UPDATE: WICKED to Become 6th Longest-Running Show in Broadway History- Page 2

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/9/18 at 1:14pm

Wow, I remember when A Chorus Line played it's final performance on Broadway.  Such a milestone indeed.

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 7/9/18 at 1:15pm

just noticed last week wicked was at 110% of grosses in a huge theatre (the gershwin) in its 15th year....THATS incredible
and another reflection of the staying power of this beautiful musical-i saw it again last month and still delivers all the goods.

imo book of mormon and hamilton will easily ascend to the top ten longest running shows and both will ultimately likely join phantom and wicked in the top five all time.

i saw chicago last month and think the show is nearly outta gas and in fact left at intermission.

i dont think the other shows mentioned have the legs to get into the top ten except maybe alladin

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/9/18 at 1:27pm

It's amazing to think that once Wicked moves to #4, the top 4 will be pretty "set" until one of them closes. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/9/18 at 1:33pm

adamgreer said: "It's amazing to think that once Wicked moves to #4, the top 4 will be pretty "set" until one of them closes."

I find that really interesting too. If I calculated correctly, that ill be in a little over 3 years from now. I wonder if Chicago will still be around then.

[OneSingularSensation2]

Posted: 7/9/18 at 2:09pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "UPDATE: Just realized thatthis week,Wicked will play its 6,138th performance on Broadway, officially overcomingA Chorus Lineto become the 6th longest-running show in Broadway history!

It will then take another ~540 performances to take the #5 slot from the original production of Les Miz, but what a huge milestone!"

Wow - congrats to all involved! Incidentally, Wicked's the only show I've seen twice. (Probably would have seen Chicago a couple times by now, but I'll admit to re-watching the movie.)

And Re Mamma Mia - I'd go to a revival of that! (I know, I know, it's already at the West End, there are so many jukebox musicals right now, etc... just saying I'd be interested.)

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/9/18 at 2:41pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "UPDATE: Just realized thatthis week,Wicked will play its 6,138th performance on Broadway, officially overcomingA Chorus Lineto become the 6th longest-running show in Broadway history!"

Yuck.

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/9/18 at 3:08pm

A Chorus Line ran forever in an age when Broadway was still a dominant, thriving cultural force, and its legendary status and run are something to celebrate. Wicked opened during a period when the musical had left mainstream pop culture, and its legendary status and run are something to celebrate, but also wonder at.

It seems that these days, you get lots of musicals that survive, thrive, get fanbases, but only one definitive BIG musical per decade. The 2000s were the decade of Wicked as the uber-musical, the way it seems the 2010s will be the Hamilton decade.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 7/12/18 at 10:18am

It happens tonight!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/WICKED-Will-Become-6th-Longest-Running-Show-In-Broadway-History-Tonight-20180712

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/12/18 at 10:27am

darquegk said: "only one definitive BIG musical per decade. The 2000s were the decade of Wicked as the uber-musical, the way it seems the 2010s will be the Hamilton decade."

 

That's an interesting way of looking at it, but also kind of sad to think of so many wonderful shows getting kind of swallowed up. What would you argue was the definitive musical of the 90's? 

 

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/12/18 at 10:35am

JBroadway said: "darquegk said: "only one definitive BIG musical per decade. The 2000s were the decade of Wicked as the uber-musical, the way it seems the 2010s will be the Hamilton decade."

That's an interesting way of looking at it, but also kind of sad to think of so many wonderful shows getting kind of swallowed up. What would you argue was the definitive musical of the 90's?"

Maybe The Lion King.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 7/12/18 at 10:44am

JBroadway said: "That's an interesting way of looking at it, but also kind of sad to think of so many wonderful shows getting kind of swallowed up. What would you argue was the definitive musical of the 90's?"


RENT? MISS SAIGON?

This is really interesting. Though, is it the musical that was made huge during that decade, or just the musical that began during that decade? Something like LION KING was/is big, but its magnitude and staying power probably wasn't fully realized til the early 2000s. Whereas something like 42nd Street opened at the beginning of a decade and continued for almost 10 years.

For the 80s, is it PHANTOM? LES MIS? CATS? Phantom is clearly the biggest now, but in the 80s/early 90s, CATS was still the hit of its day. There's also La Cage which was very of-the-moment (though clearly didn't run as long) and the previously-mentioned 42nd St.