Running Broadway Shows (my fave)

The Phantom Of The Opera
Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyricist: Charles Hart
Librettist: Richard Stilgoe, Andrew Lloyd Webber

Broadway Premiere
Theatre: Majestic Theatre
Opening Night: Jan 26, 1988
Total Performances: Still Running
Original Cast: Sarah Brightman, Michael Crawford, Steve Barton, Patti Cohenour, Cris Groenendaal, Elisa Heinsohn, Judy Kaye, Leila Martin, David Romano, Nicholas Wyman, Jeff Keller, Peter Kevoian, Barry McNabb, Beth McVey, Richard Warren Pugh, Philip Steele, Kenneth H. Waller
Director: Harold Prince
Choreographer: Gillian Lynne
Producer: Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Theatre Company Ltd.
Musical Director: David Caddick
Orchestrations: David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Scenic Design: Maria Björnson
Costume Design: Maria Björnson
Lighting Design: Andrew Bridge

Synopsis:
The Phantom of the Opera wants Christine to be the star of the opera. He gives her lessons, writes an opera for her, and threatens those in charge; but Christine is in love with another man and the theatre managers do not take nicely to his threats. They agree to go along with his opera, hoping to catch him, but everything goes wrong, and the Phantom leaves Christine a choice - stay with him or the love of her life dies.

Cats
Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyricist: T.S. Elliot, Trevor Nunn, and Richard Stilgoe

Broadway Premiere
Theatre: Winter Garden Theatre
Opening Night: Oct 7, 1982
Total Performances: 7485
Original Cast: Kenneth Ard, Betty Buckley, René Ceballos, René Clemente, Wendy Edmead, Steven Gelfer, Harry Groener, Stephen Hanan, Robert Hoshour, Janet L. Hubert, Reed Jones, Whitney Kershaw, Donna King, Christine Langner, Terrence V. Mann, Anna McNeely, Héctor Jaime Mercado, Cynthia Onrubia, Ken Page, Timothy Scott, Herman W. Sebek, Bonnie Simmons, Walter Charles, Susan Powers, Carol Richards, Joel Robertson
Director: Trevor Nunn
Choreographer: Gillian Lynne
Musical Director: Rene Wiegert and Sue Anderson
Orchestrations: David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Scenic and Costume Design: John Napier
Lighting Design: David Hersey

Synopsis:
The Jellicle cats are celebrating at the Jellicle Ball, awaiting Old Deuteronomy's choice of which cat will be reborn into a new life. One by one, the cats step forward to introduce themselves, auditioning for the chance to take the journey to the Heaviside layer.

Based on T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats.

Annie
Composer: Charles Strouse
Lyricist: Martin Charnin
Librettist: Thomas Meehan

Broadway Premiere
Theatre: Alvin Theatre, ANTA Playhouse, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Uris Theatre
Opening Night: Apr 21, 1977
Total Performances: 2,377
Original Cast: Andrea McArdle, Dorothy Loudon, Reid Shelton, Sandy Faison, Robert Fitch, Barbara Erwin
Director: Martin Charnin
Choreographer: Peter Gennaro
Musical Director: Peter Howard
Orchestrations: Philip J. Lang
Scenic Design: David Mitchell
Costume Design: Theoni V. Aldredge
Lighting Design: Judy Rasmuson
Hair Design: Ted Azar

Synopsi:
An orphan, Annie, and her dog Sandy are placed in the lap of luxury for a week as a part of a publicity campaign for Oliver Warbucks. However, Annie's stay turns out to be much more than anyone had bargained for as she works her way into everyone's hearts and learns a few things for herself.

The King And I
Composer: Richard Rodgers
Lyricist and Librettist: Oscar Hammerstein II

Broadway Premiere
Theatre: St. James Theatre
Opening Night: Mar 29, 1951
Total Performances: 1246
Original Cast: Gertrude Lawrence, Yul Brynner, Dorothy Sarnoff, Doretta Morrow, Larry Douglas, Jonny Stewart, Sandy Kennedy, Lee Becker Theodore, Gemze de Lappe, Yuriko, and Baayork Lee
Director: John Van Druten
Choreographer: Jerome Robbins
Producer: Rodgers & Hammerstein
Musical Director: Frederick Dvonch
Orchestrations: Robert Russell Bennett
Scenic and Lighting Design: Jo Mielziner
Costume Design: Irene Sharaff
Synopsis
Anna Leonowens arrives in Siam to serve as a tutor to the King's many children. Both stuck in their seperate cultural ways, the two eventually learn to understand, respect and love each other.

The Lion king
Composer: Elton John
Lyricist: Tim Rice
Librettist: Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi

Broadway Premiere
Theatre: New Amsterdam Theatre, Minskoff Theatre
Opening Night: Nov 13, 1997
Total Performances: Still Playing
Original Cast: Gina Breedlove, Kevin Cahoon, Max Casella, Tracy Nicole Chapman, Heather Headley, Geoff Hoyle, Scott Irby-Ranniar, Tsidii Le Loka, Stanley Wayne Mathis, Jason Raize, Tom Alan Robbins, Kajuana Shuford, John Vickery, Samuel E. Wright
Director: Julie Taymor
Choreographer: Garth Fagan
Producer: Disney Theatrical Productions
Musical Director: Joseph Church
Orchestrations: Robert Elhai, David Metzger, Bruce Fowler
Scenic Design: Richard Hudson
Costume Design: Julie Taymor
Lighting Design: Donald Holder

Synopsis

Scar, in an attempt to claim the crown, kills the current king and attempts to have Pride Rock's heir, Simba, killed. But Simba survives and lives a life of no worries with Timon and Pumbaa in the jungle, until his intended, Nala, finds him and persuades him to return to claim his rightful crown from his tyrannical uncle.

Rent
Composer, Lyricist and Librettist: Jonathan Larson

Broadway Premiere
Theatre: Nederlander Theatre
Opening Night: Apr 29, 1996
Total Performances: 5123
Original Cast: Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Jesse L. Martin, Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Fredi Walker
Director: Micael Greif
Choreographer: Marlies Yearby
Producer: Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum, Allan S. Gordon and New York Theatre Workshop
Orchestrations: Steve Skinner
Scenic Design: Paul Clay
Costume Design: Angel Wendt
Lighting Design: Blake Burba
Sound Design: Kurt Fischer
Synopsis
Mark, a filmmaker, and Rodger, a musician, are struggling to make rent when Mimi stumbles into their apartment and into to Rodger's arms. Meanwhile, Mark's ex-girlfriend, Maureen, who is now dating Joanne, is planning a major protest, and their friend Collins has struck gold in his discovery of Angel, a street performer, with whom he quickly falls in love. But their battles with AIDS, rent, vocation and love in turn tear the friends apart and back together again as they try to find the meaning of life.

Based on Puccini's La Boheme.

DreamGirls
Composer: Henry Krieger
Lyricist and Librettist: Tom Eyen

Broadway Premiere
Theatre: Imperial Theatre
Opening Night: Dec 20, 1981
Total Performances: 1521
Original Cast: Jennifer Holliday, Obba Babatunde, Cleavant Derricks, Loretta Devine, Ben Harney, Sheryl Lee Ralph
Director and Choreographer: Michael Bennett
Musical Director: Yolanda Segovia
Orchestrations: Harold Wheeler
Scenic Design: Robin Wagner
Costume Design: Theoni V. Aldredge
Lighting Design: Tharon Musser
Synopsis
A young female singing trio from Chicago get their big break at an amateur competition and begin singing backup vocals for James "Thunder" Early. However, things begin to spin out of control when their agent, Curtis Taylor, Jr., makes Deena and not Effie, the star of what will become known as "The Dreams."

The Sound Of Music
Composer: Richard Rodgers
Lyricist: Oscar Hammerstein II
Librettist: Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse

Broadway Premiere
Theatre: Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Mark Hellinger Theatre
Opening Night: Nov 16, 1959
Total Performances: 1443
Original Cast: Mary Martin, Theodore Bikel, Patricia Neway, Kurt Kaszner, Marion Marlowe, Lauri Peters, Brain Davies, John Randolph, Nan McFarland, Joey Heatherton
Director: Vincent J. Donehue
Choreographer: Joe Layton
Producer: Leland Hayward, Richard Halliday, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
Musical Director: Frederick Dvonch
Orchestrations: Robert Russell Bennett
Scenic Design: Oliver Smith
Costume Design: Lucinda Ballard
Lighting Design: Jean Rosenthal
Synopsis
Maria, a nun who is causing the Abbey trouble is sent off to be governess to Captain Von Trapp's seven troublesome children. Maria teaches them to sing and Captain Von Trapp to love, but when the Nazis invade Austria, the whole family is forced to flee to safety.