See these classic Broadway shows that have stood the test of time

These hit plays and musicals include long-beloved shows and modern phenomenons alike, all of which have cemented their place in the ranks of theatre history.

While Nora slammed the door in A Doll’s House on Broadway in 2023, Elphaba defied gravity in Wicked. You might not link these rebellious heroines together, but they offer a reminder that classic Broadway shows come in all varieties.

Naturally, Golden Age musicals – ones that debuted between 1940 and 1960 – make the cut as classics. Over the decades, these works have become synonymous with high-quality, spectacular Broadway entertainment and are revived often. The same goes for classic plays; works by long-celebrated writers, from Shakespeare to August Wilson, return to Broadway time and time again.

That said, there’s fluidity around what makes a classic. Long-running record breakers are their own sort of classic. Shows that push theatre forward in new directions and forge deep connections with the audience also make the cut. Long story short, if you’re craving something classic on Broadway, there are lots of options.

Discover the Broadway classics playing right now, and get tickets to see why these shows have stood the test of time.

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Classic musicals on Broadway

There are plenty of options for classic musical lovers, from Golden Age delights to newer hits that instantly went down as classics. Learn more about these beloved shows below.

Cabaret

Cabaret instantly cemented its place in theatre history upon its 1966 premiere. The following year, the show won Best Musical alongside Best Composer and Lyricist for Kander and Ebb, who penned such iconic songs as "Mein Herr," "Maybe This Time," and the title track (though the first two wouldn't be included in the show until the 1972 film).

Widely regarded as one of the best musicals of all time, Cabaret returns to Broadway in 2024. Director Rebecca Frecknall's semi-immersive production makes audiences truly feel like they're in the Kit Kat Club, where hedonism meets fascism, no matter where they sit.

Get Cabaret tickets now.

Hamilton

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning 2015 musical has been described as a hip-hop history lesson about the life and times of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, but that’s only partly correct. The superb score is infused with rhythm and blues and jazz, plus melodic and lyrical winks to Rodgers and Hammerstein and Gilbert and Sullivan. Let’s just call this show an instant classic that’s left countless audiences “Satisfied.”

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Classic plays on Broadway

There's a reason these plays are favorites of theatre students and A-list actors alike. Here are the classic plays from celebrated writers coming up on Broadway.

Oedipus

Sophocles's ancient Greek tragedy about a doomed king trying in vain to escape a terrible prophecy has been performed on Broadway numerous times over the centuries, but the latest revival gets a modern twist. In Robert Icke's adaptation, it's election night, and the stakes couldn't be higher for the title politician, even though he's sure to win. Or is he?

Get Oedipus tickets now.

Waiting for Godot

Samuel Beckett's 1953 play is basically synonymous with existentialism, a genre where discussions about life, death, and their meaning takes center stage moreso than an actual plot. If you think watching two people simply sit and philosophize sounds dry, you might think again when we tell you that Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, the titular duo of the Bill & Ted film series, are the ones doing it on Broadway in fall 2025.

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Classic long-runners on Broadway

When it comes to staying power, some shows are in a league of their own. So it goes for the three longest-running shows on Broadway right now, which have all become modern classics.

Chicago

This revival of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s 1975 successful show about Windy City merry murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart proves the staying power of all that jazz. The stripped- down production that began off Broadway in 1996 is a lesson in transforming something simple into something enduring. The show is also known for its revolving door of celebrity replacements in the leading roles. As of 2022, the show has razzle-dazzled audiences at more than 10,000 performances.

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The Lion King

Even with only the glorious first 20 minutes of this 1997 stage adaptation of the animated Disney film, the show would still be a classic. Songs by Elton John and Tim Rice soar as we follow a lion cub who learns hard lessons about the the “Circle of Life” and finds his place in the world. As of 2022, the show has run for nearly 10,000 performances.

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Wicked

One metric for measuring a musical classic is how powerful a spell it casts on audiences. Another is its staying power. This musical, which seizes inspiration from The Wizard of Oz, scores sky-high in both categories. The plot follows twists and turns in the friendship between two witches: green outcast Elphaba and popular Glinda. Running since 2003, the girl-power story is famous for sparking repeated visits by theatreergoers who know every lyric to “For Good,” “Popular,” and “Defying Gravity.”

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Mamma Mia!

The original NYC production ran for 14 years and became the ninth-longest-running show in Broadway history. The world-premiere London production opened in 1999 and is still going strong. Even if you're somehow immune to the infectiously catchy music of ABBA, there's no denying Mamma Mia! is a modern classic and a defining 21st-century musical, and it's now back, like it never left, for a six-month limited return engagement. Why, why, did we ever let it go?

Get Mamma Mia! tickets now.