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.

When 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 quality, spectacular Broadway entertainment. The Music Man, Funny Girl, and Camelot are some examples with recent revivals. 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.

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

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.

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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Once Upon a Mattress

It's a tale as old as time — no, really. Once Upon a Mattress premiered on Broadway in 1959, and it's a comedic adaptation of the 1835 Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea." The latest revival stars two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster as Winnifred, a misfit princess who steps up to the impossible challenge of winning Prince Dauntless's (Michael Urie) hand in marriage. She just has to go through some tests first.

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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.

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Gypsy

Here she is, world — again. Gypsy, widely regarded as one of the greatest musicals ever written, last appeared on Broadway in 2008. Stage icons like Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, and Imelda Staunton have stepped into the shoes of Rose, the overbearing stage mother to the famous burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee. Now, it's Audra McDonald's turn to tackle the iconic role in fall 2024.

Check back for information on Gypsy tickets on New York Theatre Guide.

The Pirates of Penzance

Ramin Karimloo and David Hyde Pierce are sailing back onto Broadway in a new revival of the swashbuckling Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. Comedy ensues when a young man, newly 21, is released from his apprenticeship to a pirate crew — only to find out that, due to leap-year technicalities, he's got a long way to go.

Get The Pirates of Penzance tickets now.

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.

Our Town

Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning play is a simple but stirring one, exploring the cycle of life and death by way of a young couple in a small town. Having been revived four previous times since its 1938 premiere, Our Town is back once again with a starry cast that includes Jim Parsons, Zoey Deutch, Katie Holmes, Richard Thomas, Ephraim Sykes, Julie Halston, and more.

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Romeo + Juliet

The star-crossed love story to rule them all, Romeo + Juliet is a mainstay of stages on Broadway and beyond. The latest revival, with the tagline "The youth are f-cked," promises a bold new approach to Shakespeare's classic. Plus, this production features some of today's most celebrated young stars: Heartstopper's Kit Connor and West Side Story's Rachel Zegler play Romeo and Juliet, and in-demand music producer Jack Antonoff — who's behind hits by Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and more — supplies original music.

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Othello

Another Shakespeare tragedy appearing in the 2024-25 season is Othello, about a successful military commander and the jealous Iago, who exploits Othello's jealousy and leads to his demise. This time around, Denzel Washington commands the stage as Othello, and Jake Gyllenhaal is the scheming Iago.

Check back for information on Othello tickets on New York Theatre Guide.

Glengarry Glen Ross

A more modern classic than some of the rest, David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross premiered in 1984 — but its Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award wins cemented its place among theatre classics. Succession's Kieran Culkin, Breaking Bad's Bob Odenkirk, and comedian Bill Burr star in the latest revival as Chicago real estate agents in a fierce contest. Whoever sells the most property — much of which is worthless — to unsuspecting customers gets a car. Whoever fails loses their job.

Check back for information on Glengarry Glen Ross tickets on New York Theatre Guide.

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.

Check back for information on Waiting for Godot tickets on New York Theatre Guide.

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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