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Creative

What are Broadway’s longest-running shows?

New shows come to town all the time. But there are those long-standing favorites that feel like they just belong in New York City. In our list, we’ll be including the longest-running Broadway shows of a single production – past and present. And you know what they say: only the best Broadway shows have runs like these.

Photo by Matthew Murphy.

The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart

With an unbelievable 13,981 performances, The Phantom of the Opera easily tops the list. For 36 years it took residence in the Majestic Theater where it ran from January 26 1988 to April 16 2023.

When it first opened, it won seven Tony Awards and seven Drama Desk Awards. It was the first Broadway musical in history to surpass 10,000 performances and has had over 3,500 more performances than the second longest-running Broadway show in history – that’s over eight years of performances! With a record like that, it really is one of the best Broadway shows.

Photo courtesy of Boneau/Bryan-Brown.

Chicago (1996 revival) by John Kander and Fred Ebb

Chicago’s original 1975 production ran for a respectable 936 performances. But it was its second coming, the 1996 revival, that made it a show everyone knows and loves.

Following a showcase in the City Center Encores! series, Barry and Fran Weissler brought an expanded, revised, and jazzed-up production of the Encores! concert to the Richard Rodgers Theater (the same theater the original production was staged). After rave reviews and six Tony Awards, it was an undeniable hit and had to be moved to the larger Shubert Theater in 1997. It stayed there for seven years until it was moved for a second time to the Ambassadors Theater in 2014 where it still runs today.

So far, it’s had over 10,400 performances and is the longest-running revival in Broadway history.

Photo by Joan Marcus.

The Lion King by Elton John and Tim Rice

The groundbreaking stage adaptation of Disney’s animated film of the same name left both children and adults filled with wonder. Featuring giant puppets and unforgettable songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, The Lion King had audiences stampeding to the theater to watch the incredible show.

It originally opened at the New Amsterdam Theater in 1997 before moving to the Minskoff Theater in 2006. Its current performance count stands at over 10,000 which has resulted in over $1 billion in gross sales making it the highest-grossing Broadway production of all time.

Photo by Mark Senior.

Wicked by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman

Leaving other shows green with envy is Wicked – the original musical based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel of the same name. Focusing on the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz, the colorful, whimsical, and crowd-pleasing show reframed our preconceptions of the previously hateful character and gave us another perspective.

The original production opened in 2003 at the Gershwin Theater and starred Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel – making both household names. So far, it’s had over 7,500 performances and with a film adaptation starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo coming up, we don’t see it going anywhere for a long time.

Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Based on the 1939 poetry collection by T.S. Eliot, Cats is a sung-through musical about a tribe of cats who are trying to decide which among them will be ascended to the Heaviside Layer before coming back to a new life. The surreal show opened in 1982 and was unlike anything seen on Broadway before. It won seven Tony Awards and a Grammy making it a must-see show.

It opened at the Winter Garden Theater on October 7 1982 where it ran until its close on September 10 2000. It was the first Broadway show to reach over 7,000 performances reaching 7,485 performances when it closed.

It looks as though Cats will happily perch at number five on the list for a while as the next show on the list that’s currently open is The Book of Mormon which sits with 4,400 performances which, again, would take approximately eight years to overtake Cats.

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Broadway's Best

Broadway’s Best Comedy Shows

Blurring the lines between theater and standup, these virtuosic performances brought comedians to the Main Stem. Here are some of our favorite comedic offerings in recent Broadway memory.

Alex Edelman’s Just For Us

After multiple sold out Off-Broadway runs, Alex Edelman’s one-man-show, Just For Us, opened at the Hudson Theatre on June 26, 2023. Edelman recounts the true story of the time he, a Jewish man, attended a neo-Nazi meetup in Queens, NY because it called for people who are “curious about their whiteness.” This experience leads to a thoughtful and hilarious rumination on his Boston upbringing, his career in comedy, and the idea of being a “good person.” The show is scheduled to run through August 19, 2023.

Photo by Emilio Madrid

Mike Birbiglia: The New One and The Old Man & The Pool

Often credited as the pioneer of the part-standup, part-monologue form, Mike Birbiglia has brought two of his specials to Broadway stages. The New One, about his experiences as a new father, played the Cort Theatre (since renamed the James Earl Jones) in 2018 and was eventually released as a Netflix special following the run. Years later, his pondrance on aging and mortality entitled The Old Man & The Pool, ran at the Vivian Beaumont Theater. That show is set to play the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe followed by the West End’s Wyndham Theatre in the fall.

Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me

Comedy icon Martin Short, who stars in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, starred in his own Broadway musical in the 2006-2007 Broadway season. With music and lyrics by composing duo Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman (Some Like it Hot, Hairspray!), the semi-autobiographical work, in which Short played an exaggerated celebrity-obsessed version of himself, also featured Brooks Ashmanskas in the cast, earning him his first Tony nomination.

Oh, Hello on Broadway

Nick Kroll and John Mulaney brought their elderly alter-egos, Gil Faizon and George St. Geegland, to the Main Stem with the Broadway iteration of their two-hander, The Oh, Hello Show. Mulaney and Kroll had originated the characters on TV’s The Kroll Show. The two friends ramble about their pasts and ambitions, and the show eventually culminates in the serving of a dubious sandwich with “too much tuna” to a special guest (which included the likes of Tina Fey, Steve Martin, Ben Platt, Katy Perry, John Oliver and Alan Alda.) This too was eventually released for your streaming enjoyment on Netflix.

Photo by Joan Marcus

Dame Edna’s The Royal Tour, Back With a Vengeance & All About Me

After making his Broadway debut as Mr. Sowerberry (and the understudy for Fagin) in the original 1963 production of Oliver! Barry Humphries brought his iconic character Dame Edna to the Main Stem in three separate shows. In 1999, The Royal Tour opened at the Booth Theatre, followed by Dame Edna: Back With a Vengeance at the Music Box Theatre in 2004. Edna’s third Broadway outing came in spring 2010, when All About Me opened at Henry Miller’s Theatre. The latter musical, a double bill, saw Edna go toe-to-toe with singer Michael Feinstein, and every night was a competition over who got to be the star. It was Barry Humphries’ final appearance on Broadway as Edna before the storied performer passed away in February 2023.

Will Ferrell in You’re Welcome America

Just months after George W. Bush left the White House, Will Ferrell brought his impersonation of the early aughts president to the Broadway stage in You’re Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush. The character, which originally debuted on Saturday Night Live in 2000, took the opportunity to address the country one last time, regaling the audience with stories of his early life and political career. The play ran at the Cort Theatre in early 2009, and was broadcast on HBO the night before the play closed on March 15.

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Broadway's Best

Broadway’s Best Shows for Fans of the Barbie Movie

By Katie Devin Orenstein

If you had a blast with Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and the rest of the Barbie movie crew, here are some Broadway musicals of yesteryear that might suit your fancy! Some even served as inspiration for director Greta Gerwig’s take on the classic doll brand.

Legally Blonde

What could be more Barbie than a musical all about how you can be smart and independent and wear bright pink at the same time? Legally Blonde, based on the movie of the same name, takes aim at dumb blonde stereotypes, and puts female empowerment and solidarity front-and-center. It’s so much better than getting the guy. 

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

If you’re looking for a whip-smart, funny show that pushes back against the objectification of women, look no further than The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which ran on Broadway for four years starting in 1978, and was also made into a movie starring Dolly Parton. Its songs are by the late Carol Hall, one of Broadway’s very few female composer-lyricists. 

Singin’ in the Rain

Director and co-screenwriter Greta Gerwig cites the vividly Technicolored, dance-heavy Singin’ in the Rain as one of her main inspirations for the tone and visuals of Barbie. The 1954 film was written by Broadway stalwarts Betty Comden and Adolph Green, who turned it into a stage musical in 1985. You can clearly see the influence on the set design, lighting, and even the tailoring of Ryan Gosling and the Kens’ costumes from the classic Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse dream ballet: 

Avenue Q

Avenue Q uses puppets and upbeat songs to teach the lessons Sesame Street forgot to include, like how to pay your bills, or how to handle romantic rejection, or what people really use the Internet for. Like Barbie, it uses the aesthetics of childhood to explore how scary adulthood can be sometimes.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

This show is a frothy, comedic romp about two female cabaret performers going after what they want, whether that’s men or money – this is the musical that gave us “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Notably, the show’s book is co-written by Anita Loos, who also wrote the bestselling novel on which the show is based, and who was the very first female screenwriter in Hollywood.

Megan Hilty performs “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend”

My Fair Lady

Who are you, if you’re someone else’s creation? George Bernard Shaw first explored this idea in his 1913 play Pygmalion. In 1957, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe turned Pygmalion into the musical My Fair Lady. If you enjoyed watching the human and doll men in Barbie flail and flounce and postulate, you’ll like My Fair Lady’s take on gender relations, when upper-class Henry Higgins bets his friend he can turn poor flower girl Eliza Doolittle into a fine lady by teaching her a refined accent, without any regard for her own agency. A musical about patriarchal men wrecking their own lives by hewing too close to patriarchy…delicious. 

Rex Harrison blusters his way through “A Hymn to Him”

Dames At Sea/Grease

Dames At Sea and Grease both take satirical aim at the gender norms of the 1940s and 1950s, respectively, very similar to how Barbie tackles today’s cognitive dissonance about how feminism apparently won, while the patriarchy remains in subtler ways. John Travolta as Danny in Grease gets a shoutout in Barbie, and these two shows share the movie’s blunt, on-the-nose sense of humor. 

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

As the title suggests, this musical is one big existential crisis. With bright costuming reflecting Pedro Almodovar’s original film, this 2011 musical has an energetic score by Tony winner David Yazbek. If you loved Barbie’s ability to take cracks at depression and ennui without minimizing the issue, this might be your new favorite cast album. 

Laura Benanti performs one of musical theater’s best panic attack arias, “Model Behavior”

Evening Primrose

If you loved a movie about dolls, how about a musical about mannequins? In all seriousness, this rare gem, a one act musical by Stephen Sondheim written for television in the 1960s, shares many of the same themes as Greta Gerwig’s vision for Barbie – the desire of an object, or an objectified person, to be real. Gerwig is a known Sondheim fan (see: the Merrily sequence in Ladybird) and there’s a chance she was inspired by this show, about department store mannequins who come alive at night, and the human who discovers them, and tells them about the outside world. 

Kelli O’Hara sings “Take Me to the World” from Evening Primrose:

Into the Woods

America Ferrera and Margot Robbie’s conversations in Barbie are so reminiscent of the Baker’s Wife-Cinderella dynamic in Into the Woods, each one jealous of the other’s dilemma. This musical is famous for its childhood stories turned to adulthood seriousness. 

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Broadway's Best

Broadway’s Best Horror/Thriller Shows

While the horror and thriller genres are typically reserved for the screen, Broadway can sometimes be a spooky place, where audiences have been left with their hearts racing, for one reason or another. Just like in film, horror theater productions often use their thrills and chills as social critiques. Read on if you dare…

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Theater’s ability to comment on social issues while leaving audiences breathless and entertained might just have reached its pinnacle with the nightmarish Sweeney Todd. It’s class warfare via cannibalism, when a barber back in London after 15 years of wrongful imprisonment starts killing those responsible while shaving them, and since the price of meat is otherwise too high (“times is hard”), his downstairs neighbor bakes the bodies into pies. Maybe the most horrifying part of Sweeney is how, as we learn about the wrongs committed against Mr. Todd and his wife and daughter, they’re just so awful that his string of murders feels almost…reasonable? It’s that moral dilemma that writers Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler explore in the show. Sweeney Todd came back to Broadway in spring 2023, in a Tony-nominated revival starring Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford. 

Grey House

Photo by MurphyMade

The first play of the 2023-2024 Broadway season, Grey House intentionally pulls from the American horror film oeuvre. Set during a blizzard in an isolated cabin inhabited by weird and precocious children, a collection of horror movie tropes that the play’s script acknowledges, the production utilizes jumpscares, eerie underscoring, and innovative special effects and makeup to scare theatergoers.

1984

This adaptation of the George Orwell novel was infamously gory–it made Broadway audiences faint and throw up during its run in the summer of 2017. It used the book’s political dystopia as a basis for intense horror, divoting almost a third of its runtime to the ‘torture room’ sequences, unlike anything seen on Broadway before. 

The Pillowman

This 2004 murder mystery made playwright Martin McDonough a household name, with an incredibly dark story of a series of gruesome child murders that are eerily similar to the work of a murder mystery novelist. Particularly shocking to audiences was that, somehow, this play was also funny. 

The Humans

On the surface, Stephen Karam’s 2016 play might seem like a typical Jewish American family drama, set at a contentious Thanksgiving dinner. But something else is lurking in this Chinatown walk-up apartment, as the floors start to creak. While it’s left ambiguous, there are some forces in The Humans that might not be, well…human.

Angel Street

Have you ever wondered, where did the term “gaslighting” come from? Its source is the 1938 play Gaslight, which premiered in New York in 1941 titled Angel Street, and was later a 1944 Hollywood film. On Broadway in 1941, Vincent Price played Mr. Manningham, a London aristocrat who secretly turns the gas lights in his mansion lower and lower over time for nefarious reasons– but when his wife Bella asks him, he says the lights haven’t been lowered, making her lose her mind. 

Sleep No More

Though not on Broadway, New York theatergoers have this McKittrick mainstay on the menu for their ghostly cravings. This immersive take on Macbeth lets you roam the halls of this abandoned hotel-turned-performance venue, which also has other productions besides Sleep No More running from time to time. 

Little Shop of Horrors

Howard Ashman and Alan Menken used tropes from B horror movies and creature features from the 1950s to create Little Shop, a parable about a poor flower shop assistant on Skid Row who raises a mysterious carnivorous plant he names after his crush, Audrey. A revival directed by Michael Mayer has been running off-Broadway at the Westside Theater since 2019, with a revolving door of stage notables playing Seymour, Audrey, and Orin the Dentist. Joy Woods of Six stars as Audrey – here’s her singing “Somewhere That’s Green” with Menken on the piano.

Across the pond, London audiences have had their fair share of scare with the following shows.

2:22: A Ghost Story

A woman hears noises through her baby monitor every night at 2:22 AM. She and her husband invite two close friends over to stay up and try to figure out what’s going on, and to prove that it’s not a ghost. That’s the concept for 2:22: A Ghost Story, which finished successful runs in the West End in 2021 and 2022, as well as Los Angeles in Fall 2022– it might even start terrifying Broadway audiences soon. 

The Woman in Black

This play by Stephen Mallatratt ran continuously in London from 1989 to 2023, for a total of 13,232 performances. It’s a chilling tale of a ghostly apparition and family trauma in Northern England, with a cast of only three actors playing dozens of parts. 

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Creative

Most Anticipated Shows Coming This Season

With the 2023-2024 theatrical season underway, Broadway’s Best Shows is sharing some of the most exciting productions heading to the main stem in the coming months! With more shows still to be announced, this is just a first look at some of what Broadway and beyond has to offer theatergoers in the year ahead.

Most Anticipated Musical Revival: Cabaret

From across the pond, where this production of Cabaret has been playing in the West End since 2021, the Kander & Ebb classic will make its fifth Broadway appearance spring 2024. The Rebecca Frecknall-helmed revival will play the August Wilson Theatre with a cast yet to be announced (though some reporting suggests Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne will resume the Emcee role in which he opened the London production).

Most Anticipated Play Revival: Doubt: A Parable

Liev Schreiber and Tyne Daly are set to lead the first Broadway revival of the 2005 Tony-winning Best Play Doubt: A Parable. The John Patrick Shanley play, which was later adapted into a film starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Viola Davis, will run at Roundabout Theatre Company’s American Airlines Theatre in the new year. The theater is also set to be renamed after late Roundabout Artistic Director Todd Haimes, who passed away in May 2023. 

Most Anticipated New Musical: Harmony & Water for Elephants (TIE)

After successful world premiere productions, two exciting new musicals are headed to Broadway this season, and we couldn’t pick our favorite! 

With music by Barry Manilow and book and lyrics by Bruce Sussman, Harmony will play the Ethel Barrymore Theatre beginning October 18. The cast, under the direction and choreography of Warren Carlyle, is led by Chip Zien and Sierra Boggess reprising their roles from the Off-Broadway run at the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, and Funny Girl standout standby Julie Benko will join the cast.

Though official word has not been given, we have reason to believe that Water For Elephants is destined for a Broadway bow after wowing audiences in its Atlanta premiere at the Alliance Theatre this summer. Directed by Kimberly Akimbo’s Jessica Stone, this musical adaptation of the novelbrings high-flying circus to the stage.

Most Anticipated New Play: Prayer For the French Republic

Manhattan Theatre Club is transferring its Off-Broadway hit from last season, Joshua Harmon’s three-act epic about Jewish identity and resilience during and after the Holocaust, to the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in early 2024. Directed by David Cromer with a cast yet to be announced, Harmon’s second Broadway at-bat after 2017’s Significant Other may have some exciting surprises in store…

Most Anticipated Comedy: Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

Leslie Odom, Jr. and Kara Young will lead the first-ever Broadway revival of Ossie Davis’ landmark 1961 play Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch. Kenny Leon directs the biting comedy, which will run at the Music Box Theatre beginning September 7, with an opening night set for September 27. The cast also features Billy Eugene Jones, Jay O. Sanders, and Heather Alicia Simms. 

Most Anticipated Off-Broadway Production: Hell’s Kitchen at the Public Theater

Alicia Keys. Shoshana Bean. Michael Greif. Camille A. Brown. This musical and theatrical A-Team is coming together to bring the world premiere of Hell’s Kitchen to New York City this fall. A semi-autobiographical musical about a young “Ali” growing up in midtown Manhattan, it will feature both classics and new songs by pop icon Alicia Keys.

Most Anticipated Special Theatrical Event: Pal Joey at City Center Encores! Annual Gala

Ephraim Sykes, Aisha Jackson, and Elizabeth Stanley lead the cast of a reimagined take on Rodgers and Hart’s Pal Joey. Set to play for just one week in November as part of New York City Center’s annual gala, the production is co-directed by Tony Goldwyn and Savion Glover, with Glover also choreographing. Also set to appear in the production are Brooks Ashmanskas, Loretta Devine, and Jeb Brown.

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Broadway's Best

Broadway’s Best Directors Who Started As Actors

By Katie Devin Orenstein

Which Broadway directors gave onstage performances before leaping to the other side of the table? Find out below!

George Abbott

The larger-than-life Abbott, who lived until he was 107, directed over 50 Broadway shows, including the original productions of Pal Joey, On the Town, The Pajama Game, Once Upon a Mattress, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He made his Broadway debut as an actor in The Misleading Lady all the way back in 1913. 

Michael Arden

This year’s Tony winner for Best Direction of a Musical for Parade, Arden made his Broadway debut as an actor in the 2003 revival of Big River, and also performed in Twyla Tharp’s The Times They Are A-Changin’. 

Vinnette Justine Carroll

Vinnette Carroll became the first Black woman to be nominated for a directing Tony in 1973, for Micki Grant’s Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope. She was nominated for both directing and writing the book of Your Arms Too Short to Box With God in 1976. Her numerous acting credits include the 1961 revival of The Octoroon. 

Gower Champion

Champion was the original director and choreographer of hits like Bye Bye Birdie, Hello, Dolly!, and 42nd Street. He got his start as a dancer in 1940s revues like The Streets of Paris. 

David Cromer

In between directing The House of Blue Leaves and The Band’s Visit on Broadway, Cromer found time to play racist Homeowner’s Association member Karl Lindner in Kenny Leon’s revival of A Raisin in the Sun, as well as appear opposite Jeff Daniels in the pilot of HBO’s The Newsroom. He is also currently starring in an off-Broadway production of Uncle Vanya.

Graciela Daniele

Graciela Daniele started her career as a dancer for legends like Bob Fosse and Michael Bennett – she was in the original company of Follies, and was the original Hunyak, a.k.a. Uh-Uh in “Cell Block Tango,” in Chicago. She’s since choreographed 9 Broadway shows, and directed and choreographed another 6, including Once on this Island. She is the only Latina nominee in history for Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical at the Tonys, and she won a Lifetime Achievement Tony in 2020. 

Graciela Daniele’s Tony-nominated choreography:

Bob Fosse

Before he was the legendary director-choreographer of Pippin, Chicago, The Pajama Game, Sweet Charity, and the director of movies like Cabaret and All That Jazz, he made his Broadway debut as a dancer in the forgotten 1950 revue Dance Me a Song. He understudied the role of Joey in the 1953 Pal Joey revival that turned it into a hit, and played the role at City Center in between choreography jobs in 1963. 

Maria Friedman

Friedman will direct this fall’s upcoming revival of Merrily We Roll Along. She is a celebrated Sondheim interpreter, and earned Olivier awards for her performances as Fosca in Sondheim’s Passion, as well as Mother in Ahrens and Flaherty’s Ragtime. 

Tony Goldwyn

Tony Goldwyn is co-directing the upcoming Pal Joey rework at City Center, but he’s best known to television audiences as Scandal’s President Fitz, and he’s also going to appear this summer in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer

Kenny Leon

While Kenny Leon was the artistic director of Atlanta’s Alliance theater in the 1990s, he also found time to act in a number of TV shows– including The Rosa Parks Story, starring Angela Bassett. He won his Tony for directing A Raisin in the Sun in 2014, and is next represented on Broadway with Purlie Victorious, opening this fall. 

Patrick Marber

Marber actually began his career in British sketch comedy. He then began writing for the English stage, and wrote and directed Closer, which transferred to Broadway in 1999 and was turned into a film directed by Mike Nichols in 2004. He is now known best for his work directing Tom Stoppard plays, including 2017’s Travesties and this season’s Leopoldstadt, for which he won his first Tony award. 

Jerry Mitchell

Jerry Mitchell started dancing on Broadway as a replacement in A Chorus Line. He worked his way up to being Jerome Robbins’ assistant on Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, and choreographed You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown in 1999. His first time directing on Broadway was the beloved Legally Blonde.  

Jerry Mitchell backstage at The Will Rogers Follies,

Casey Nicholaw

Nicholaw, who won a Tony this year for choreographing Some Like It Hot, was an ensemble member in 8 Broadway shows, including dancing Susan Stroman’s choreography in Crazy For You, and understudying Horton the Elephant in the original Seussical. Those performance chops came in handy this March, when Nicholaw went on as an emergency understudy in Some Like It Hot. 

Nicholaw in the ensemble of Seussical (far right).

Jerome Robbins

Robbins, the legend at the helm of West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, and Gypsy, was born Jerome Rabinowitz, and began his career as a dancer in the 1920s in Yiddish modern dance companies. He was also a soloist with American Ballet Theatre in the early 1940s, and danced in George Balanchine’s Broadway revues. He choreographed Fancy Free for ABT, which he and Leonard Bernstein then transformed into his first Broadway choreography credit, On The Town. 

Ruben Santiago-Hudson

Santiago-Hudson was Tony nominated for his direction of August Wilson’s Jitney, and has acted in three other Wilson plays on Broadway. He also wrote, directed, and starred in his one man show Lackawanna Blues. 

Jessica Stone

Stone made her Broadway directing debut this year with Kimberly Akimbo, but her many credits as a performer include Frenchy in the 1994 Grease revival and replacing Sarah Jessica Parker as Rosemary in the 1996 revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Her next project is directing the Broadway-bound Water for Elephants, which just premiered at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. 

Jessica Stone in Grease, with Billy Porter as the Teen Angel.

Susan Stroman

Five-time Tony winner Susan Stroman, represented on Broadway this year with New York, New York, made her debut as a dancer in the country Western musical Whoopee! in 1979. 

Schele Williams

Schele Williams, who will direct the upcoming revivals of The Wiz and Aida, was an ensemble member in the original production of Aida in 2001. 

Williams understudied the title role in Aida – here she is singing “Easy as Life” from that show:

Jerry Zaks

Jerry Zaks is a four-time Tony winning director, including for his Broadway directing debut, The House of Blue Leaves. He’s also known for lavish revivals like Hello, Dolly! and The Music Man. His Broadway resumé goes back quite far – he originated the role of Kenickie in Grease. 

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Creative

A Tribute to Sheldon Harnick

Sheldon Harnick, lyricist of such Broadway classics as Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me, Fiorello!, and more, passed away on June 23, 2023, at the age of 99. Broadway’s Best Shows asked some of the artists who have staged his iconic material on and off Broadway to reflect on his body of work and his artistry.

Sheldon Harnick

Danny Burstein

Danny Burstein as Tevye in the 2015 Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof.

The great lyricist, Sheldon Harnick has passed and the world is a sadder place for it. His genius and influence will most assuredly live on forever. 

Sheldon wrote lyrics that were honest, intelligent, witty, profound, heartbreaking, ridiculously funny and always specific for characters. He and Jerry Bock wrote some of the world’s most glorious songs. Here is one of them:

“Will He Like Me” – From the musical, She Loves Me

Will he like me when we meet?
Will the shy and quiet girl he’s going to see
Be the girl that he’s imagined me to be?
Will he like me?

Will he like the girl he sees?
If he doesn’t, will he know enough to know
That there’s more to me than I may always show?
Will he like me?

Will he know that there’s a world of love
Waiting to warm him?
How I’m hoping that his eyes and ears
Won’t misinform him.

Will he like me? Who can say?
How I wish that we could meet another day.
It’s absurd for me to carry on this way.
I’ll try not to.

Will he like me?
He’s just got to.

When I am in my room alone I write
Thoughts come easily, words come fluently then.
That’s how it is when I’m alone, but tonight
There’s no hiding behind my paper and pen.

Will he know that there’s a world of love
Waiting to warm him?
How I’m hoping that his eyes and ears
Won’t misinform him.

Will he like me? I don’t know.
All I know is that I’m tempted not to go.
It’s insanity for me to worry so.
I’ll try not to.

Will he like me?
He’s just got to.
Will he like me?
Will he like me?

When I think of this lyric, I weep. How perfectly it sits in the music. How perfectly it encapsulates the character’s feelings. How perfectly it tells the story. My heart breaks to think that both of the men who created this brilliant song are no longer with us.

Sheldon was a dear friend to both myself and my late wife Rebecca. Whether it was professionally or personally, we treasured his counsel and his company. Sheldon was a shining example of a life well-lived.

Julie Benko

Julie Benko as Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof.

When I was 14 years old, I was cast as Hodel in the local JCC community theater production of Fiddler. The show was a family affair: my sister played Bielke, my dad was cast as Reb Mordcha, and my mom was a villager selling bagels. That production changed everything for me. I fell head over heels in love with the theater and began to pursue a life in show business. So, it was an enormous honor to get cast in the 2015 Broadway revival of “Fiddler,” where I understudied eight roles (one for each night of Chanukah!) and had the chance to meet Sheldon. I hope I was able to express to him just how much his words have shaped me. I have carried them with me through every major moment of my life and expect them to resonate through many more. “Sunrise, sunset,” indeed. Rest In Peace, Sheldon.

Jerry Zaks

Jerry Zaks plays the title role in the 1994 Encores production of Fiorello.

If ever anyone personified Emerson’s definition of success, it was Sheldon. 

A true great: talented, kind, and funny. 

What Is Success
by Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and
the affection of children;
To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure
the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To give of one’s self;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and
sung with exultation;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you
have lived –
This is to have succeeded.

Scott Ellis

Footage from the 1993 Broadway revival of She Loves Me, directed by Scott Ellis.

My first Broadway show I ever directed was She Loves Me… how lucky was I? It was a glorious experience, and Sheldon Harnick was one of the main reasons why. He approached that production as if it had never been done before. Sheldon was so encouraging, supportive, and beyond respectful to a very young director doing this for the first time. He was joyous, loving, and so, so incredibly smart. I could not have asked for a better teacher and collaborator. We remained friends in the years following, and eventually, I had the privilege of revisiting She Loves Me twenty years later. Nothing had changed; Sheldon still approached the process as if it was the first production and brought all of his love and support back into the room. I am so fortunate to be able to look back and see where my life and career shifted. She Loves Me was that moment, and Sheldon was the center of it all. How lucky for everyone that his legacy will live on with future generations through his beautiful work.

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Broadway's Best

Broadway’s Best Shows about America

by Katie Devin Orenstein

Celebrate the 4th of July weekend with Broadway’s Best Shows as we run through some of the top patriotic musicals in the can(n)on (get it?).

1776 is a musicalization of the 4th of July holiday’s origin story, as founding father John Adams suffers through a sweltering Philadelphia summer to try to get the Declaration of Independence completed and signed by the Continental Congress. The show highlights just how hard it was to make democracy happen – and the contradictions within, including the simmering fight between Northern and Southern states over slavery, in the song “Molasses to Rum.” While all the signees of the Declaration were men, 1776 makes sure to include Abigail Adams’ influence on the proceedings.

Ragtime tells an epic story about the American Dream at the turn of the 20th century, interweaving the lives of Black Americans, Eastern European Jewish immigrants, and the wealthy white people at the top of New York society. Ragtime is a moving story about America’s flaws and its immense potential. 

Working, with a rousing opening number that takes its lyrics from Walt Whitman’s poem “I Hear America Singing,” is a love letter to everyday Americans, and the American melting pot. Its songs are from a variety of writers, including Stephen Schwartz, Mary Rodgers, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. The song “Steelworker” is actually by folk music legend James Taylor, in his Broadway songwriting debut:

Of Thee I Sing is a gentle satire of that which we celebrate on the 4th of July, American democracy. The first musical to win a Pulitzer Prize, way back in 1932, the show features songs by the Gershwin brothers, including “Who Cares?”, and a book by George S. Kaufman. The plot concerns a presidential campaign, and a candidate who suddenly starts to go up in the polls when he switches his platform to “LOVE”, proposing to his lady love at every campaign stop, instead of a stump speech!

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson is a musical about early American politicians, using a contemporary music genre (in this case, punk and emo rock) – and it was on Broadway five years before Hamilton! With music and lyrics by OBIE winner Michael Friedman, the show chronicles controversial populist president Andrew Jackson’s rise and fall in the 1830s and 40s. With catchy tunes and a bit of onstage gore, BBAJ captures the essence of an angry, formative moment in American history:

Of course, no list of 4th of July-themed musicals would be complete without Hamilton. Here’s Leslie Odom, Jr., star of the upcoming play Purlie Victorious on Broadway, performing “Wait For It” 

Categories
Broadway's Best

Broadway’s Best Shows About Summer

By Katie Devin Orenstein

Now that summer has been officially kicked off, here are our five favorite Broadway shows set during the summer. 

A Little Night Music

Way up north in the Swedish countryside, the sun doesn’t set in summertime. In Stephen Sondheim’s adaptation of the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, this perpetual anticipation is the perfect opportunity for romantic entanglements and chaos, for the aristocracy and their servants alike. The act 1 finale sends everyone and their spouses and lovers to a “Weekend in the Country”:

In The Heights

In The Heights captures everything about a New York summer: Fourth of July fireworks, absurd heat and humidity, block parties, blackouts, and frozen treats from street vendors. Here’s Chris Eliseo as In the Heights’ Piragua Guy, ready to go to war with Mr. Softee:

The Light in the Piazza 

“We’re on vacation!” trill Victoria Clark and Kelli O’Hara in the opening number of Adam Guettel’s rapturous score. The original production’s lighting and set design, by Christopher Akerlind and Michael Yeargan respectively, capture the heat and passion of a Florentine summer. 

110 in the Shade

110 in the Shade is a small-town Western love story set during a brutal drought and heatwave over the Fourth of July, with a romantic score by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones of The Fantasticks. The 2007 revival starred Audra McDonald. 

Carousel

“Just because it’s June, June, June”! Most of this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic takes place during a summer in coastal Maine, and features traditions like community clambakes, and the classic song “June is Bustin’ Out All Over.” And of course, the titular carousel, which traveled up and down the Eastern seaboard as part of summertime traveling carnivals in the 1890s. 

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Creative

The Pride of Broadway: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Plays and Musicals

Broadway has long been a platform for diverse stories, and the LGBTQ+ community has found a powerful voice within its hallowed theaters. From groundbreaking dramas to electrifying musicals, the Broadway stage has showcased the struggles, triumphs, and vibrant lives of LGBTQ+ individuals. Let’s delve into the realm of LGBTQ+ plays and musicals, exploring iconic productions that have captivated audiences and left an indelible mark on both the stage and society.

Angels in America: Tony Kushner’s monumental masterpiece, “Angels in America,” shattered barriers and ignited conversations about sexuality, politics, and the AIDS crisis. Set against the backdrop of 1980s America, this two-part play explores the intersecting lives of a group of individuals affected by the epidemic. With its poetic language, powerful themes, and unforgettable characters, “Angels in America” remains an enduring symbol of LGBTQ+ resilience and the fight for equality.

Fun Home: Based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir, “Fun Home” invites audiences on a deeply personal journey of self-discovery and acceptance. This groundbreaking musical delves into Bechdel’s experiences growing up in a funeral home, her relationship with her closeted gay father, and her own exploration of her sexuality. With its poignant storytelling and memorable songs, “Fun Home” shines a light on the complexities of family dynamics and the quest for authenticity.

A Strange Loop: Uplifting and introspective, “A Strange Loop” offers a fresh and unapologetic perspective on the challenges faced by a young, black, queer artist. Michael R. Jackson’s innovative musical takes audiences on a journey through the mind of Usher, a struggling writer grappling with self-doubt, body image, and societal expectations. With its blend of humor, soul-stirring songs, and raw honesty, “A Strange Loop” celebrates the power of self-love and artistic expression. A Strange Loop is coming to the West End.

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The Normal Heart: Larry Kramer’s seminal play, “The Normal Heart,” serves as a powerful testament to the early years of the AIDS crisis and the tireless activism that emerged during that time. Through the character of Ned Weeks, loosely based on Kramer himself, the play confronts the government’s inaction, the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS, and the urgent need for community support. “The Normal Heart” continues to be a rallying cry for LGBTQ+ rights and a reminder of the importance of solidarity in the face of adversity.

The Laramie Project: “The Laramie Project” is a poignant and heart-wrenching play that explores the aftermath of the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Laramie, Wyoming. Through a series of interviews conducted with the people of Laramie, the play reflects the town’s response to the hate crime and examines broader issues of prejudice and intolerance. By giving voice to various perspectives, “The Laramie Project” calls for empathy and understanding in a divided world.

The Boys in the Band: Mart Crowley’s groundbreaking play, “The Boys in the Band,” made its mark in 1968 as one of the first plays to unapologetically portray gay characters. Set during a birthday party, the play explores the complexities of friendship, love, and self-acceptance within a group of gay men. It remains a significant cultural touchstone, representing a time of evolving LGBTQ+ visibility and the challenges faced by the community.

The Nance: Set in the 1930s, “The Nance” provides a glimpse into the world of burlesque and the life of a “nance” — a stock character often portrayed as a campy, effeminate gay man. Douglas Carter Beane’s play sensitively explores the dichotomy faced by the protagonist, Chauncey Miles, as he navigates his personal life while performing on stage. “The Nance” serves as a powerful reminder of the struggles faced by LGBTQ+ individuals during an era of limited acceptance.

Torch Song Trilogy: Harvey Fierstein’s “Torch Song Trilogy” follows the journey of Arnold Beckoff, a drag queen and gay man, as he seeks love, family, and acceptance in 1970s and 1980s New York City. This landmark play explores themes of identity, relationships, and the longing for a sense of belonging. With its mix of heartache, humor, and resilience, “Torch Song Trilogy” became a touchstone for LGBTQ+ audiences and a symbol of hope.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch: A rock musical like no other, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” tells the story of Hedwig, a transgender rock singer from East Germany. With a fusion of catchy songs and a compelling narrative, this musical explores themes of gender identity, love, and the quest for self-acceptance. “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” has captivated audiences with its fierce energy and unapologetic celebration of individuality.

Kinky Boots: Inspired by a true story, “Kinky Boots” follows the journey of Charlie Price as he takes over his family’s struggling shoe factory and forms an unlikely partnership with drag queen Lola. With a vibrant score by Cyndi Lauper, this feel-good musical celebrates acceptance, self-expression, and the power of embracing one’s true self. “Kinky Boots” offers a joyous celebration of diversity and the triumph of love over prejudice.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert: Based on the hit film, “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” takes audiences on a fabulous journey across the Australian Outback with a trio of drag queens. This exuberant musical combines dazzling costumes, disco hits, and a heartfelt story of friendship and self-discovery. Through its vibrant spectacle and themes of resilience and acceptance, “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” has become a beloved LGBTQ+ anthem.

Broadway has played a vital role in giving voice to LGBTQ+ narratives, allowing for greater understanding, acceptance, and celebration of the community’s experiences. As Broadway continues to evolve, it remains an essential platform for sharing the diverse stories of the LGBTQ+ community, fostering empathy, and inspiring change.