1980s
1.
Phantom of the Opera
**
(1988) (Lloyd Webber, Hart, and Stilgoe)
| 8,643
|
2.
Cats
(1982) (Lloyd Webber and Eliot)
| 7,485
|
3.
Les Misérables
(1987) (Boublil, Schönberg, and Kretzmer)
| 6,680
|
4.
42nd Street
(1980) (Warren, Dubin, Stewart, and Bramble)
| 3,486
|
5.
La Cage aux Folles
(1983) (Herman and Fierstein)
| 1,761
|
6.
Dreamgirls
(1981) (Krieger and Eyen)
| 1,522
|
7.
Me and My Girl
(1986) (Gay, Rose, and Furber)
| 1,412
|
1990s
1.
Beauty and the Beast
(1994) (Menken, Ashman, and Rice)
| 5,461
|
2.
Rent
(1996) (Larson)
| 5,124
|
3.
Chicago (Revival)
**
(1996) (Kander and Ebb)
| 5,088
|
4.
The Lion King
**
(1997) (John and Rice)
| 4,720
|
5.
Miss Saigon
(1991) (Schönberg and Boublil)
| 4,097
|
6.
Mamma Mia!
**
(1999) (Andersson and Luvaeus)
| 3,058
|
7.
Cabaret (Revival)
(Kander and Ebb)
| 2,378
|
8.
Smokey Joe’s Café
(Leiber and Stoller)
| 2,036
|
9.
Crazy for You
(G. and I. Gershwin and Ludwig)
| 1,622
|
2000s
1.
Hairspray
(2002) (Shaiman and Wittman)
| 2,641
|
2.
The Producers
(2001) (Brooks and Kelly)
| 2,502
|
3.
Avenue Q
**
(2003) (Lopez and Marx)
| 2,306
|
4.
Wicked
**
(2003) (Schwartz)
| 2,198
|
5.
Aida
(2000) (John and Rice)
| 1,852
|
6.
Monty Python’s Spamalot
(2005) (Du Prez and Idle)
| 1,574
|
*
Musicals in boldface type are discussed in the text.
**
Running as of February 22, 2009, according to
Playbill
’s “Long Runs on Broadway,” prepared by Ernio Hernandez.
Appendix C:
The Forty Longest-Running Musicals
on Broadway 1920–1959 and 1920–2008
1920–1959
1.
My Fair Lady
(1956)
*
| 2,717
|
2.
Oklahoma!
(1943)
| 2,212
|
3.
South Pacific
(1949)
| 1,925
|
4.
The Sound of Music
(1959)
| 1,443
|
5.
Hellzapoppin’
(1938)
| 1,404
|
6.
The Music Man
(1957)
| 1,375
|
7.
The King and I
(1951)
| 1,246
|
8.
Guys and Dolls
(1950)
| 1,200
|
9.
Annie Get Your Gun
(1946)
| 1,147
|
10.
Pins and Needles
(1937)
| 1,108
|
11.
Kiss Me, Kate
(1948)
| 1,070
|
12.
Pajama Game
(1954)
| 1,063
|
13.
Damn Yankees
(1955)
| 1,019
|
14.
Bells Are Ringing
(1956)
| 924
|
15.
Can-Can
(1953)
| 892
|
16.
Carousel
(1945)
| 890
|
17.
Fanny
(1954)
| 888
|
18.
Follow the Girls
(1944)
| 882
|
19.
Song of Norway
(1944)
| 860
|
20.
Fiorello!
(1959)
| 796
|
21.
Where’s Charley?
(1948)
| 792
|
22.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
(1949)
| 740
|
23.
West Side Story
(1957)
| 732
|
24.
High Button Shoes
(1947)
| 727
|
25.
Finian’s Rainbow
(1947)
| 725
|
26.
Gypsy
(1959)
| 702
|
27.
Li’l Abner
(1956)
| 693
|
28.
The Most Happy Fella
(1956)
| 676
|
29.
Bloomer Girl
(1944)
| 654
|
30.
Call Me Madam
(1950)
| 644
|
31.
The Student Prince in Heidelberg
(1924)
| 608
|
32.
Wish You Were Here
(1952)
| 598
|
33.
Blossom Time
(1921)
| 592
|
34.
Kismet
(1953)
| 583
|
35.
Brigadoon
(1947)
| 581
|
36.
Show Boat
(1927)
| 575
|
37.
Sally
(1920)
| 570
|
38.
One Touch of Venus
(1943)
| 567
|
39.
Wonderful Town
(1953)
| 559
|
40.
Rose-Marie
(1924) and
Good News
(1927)
| 557
|
1920–2008
1.
The Phantom of the Opera
**
(1988)
| 8,771
|
2.
Cats
(1982)
| 7,485
|
3.
Les Misérables
(1987)
| 6,680
|
4.
A Chorus Line
(1975)
| 6,137
|
5.
Beauty and the Beast
(1994)
| 5,461
|
6.
Rent
(1996)
| 5,124
|
7.
Chicago (Revival)
**
(1996)
| 5,088
|
8.
The Lion King
**
(1997)
| 4,720
|
9.
Miss Saigon
(1991)
| 4,097
|
10.
42nd Street
(1980)
| 3,486
|
11.
Grease
(1972)
| 3,388
|
12.
Fiddler on the Roof
(1964)
| 3,242
|
13.
Mamma Mia!
**
(1999)
| 3,058
|
14.
Hello, Dolly!
(1964)
| 2,844
|
15.
My Fair Lady
(1956)
| 2,717
|
16.
Hairspray
(2002)
| 2,641
|
17.
The Producers
(2001)
| 2,502
|
18.
Cabaret (Revival)
(1998)
| 2,378
|
19.
Annie
(1977)
| 2,377
|
20.
The Man of La Mancha
(1965)
| 2,328
|
21.
Avenue Q
**
(2003)
| 2,306
|
22.
Oklahoma!
(1943)
| 2,212
|
23.
Wicked
**
(2003)
| 2,198
|
24.
Smokey Joe’s Café
(1995)
| 2,036
|
25.
Pippin
(1971)
| 1,994
|
26.
South Pacific
(1949)
| 1,925
|
27.
Magic Show
(1974)
| 1,920
|
28.
Aida
(2000)
| 1,852
|
29.
La Cage aux Folles
(1983)
| 1,761
|
30.
Hair
(1968)
| 1,750
|
31.
The Wiz
(1975)
| 1,672
|
32.
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
(1978)
| 1,584
|
33.
Crazy for You
(1992)
| 1,622
|
34.
Ain’t Misbehavin’
(1978)
| 1,604
|
35.
Monty Python’s Spamalot
(2005)
| 1,574
|
36.
Evita
(1979)
| 1,567
|
37.
Jekyll & Hyde
(1997)
| 1,543
|
38.
42nd Street (Revival)
(2001)
| 1,524
|
39.
Dreamgirls
(1981)
| 1,522
|
40.
Mame
(1966)
| 1,508
|
*
Musicals in boldface type are discussed in the text.
**
Running as of February 22, 2009.
Appendix D:
Show Boat: 1927–1994
Broadway 1927
Overture
(Based mainly on “Mis’ry’s Comin’ Around” and “Why Do I Love You?” Other musical material includes “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” and references to Magnolia’s piano theme and “Ol’ Man River”). [Harms vocal score, 5–11]
Act I
Scene 1: The levee at Natchez, on the Mississippi—in the late eighteen eighties.
1. “Opening—Cotton Blossom” (Chorus) [12–44], “Cap’n Andy’s Ballyhoo” (Captain Andy), “Where’s the Mate for Me?” (Ravenal)
2. “Make Believe” (Ravenal and Magnolia) [45–53]
3. “Ol’ Man River” (Joe) [54–65]
