The best Broadway shows to see with your parents

These Broadway plays and musicals feature timeless stories, songs, and humor and are perfect options for adult families looking to have an entertaining time.

Do you need to plan a weekend in New York City for your parents, who think you are their personal tour guide? Are your in-laws, who you want to impress, finally coming for a visit? Maybe your mom, who works too much and you miss terribly, has a long layover from a work trip, and you have just enough time to dazzle her with your grown-up life in the Big Apple. The answer to all is Broadway.

Taking your family to a big, brassy musical or a thought-provoking drama on Broadway is the equivalent of holding a trump card. It says, “I live in New York, and my life is exciting.” The world-class sets, dazzling costumes, live orchestras, and top-tier talent will impress anyone — even your steely father-in-law.

Experiencing the magic of a Broadway show with your family — whether you hang out often otherwise or not — is unparalleled. A pre-show dinner and a post-show drink make for a perfect night out. Seeing theatre also offers an opportunity to sit quietly in the dark and avoid conversation, if that’s what you want.

Check out our guide to the best shows to see with your parents, whether they’re coming for a visit or you’re in charge of the family trip to New York.

Get tickets to a Broadway show on New York Theatre Guide.

Chicago

Chicago has razzle-dazzled audiences for decades for good reason. The iconic Bob Fosse choreography and catchy show tunes like “All That Jazz” have helped make this John Kander and Fred Ebb musical one of the longest-running shows on Broadway. There’s no question — your parents will love it.

The true crime story follows a cabaret singer and a housewife in Prohibition-era Chicago, both accused of killing their husbands. Paint the town at Chicago today.

Get Chicago tickets now.

Back to the Future: The Musical

Whether the original movie came out when you were growing up or when your parents were, you can all agree that it brings back 1.21 gigawatts of nostalgia and fun. Plus, its time-bending story is really one about family: Teenager Marty McFly has to get his parents back together when he time-travels to 1955 and almost breaks them up while there.

He bonds with his parents more in the process and even changes all their futures for the better. You might bond with your parents at this show, too, while rocking out to "Johnny B. Goode" and "The Power of Love" together.

Get Back to the Future: The Musical tickets now.

Wicked

Kids love this show for the fantastical magic and mythical creatures, and adults love it for its moving story about friendship, courage, and standing up for what's right even when no one else does. Wicked has run at the Gershwin Theatre since 2003, and it continues to draw families of all ages, including many first-time theatregoers.

The musical is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, focusing on two witches, Elphaba and Glinda, during their years as college roommates. How did one end up being the Wicked Witch of the West and the other the Good Witch? And is it really that simple? You'll have to spend one short day at Wicked to find out.

Get Wicked tickets now.

The Notebook

Maybe you cried at Nicholas Sparks's 1996 novel when it came out, or maybe you grabbed the tissues during the 2004 movie starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling. Either way, you and your parents can attest that The Notebook is a moving story about the strength of love across generations, making it the perfect show to take your parents to.

The Notebook focuses on Noah and Allie, an elderly couple reliving the lifetime of love that began when they were teenagers. Despite war, distance, class differences, and many other obstacles, they always found their way back to each other. The Broadway musical version features a stirring score by popular singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson.

Get The Notebook tickets now.

& Juliet

If there's one thing the generations can agree on, it's that rocking out to your favorite songs, whether on the radio or Spotify, is a great time. & Juliet delivers pop hit after pop hit, the score including songs by Britney Spears, Bon Jovi, Kelly Clarkson, the Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion, and more.

All these songs propel an original story about Shakespeare's heroine, Juliet. Instead of dying when Romeo does, she travels to Paris in search of new friends, new loves — and herself. It's a feel-good story that will make you want to sing and dance.

Get & Juliet tickets now.

The Lion King and Aladdin

Perhaps your parents raised you on Disney movie musicals, so why not return the favor by taking them to a live one? If your parents aren't frequent theatregoers and you want to guarantee a great time, a timeless Disney classic is a great choice.

The Lion King, for one, is Broadway's third-longest-running show of all time, having wowed audiences with the story of young lion cub Simba's journey to the throne since 1997. A few blocks away, Aladdin celebrated its 10th anniversary on Broadway in 2024.

Get The Lion King tickets now.

Get Aladdin tickets now.

The Great Gatsby

Treat your parents to one of the glitziest, most lavish parties Broadway has to offer. The Great Gatsby, adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic Jazz Age novel, has everything you'd want in a big Broadway spectacle: sparkling costumes, energetic choreography, 1920s-inspired sets, and gorgeous singing from a cast led by Jeremy Jordan as mysterious millionaire Gatsby and Eva Noblezada as his unrequited love, Daisy.

Get The Great Gatsby tickets now.

For more information about family-oriented Broadway shows and NYC attractions and experiences, check out our guides to the best things to do in New York City and NYC trips with kids.