, 2013 BroadwayBuddy – The Buddy Holly Storyml Buddy Holly and others, b Alan Janes2255,1401989 London, 1990 BroadwayRentmlb Jonathan Larson5,123c. 6001996 Broadway, 1998 London (Pulitzer Prize Winner, 1996 Tony Award winner)We Will Rock Youm Queen, lb Ben Elton and Queen members Brian May and Roger TaylorN/A4,6592002 LondonThriller – Liveml The Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson, b Adrian GrantN/A4,6572009 LondonJersey Boysm Bob Gaudio, l Bob Crewe, b Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice4,6423,7872005 Broadway, 2008 London (2005 Tony Award winner; 2008 Olivier Award winner)Billy Elliot the Musicalm Elton John, lb Lee Hall1,3044,5662005 London, 2008 Broadway (2006 Olivier Award winner; 2009 Tony Award winner, won 10 of 15 Tony nominations)Aladdinm Alan Menken, l Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin, b Beguelin>4,4001,3612014 BroadwayMiss Saigonm Claude-Michel Schönberg, l Alain Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr.,b Alain Boublil 4,0924,2641989 London, 1991 Broadway (adaptation of Puccini's Madame Butterfly)Hamiltonmlb Lin-Manuel Miranda>3,900>3,1002015 Broadway, 2017 London (2016 Tony Award winner, 16 Tony Award nominations, won 11) (2018 Olivier Award winner)Avenue Qml Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, b Jeff Whitty2,5343,5862003 Broadway, 2006 London (2004 Tony Award winner) (reopened off-Broadway on October 21, 2009, where it has been playing continuously since)42nd Streetm Harry Warren, l Al Dubin, b Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble3,4861,8241980 Broadway, 1984 London (1981 Tony Award winner; 1984 Olivier Award winner)Greasemlb Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey3,3882,5291972 Broadway, 1973 London (the longest-running Broadway musical in history, until beaten by A Chorus Line)Jesus Christ Superstarm Andrew Lloyd Webber, lb Tim Rice7203,3571971 Broadway, 1972 London (seminal rock opera and briefly the longest-running musical in history (not counting Black and White Minstrels or The Fantasticks), until beaten by Grease)Me and My Girl m Noel Gay, lb Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose1,4203,3031985 revival (originally ran 1,646 performances from 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'.")Fiddler on the Roofm Jerry Bock, l Sheldon Harnick, b Joseph Stein ("If I Were a Rich Man")3,2422,0301964 Broadway, 1967 London (the longest-running Broadway musical in history, until beaten by Grease) (1965 Tony Award winner)Evitam Andrew Lloyd Webber, l Tim Rice1,5673,1761978 London, 1979 Broadway (last collaboration between Lloyd Webber and Rice on a musical) (1978 Olivier Award winner; 1980 Tony Award winner)Exact number came from musicalheaven.com and This Is Theatre; 2900 given by Society of London Theatre is an estimate.Magic Mike Livem Jack Rayer, lb Reid Carolin0>3,0002018 LondonThe Rocky Horror Showmlb Richard O'Brien452,9581973 London, 1975 BroadwayHello, Dolly!ml Jerry Herman, b Michael Stewart2,8447941964 Broadway, 1965 London (the second longest-running Broadway musical in history until Grease pushed it down a rank) (1964 Tony Award winner; won 10 Tonys)My Fair Ladym Frederick Loewe, lb Alan Jay Lerner ("I Could Have Danced All Night", "On the Street Where You Live")2,7172,2811956 Broadway, 1958 London (the longest-running musical in history, until beaten by The Fantasticks off-Broadway and Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway) (the second-longest-running musical in West End history, after Salad Days, when it closed) (1957 Tony Award winner)Sixmlb Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss>1,900>2,6502019 London, 2021 BroadwayHairspraym Marc Shaiman, l Shaiman and Scott Wittman, b Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan2,642c. 1,0002002 Broadway, 2007 London (2003 Tony Award Winner, nominated for 13, won eight) (2008 Olivier Award Winner, nominated for 11, won 4)Mary Poppinsml Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, b Julian Fellowes2,6191,4282004 London, 2006 BroadwayOliver!mlb Lionel Bart7742,6181960 London, 1963 Broadway (longest-running West End musical in history at the time of closing)Kinky Bootsml Cyndi Lauper, b Harvey Fierstein2,5071,400+2013 Broadway, 2015 London (2013 Tony Award winner, 13 Tony Award nominations, won 6) (2016 Olivier Award winner)The Producersml Mel Brooks, b Brooks and Thomas Meehan2,5029402001 Broadway, 2004 London (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 set records for long runs.
Annie Get Your Gun, 1946 Broadway, 1947 London, ml Irving Berlin, b Herbert and Dorothy Fields (1,147: 1,304 in London) (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 Black Crook, 1866, m George Bickwell and others, l by Theodore Kennick and others, and b by Charles M. Barras (474). This piece is often cited as the first long-running "musical", in that an original book was combined with songs and dancing. Its 474 performances were a record for the day. The Boy Friend, 1953 London, 1954 Broadway, 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 Broadway, 1950 London, 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) 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) 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.)