Classic Broadway Shows

Chicago found mainstream movie success through the 2002 production starring Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones. However, it premiered on Broadway in 1975 to great critical acclaim. This rip-roaring musical is a fantastic depiction of the Roaring 20s media circus and the nature of celebrity. It follows the story of innocent chorus girl Roxie Hart who finds herself in jail after shooting her lover. Roxie teams up with a slick lawyer and another raunchy singer, Velma, to propel herself to superstardom. This musical classic has won multiple Tony Awards and even a Grammy! If you’re looking for classic Broadway glamour, Chicago is the perfect musical frolic for you.

Chicago the Musical Schedule 2023/2024 

Andrew Lloyd Webber also created this Broadway favorite, The Phantom of the Opera. Debuting in London’s West End in the mid-eighties, this haunting musical hit Broadway in 1988 and became an instant classic. Audiences in the following thirty years have been enthralled by its melancholy but romantic storyline and beautiful melodies. The show follows a disfigured, underground-lurking musical genius (the Phantom) and his obsession with a beautiful, supremely talented soprano (Christine). The gripping, evocative musical score and unforgettable storyline have gripped audiences for decades. Indeed, The Phantom of the Opera has rightly earned its place in the Broadway hall of fame.

The Phantom of the Opera Schedule 2023/2024 

Tennessee Williams wrote The Glass Menagerie in the 1940s and it catapulted him to fame the moment it hit Broadway. This classic stage production is largely autobiographical, featuring five key characters based on people from Williams’ life. The play follows an emotionally torrid series of events that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. The Glass Menagerie doesn’t use music or flashy scenery to impress the audience. Instead, it’s all about the interactions between the five main characters. As beloved now as it was in the forties, The Glass Menagerie is a true Broadway classic.

Hello, Dolly! was first shown on Broadway in 1964 and has won ten Tony Awards since its release. The musical is even a record-breaker, holding the title of Best Musical for longer than any other production. The 1969 Hello Dolly! film adaptation also won several Academy Awards. The musical is set in early 20th century New York and follows boisterous matchmaker Dolly Levi. Musical numbers abound as Dolly tries to win over “half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder to gain his hand in marriage. This musical is a doozy, that’s for sure! If you’re a fan of musical theater, Hello, Dolly is a classic that you’ve got to see.

Miss Saigon premiered in 1991 and is one of the longest-running Broadway musicals in history. The story is based upon Puccini‘s Madame Butterfly with the integration of a more modern American setting. In 1975, during the end of America’s occupation of Saigon, a relationship blossoms between an American G.I. and a Vietnamese woman. The young woman, Kim, has to work in a sleazy Saigon nightclub after being orphaned by the war. There she meets Chris, the G.I., on a night that will change both of their lives forever. Miss Saigon is romantic, emotional, and full of hauntingly beautiful songs. Its upcoming revival promises to be another successful run for this excellent Broadway classic.

Les Misérables is a sung-through musical based on the epic French novel by Victor Hugo. Les Mis opened on Broadway in 1986 to tremendous critical and audience acclaim. In fact, the musical is so popular that it has made several highly anticipated revivals since its first run. This ground-breaking Broadway classic is set in 19th century France and tells the story of a host of pitiable characters. With the backdrop of the French revolution and tales of love, loss, and redemption, Les Misérables is a compelling production. Moving musical numbers like “I Dreamed A Dream” and “Do You Hear the People Sing?” add to the appeal. Les Mis is a lengthy but captivating stage production that is a sure Broadway classic.

Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical focuses on sixties hippie culture and the booming sexual revolution of that era. The musical follows the “tribe” who lives in New York City and fight against army conscription. The main character, Claude, struggles to balance the revolutionary attitudes of his friends and the hippie counterculture with the pressures of society and his conservative parents. Hair contains explicit language, drug use, and blooming sexuality, so it caused a huge stir upon its release in 1967. However, its strong themes and classic musical numbers like “Aquarius” and “Let The Sunshine In” make it a Broadway classic.

Andrew Lloyd Webber has created some of Broadway’s greatest productions, and Cats is no exception. The musical is based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and follows a tribe of feline characters. These cats, the Jellicles, must choose one feline to go to Heaviside Layer and ascend to a new life. The spectacular feline costumes and adrenaline-fueled choreography make Cats stand out as a Broadway classic. Indeed, it has won multiple Olivier and Tony Awards and has been performed all over the world. Cats are a classic that should not be missed.