1,000+ performance productions

Click on a production title for a write-up on the show with background, history, commentary and video clips. Also included is a link to the podcast episode covering the production.

All performance numbers are as of December 10th, 2024. Bolded productions are still active and so their place on the list may have moved.

Rank: Production, # of performances

  • #126: Newsies. 1,004.
  • #125: Big River: 1,005.
  • #124: Beatlemania: 1,006.
  • #123: Never Too Late: 1,007.
  • #122: Contact: 1,010.
  • #121: Grand Hotel: 1,017.
  • #120: Damn Yankees: 1,019.
  • #119: Les Miserables (2014 revival): 1,024.
  • #118: The Teahouse of the August Moon: 1,027.
  • #117: Annie Get Your Gun (1999 revival): 1,045.
  • #116: Shenandoah: 1,050.
  • #115: The Pajama Game: 1,063.
  • #114: Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope: 1,065.
  • #113: Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark: 1,066.
  • #112: Kiss Me, Kate: 1,077.
  • #111: They’re Playing Our Song: 1,082.
  • #110: Fosse: 1,093.
  • #109: Plaza Suite: 1,097.
  • #108: Pins and Needles: 1,108.
  • #107: Butterflies Are Free: 1,128.
  • #106: Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk: 1,135.
  • #105: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: 1,136.
  • #104: The Seven Year Itch: 1,141.
  • #103: Guys and Dolls (1992 revival): 1,143.
  • #102: Annie Get Your Gun: 1,147.
  • #101: Mister Rogers: 1,157.
  • #99 (tie): Cabaret: 1,165.
  • #99 (tie): Memphis: 1,165.
  • #98: Once: 1,186.
  • #97: Amadeus: 1,181.
  • #96: In the Heights: 1,184.
  • #95: MJ the Musical: 1,189.
  • #94: Guys and Dolls: 1,200.
  • #93: Sugar Babies: 1,208.
  • #92: Equus: 1,209.
  • #91: 1776: 1,217.
  • #90: Sleuth: 1,222.
  • #89: Torch Song Trilogy: 1,230.
  • #88: Cactus Flower: 1,234.
  • #87: The King and I: 1,246.
  • #86: Promises, Promises: 1,281.
  • #85: Lightnin‘: 1,291.
  • #84: Angel Street: 1,295.
  • #83: Brighton Beach Memoirs: 1,299.
  • #82: Movin’ Out: 1,303.
  • #81: School of Rock: 1,309.
  • #80: Billy Elliot: The Musical: 1,312.
  • #79: Six: 1,313.
  • #78: Oh! Calcutta! 1,314
  • #77: Mummenschanz: 1,326.
  • #76: Funny Girl: 1,348.
  • #75: The Music Man: 1,375.
  • #74: Hellzapoppin: 1,404.
  • #73: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying: 1,417.
  • #72: Me and My Girl: 1,420.
  • #71: The Sound of Music: 1,443.
  • #70: Arsenic and Old Lace: 1,444.
  • #69: Same Time, Next Year: 1,453.
  • #68: Grease (1994 revival): 1,505.
  • #67: Mame: 1,508.
  • #66: Dreamgirls: 1,521.
  • #65: 42nd Street (2001 revival): 1,524.
  • #64: Barefoot in the Park: 1,530.
  • #63: Jekyll & Hyde: 1,543.
  • #62: Waitress: 1,544.
  • #61: Matilda the Musical: 1,554.
  • #60: The Voice of the Turtle: 1,557.
  • #59: Evita: 1,567.
  • #58: Mary, Mary: 1,572.
  • #57: Spamalot: 1,575.
  • #56: Moulin Rouge! 1,577.
  • #55: The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas: 1,584.
  • #54: Ain’t Misbehavin’: 1,604.
  • #53: Crazy for You: 1,622.
  • #52: Born Yesterday: 1,642.
  • #51: Come From Away: 1,669.
  • #49 (tie): Dear Evan Hansen: 1,672.
  • #49 (tie): The Wiz: 1,672.
  • #48: Hadestown: 1,724.
  • #47: Hair: 1,750.
  • #45: La Cage aux Folles: 1,761.
  • #45: Dancin’: 1,774.
  • #44: Harvey: 1,775.
  • #43: Deathtrap: 1,793.
  • #42: Gemini: 1,819.
  • #41: Aida: 1,852.
  • #40: The Magic Show: 1,920.
  • #39: South Pacific: 1,925.
  • #38: Pippin: 1,944.
  • #37: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: 2,024.
  • #36: Smokey Joe’s Cafe: 2,036.
  • #35: Oklahoma! 2,212.
  • #34: Abie’s Irish Rose: 2,327.
  • #32 (tie): Man of La Mancha: 2,328.
  • #32 (tie): Rock of Ages: 2,328.
  • #30 (tie): Cabaret (1998 revival): 2,377.
  • #30 (tie): Annie: 2,377.
  • #29: Beautiful: The Carol King Musical: 2,416.
  • #28: The Producers: 2,502.
  • #27: Kinky Boots: 2,505.
  • #26: Avenue Q: 2,534.
  • #25: Mary Poppins: 2,619.
  • #24: Hairspray. 2,642.
  • #23: My Fair Lady: 2,717.
  • #22: Hello, Dolly!: 2,844.
  • #21: Tobacco Road: 3,182.
  • #20: Life With Father: 3,224.
  • #19: Fiddler on the Roof: 3,242.
  • #18: Hamilton: 3,253.
  • #17: Grease: 3,388.
  • #16: 42nd Street: 3,486.
  • #15: Aladdin: 3,811.
  • #14: Miss Saigon: 4,092.
  • #13: Jersey Boys: 4,642.
  • #12: The Book of Mormon: 5,039.
  • #11: Rent: 5,123.
  • #10: Beauty and the Beast: 5,461.
  • #9: Mamma Mia!: 5,758.
  • #8: Oh! Calcutta! (1976 revival): 5,959.
  • #7: A Chorus Line: 6,137.
  • #6: Les Miserables: 6,680.
  • #5: Cats: 7,485.
  • #4: Wicked: 8,184.
  • #3: The Lion King: 10,647.
  • #2: Chicago (1996 revival): 11,025.
  • #1: Phantom of the Opera: 13,981.

NOTES: Obviously, this list will shift and change as some shows continue to run and others close. I don’t plan on editing the fundamentals more than quarterly so please refrain from obnoxiously nagging me that my stats are out of date. Pleasant and personable nagging is, however, always welcome.

While I’m focusing on 1,000+ performances, I’ll also occasionally be talking about currently running productions that seem poised to cross that threshold soon (Up-and-coming) and also look at some productions with 900+ performances in my “So Close / So Good” series.