Broadway is about to kick off a new season of shows, all of which I’m sure would like to become the next big thing that runs for 20+ years. And some shows that have only been around for a year, like Book of Mormon, look like they’ll have nice long runs. However, some newbies have a long way to go before they can top the list of the longest running shows of all time. Below, the top ten (as of today…check out #10).
1. The Phantom of the Opera
Total performances: 9795 (as of 8/14/2011)
Run dates: 1/25/1988–present
The Phantom of the Opera wins this category by a long shot, as it’s been running over 23 years and it’s still going strong. Audiences love the spectacle created by the massive chandelier and other special effects that set the mood for this musical, and the production also won 7 Tony Awards in its first year.
2. Cats
Total performances: 7485
Run dates: 10/7/1982–9/10/2000
Cats is one of those shows that you either love or hate, and it’s apparent that a lot of people loved it, considering the run lasted almost 18 years. Unfortunately, this show will probably lose its #2 spot at some point, since there are some close competitors that are still on Broadway.
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I just finished watching the 65th annual Tony Awards, and it was a great show. Host Neil Patrick Harris was hilarious and entertaining as always, even taking one 30 second interval to make as many jokes about "Spider-Man" as he could. All of the musical numbers were amazing, and Nikki M. James' acceptance speech almost made me cry; she was so excited! Also, you need to watch Mark Rylance's acceptance speech. It's...indescribable.
But the most important thing is, now we can figure out who won the Tony predictions war, me or Colin! Here are the results:
Best Play
- What Colin predicted: War Horse
- What Liz predicted: War Horse
- Who actually won: War Horse
Best Musical
- What Colin predicted: The Book of Mormon
- What Liz predicted: The Book of Mormon
- Who actually won: The Book of Mormon
Best Book of a Musical
- What Colin predicted: The Scottsboro Boys
- What Liz predicted: The Book of Mormon
- Who actually won: The Book of Mormon
Best Original Score
- What Colin predicted: The Scottsboro Boys
- What Liz predicted: The Book of Mormon
- Who actually won: The Book of Mormon
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The Tony Awards are rapidly approaching, with the telecast scheduled for 8/7c on June 12. I decided to challenge one of our newest contributors, Colin, to try and predict who will win all the categories, and I did the same. Our predictions are below...once the awards are announced we'll see who wins.
Best Play
- Nominees: Good People, Jerusalem, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, War Horse
- Colin's pick: War Horse. A very deep and inventive play – all the neat puppetry with the horse figures and the intense World War I aura. The play itself is also British-based and so it has Shakespeare in its genes.
- Liz's pick: I'll have to go with Colin on this one. It was a giant hit in London, and now it's a giant hit on Broadway.
Best Musical
- Nominees: The Book of Mormon, Catch Me If You Can, The Scottsboro Boys, Sister Act
- Colin's pick: The Book of Mormon. Too big, too loud, too funny to ignore – customers rave, ticket sales are off the charts – is there really a choice? Lucky, too, that most of the drama critics in New York aren't Mormon...
- Liz's pick: Ditto.
Best Book of a Musical
- Nominees: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Book of Mormon, The Scottsboro Boys, Sister Act
- Colin's pick: The Scottsboro Boys. Author David Thompson graduated from Northwestern University, where I went to school—so he's obviously brilliant.
- Liz's pick: The Book of Mormon. It's a lot like South Park and Avenue Q, which are both awesome.
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