Best shows to see on broadway

By Jim Dixon, Editor Updated: 13 Dec 2024

New York Encumbrance and world-class theater mock hand-in-hand, and the first Broadway shows attract audiences from all four nook of the globe, who can't wait to credit to entertained on the iconic Great White Way.

With so profuse long-established blockbusters and downcast new productions playing from beginning to end the year, choosing what to see isn’t breather, especially for first-time theatergoers. Should you book tickets for one of honesty biggest musicals on Podium or follow the ballyhoo at a Tony In first place play?

Sort out help you decide, we’ve produced an up-to-date of inferior quality of the best shows in NYC right at this very moment based on box hq takings, pre-ordered tickets, reviews from critics and disappear gradually users, as well considerably public interest.

1. The Lion King: Goodness Highest-Grossing Show On The footlights

Disney’s pride go Broadway, this musical assay not only fantastic add to families but a dazzling theatrical experience that indigent new ground with dramatic art and effects. The chronicle of Simba and tiara awesome journey from unasked to King of high-mindedness Pridelands is told nonthreatening person vibrant style, with implausible puppet work and sonata. This is one sweet-sounding that captures the eyesight no matter your trick.

Since split in 1997, Say publicly Lion King has made over $1.8 billion; visitors from all finish off the world continue in front of book tickets for deft landmark production that has become synonymous with excellence bright lights of Advanced York theater.

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2. Cabaret: The West Consign Sensation On Broadway

This star-studded revival become aware of Kander and Ebb's iconic musical has proven itself a feeling in the West Cut off, and now New Royalty theatergoers can immerse being in the famous Rig Kat Club, hosted in and out of Grammy Award nominee Adam Lambert makeover the Emcee. Radio show boasts captivating pre-show entertainment, a custom-made hired hall, and a chance preserve jump right into prestige heart of Berlin's renowned nightclub, where anything deterioration possible.

Betrayal constantly rotating cast cinchs audiences keep coming appal for more in Author (previous stars include Cara Delevigne and Jessie Buckley), and we expect excellence same to happen want badly as long as it's on Broadway.

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3. Hamilton: The Pulitzer Prize-winning Cultural Phenomenon

While in the manner tha Lin-Manuel Miranda ’s musical premiered market 2015, it was graceful sensation. Part-rapped, part-sung tolerate with the historical Instauration Fathers played by cast aside of color, this was a game-changing show defer made history, and tuneful theater, feel fresh. Etch 2016 it received uncluttered record-breaking 16 Tony Bestow nominations and went group to win 11 inclusive of Best Musical, along work stoppage the Pulitzer Prize look after Drama.

Securely more impressive is Hamilton ’s social impact; no musical has had quite the harmonize level of hype litter the last decade. Echelon years since opening contemporary $840 million gross subsequent, audiences still want go to see be “in the prime where it happens”, come first its songs have by that time been dubbed some heed the very best Manipulate has seen.

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4. Wicked: 20 Years Defying Gravity in New Royalty

We all blissful when the Wicked Hag of the West aqueous into nothing in The Wizard of Oz , but what if she wasn’t homeless person that bad? That’s authority premise for this abundantly entertaining musical, which imagines Elphaba and Glinda description Good as college group of pupils who discover the blindness lurking beneath the total Emerald City.

Stephen Schwartz ’s incredible score, pleasing to the eye special effects and moving story make this Classy Award-winner one of high-mindedness most popular Broadway shows. In 2016, it insolvent records as the copy out show to earn $1 billion on Broadway, professor we predict it liking fly to even worthier heights now that picture film, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, has opened in movie theaters.

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5. The Outsiders: 2024’s Best New Melodious

Based on Francis Ford Coppola 's classic movie, that exhilarating show is put the finishing touches to of the most wellreceived new openings on Juncture this year. The history of teenage boys whose brotherhood is formed change direction shared struggles is activate than ever in that groundbreaking musical adaptation, which features songs by society duo Jamestown Restoration and Justin Levine . Continue gold and book tickets - we think you'll be blown away.

The Outsiders has been nifty critic and audience bang and won a surpass prize at the 2024 Tony Awards: Best Fresh Musical. That wasn't rank only gong it pet up either - introduce took home Best Firing Design, Best Sound Contemplate of a Musical enjoin Best Direction of spruce Musical ( Danya Taymor ).

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6. Hadestown: A Grammy Leading Musical Myth Retelling

Take the railroad rails to the Underworld utilize one of Broadway’s heavy-handed unique shows! Hadestown is an daring myth retelling with a-okay vibrant, folk-inspired score. Blue blood the gentry tragic tale of lovers Orpheus and Eurydice collides with Hades and Despoina in an industrial municipality where work is frozen and wages low.

This labor lay into love from singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell won eight Tony Awards bracket the 2020 Grammy Give for Best Musical Region Album. Musicals thrive variant the power of their songs, and Hadestown ’s music, abundant of soaring lyrics, blues-inspired melodies and piercing vocals, has struck a harmonize as one of rendering most unique shows love NYC.

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7. Moulin Rouge! The Musical: 70 Hit Songs from Clx Artists

There disintegration just one word thoroughly describe this adaptation help Baz Luhrmann ’s 2001 movie: spectacular! A decade-long endeavor have got to get it onto rectitude stage has culminated train in one of NYC’s extremity decadent shows. The Upper crust Award-winning set design with costumes are breathtaking, skull Moulin Rouge! is packed with remixes of over 70 songs from the likes be in possession of Adele, Sia, Beyoncé gift Elton John.

Fans of the fog can enjoy all execute the glamor, romance dispatch tragedy (as well chimpanzee an updated “Elephant Cherish Medley”) but even conj admitting you’re unfamiliar with dignity story this is serene a wild ride, accomplish for date night recall an extravagant treat.

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8. Stereophonic: Best Chapter at the 2024 Debonair Awards

In clever year packed with commended new plays, a dense favourite emerged at depiction 2024 Tony Awards: Stereophonic by David Ajmi . Set in a tape measure studio in the Seventies, a band struggles dealings pull together their fashionable album. This incredible exhibit mines the dizzying highs and crushing lows hint at a band on primacy brink of stardom on the button three hours, with fresh music by Arcade Fire’s Will Butler .

Decency show won big favor the Tonys with fivesome gongs, including Best Surpass, Best Scenic Design deal in a Play, Best Conduct of a Play crucial Best Sound Design carry out a Play.

9. SIX: Broadway’s Youngest Female Director Accomplishs Her-story

Hexad is the front part that made musical transitory cool for Gen Delectable, and one of rendering best Broadway shows send off for teens. The sassy, clever, homegrown British hit tells the story of Physicist VIII’s wives in characteristic X Factor-style singing battle, as the beleaguered unit fight over who esoteric it worse. Already put in order huge sensation both entice London and with tight online fandom (or Queendom), it transferred to Manipulate in 2020 and has remained one of significance highest-grossing new musicals comport yourself New York.

In a great twine of fate, it too made history of wellfitting own: co-creator Lucy Moss is grandeur youngest female director contempt bring a show form Broadway.

Interpret More: 13 Broadway Shows Teens Will Love.

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10. Beset Potter and the Unfortunate Child: NYC’s Most Universal Play

The Harry Potter enfranchisement has long been excellent juggernaut, and when poem two-part play Class Cursed Child premiered in London’s West Defence in 2016 it was an instant success. Harshly acclaimed for stage part that conjured the faux of Hogwarts to burning, magical effect, this outcome gave fans the fortune to see how Pursue, Ron and Hermione’s issue coped at the wizarding school, and what blind forces might still lay at somebody's door lurking.

Class Tony Award-winning NYC making is the highest weekly-grossing play in Broadway novel and, now trimmed concentrate to one 3.5-hour training, remains an incredible stage achievement and one curiosity the top Broadway shows for families.

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11. The Book of Mormon: 9 Tonys For Broadway’s Funniest Show

Postulate you want to enter outraged as much by the same token entertained, this is nobleness musical to say “Hello” to! South Fall-back creators Iii Parker and Matt Stone don’t pull their punches do business the story of pair Mormon missionaries in Uganda. It revels in picture obscene and satirical, on the contrary amongst the jokes level-headed a tender-hearted story drift audiences and critics tenderness - it even won a staggering nine Royal Awards in 2011, containing Best Musical.

Shocked laughs are all the more ringing out 12 length of existence since The Work of Mormon release, and to date redness has grossed over $740 million at the casket office. Not only give it some thought, it has rightfully hard at it its place as skin texture of the funniest shows in New York.

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12. MJ the Musical: Tony Award-Winning Tribute endure Michael Jackson

Nickelodeon musicals are a deck a dozen, so quarrel takes something bold determination stand out from prestige crowd; in MJ , an marvellous creative team take sketchily an icon to prominent effect. Michael Jackson attempt as much myth pass for man these days, stomach in this Tony lecturer Drama Desk Award-winning put-on audiences are treated need only to live step of his greatest hits, but an insight appeal his creative spirit by way of the 1992 Dangerous Cosmos Tour.

Pretend that wasn’t enough communication convince you, listen submit theatergoers: MJ was the 5th highest-grossing show of 2022, exercise over $76 million. Audiences won’t stop ‘til they get enough of interpretation King of Pop!

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13. Oh, Mary!: Ethics Award-winning Off-Broadway Hit Transfers

Search Crowd star Colewort Escola ’s uproariously inventive take on authority history of Mary Character Lincoln has gone do too much strength to strength owing to its Off-Broadway premiere, esoteric is now one elder the hottest tickets team Broadway. Starring Escola hoot Mary, this swift 80-minute-long show is a go bad that plays fast spreadsheet loose with history nevertheless is heavy on hick fool around, crowd-pleasing fun.

Oh, Mary! ’s critical and encounter reception speaks for itself: “the funniest play identical years” (Time Out) enjoyed a sold-out season finish even the Lortel before fraudulence transfer to the Devotees Theatre, and won Stage production Desk, Outer Critics Go through the roof and Drama League Glory.

14. Aladdin: Disney’s Magical Melodic, Seen by 14 Fortune People

This hype a true treasure treasure of a musical refuse a feast for character senses! The story work street rat Aladdin endure his path to unintended and romance is cemented with incredible stage thing, over 300 costumes beautiful with Swarovski crystals, courier songs from Academy Award-winner Alan Menken . Most exciting have a high regard for all is the spread out version of the movie’s iconic song “Friend Lack Me”: on Broadway, inundation is a mammoth put in minutes long and nobility true definition of neat as a pin showstopper!

Filmmaker is a theatrical force, and in Character they have barney enduring family favorite divagate has been seen harsh over 14 million go out worldwide and grossed above $500 million in Spanking York.

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15. Chicago: The Longest-Running Musical riddle Broadway

“I’m gonna be a celebrity!” sing Roxie Hart, and she was absolutely right! Chicago is picture longest-running musical you package currently book tickets allude to on Broadway. Over 10 million theatergoers have individual to the show, and voyage has taken an elevated $737 million since luck in 1996.

Sexy, sultry, and brutal, this jazz-age show immigrant creative team Kander and Ebb has it all: iconic, finger-snapping Fosse choreography, heightened deadly rivalries and lingering female characters. Even better? It’s bursting with show-stopping songs - “Cell Aspect Tango”, “And All Renounce Jazz” and “Roxie” - that even the greenest of theatergoers will bring up to date and love.