THE TEN TOP-GROSSING BROADWAY MUSICALS KYRA BRITTON

1. THE LION KING THE LION KING IS THE HIGHEST GROSSING BROADWAY MUSICAL OF ALL TIME, WITH A BROADWAY GROSS OF $1.09 BILLION. IT OPENED ON NOVEMBER 13, 1997, AND IT IS STILL RUNNING TODAY. PLAYBILL SYNOPSIS: “LION CUB PRINCE SIMBA GROWS UP IN THE AFRICAN HEARTLAND UNTIL TRAGEDY FORCES HIM TO RUN AWAY. HE ULTIMATELY LEARNS TO TAKE HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.”

2. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA IS THE SECOND-HIGHEST GROSSING MUSICAL OF ALL TIME, AS WELL AS THE LONGEST-RUNNING. IT HAS A TOTAL BROADWAY GROSS OF $ MILLION. IT OPENED ON JANUARY 26, 1988, AND IS STILL RUNNING TODAY. PLAYBILL SYNOPSIS: “ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S MUSICAL DEPICTS A DISFIGURED MUSICAL GENIUS, WHO HAUNTS THE CATACOMBS BENEATH THE PARIS OPERA HOUSE AND EXERTS STRANGE CONTROL OVER A LOVELY YOUNG SOPRANO.”

3. WICKED WICKED IS THE THIRD HIGHEST GROSSING MUSICAL OF ALL TIME, WITH A BROADWAY GROSS OF $ MILLION. IT OPENED ON OCTOBER 30, 2003, AND IT IS STILL RUNNING. PLAYBILL SYNOPSIS: “WICKED TELLS THE STORY OF HOW TWO UNLIKELY FRIENDS, WHO MEET IN THE LAND OF OZ, GROW TO BECOME THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST AND GLINDA THE GOOD WITCH.”

4. MAMMA MIA! MAMMA MIA! HAS A TOTAL BROADWAY GROSS OF $ MILLION. IT OPENED ON OCTOBER 18, 2001 AND IT IS STILL RUNNING. PLAYBILL SYNOPSIS: “A YOUNG WOMAN WANTS TO INVITE THE FATHER SHE’S NEVER KNOWN TO HER WEDDING—ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT THERE ARE THREE POSSIBLE CHOICES—IN THIS MUSICAL FEATURING SONGS BY THE SWEDISH POP GROUP ABBA.”

5. CHICAGO CHICAGO HAS A TOTAL BROADWAY GROSS OF $ MILLION. IT OPENED ON NOVEMBER 14, 1996, AND IT IS STILL RUNNING. PLAYBILL SYNOPSIS: “ROXIE HART MURDERS HER UNFAITHFUL LOVER AND FINDS HERSELF COMPETING WITH FELLOW JAILED MURDERESS VELMA KELLY FOR THE BEST LAWYER—AND BEST VAUDEVILLE BOOKINGS—IN 1920S CHICAGO.”

6. JERSEY BOYS JERSEY BOYS HAS A TOTAL BROADWAY GROSS OF $ MILLION. IT OPENED ON NOVEMBER 6, 2005, AND IT IS STILL RUNNING. PLAYBILL SYNOPSIS: “JERSEY BOYS CHRONICLES THE CREATION, RISE, FALL, AND COMING-APART OF A 1960S ROCK ‘N’ ROLL QUARTET, THE FOUR SEASONS— ACCOMPANIED BY THEIR GOLDEN OLDIES HIT PARADE—IN WHICH EACH MEMBER OF THE BAND RECOUNTS HIS OWN SECTION, OR SEASON.”

7. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST BEAUTY AND THE BEAST HAS A TOTAL BROADWAY GROSS OF $ MILLION. IT OPENED ON APRIL 18, 1994, AND CLOSED ON AUGUST 29, PLAYBILL SYNOPSIS: “A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN TAKES THE PLACE OF HER IMPRISONED FATHER IN THE CASTLE OF A BEAST, WHO IS REALLY A CURSED PRINCE. SHE TEACHES HIM TO BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL, AND THEY FALL IN LOVE.”

8. LES MISÉRABLES – ORIGINAL LES MISÉRABLES HAS A TOTAL BROADWAY GROSS OF $ MILLION. IT OPENED ON MARCH 12, 1987, AND CLOSED ON MAY 18, PLAYBILL SYNOPSIS: “RELENTLESS POLICEMAN JAVERT PURSUES ESCAPED CONVICT JEAN VALJEAN OVER DECADES THROUGH THE TUMULT OF REVOLUTIONARY FRANCE. VALJEAN BECOMES A MAYOR, AGREES TO RAISE THE DAUGHTER OF A DYING PROSTITUTE AND JOINS THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM.”

9. CATS CATS HAS A TOTAL BROADWAY GROSS OF $ MILLION. IT OPENED ON OCTOBER 7, 1982, AND CLOSED ON SEPTEMBER 10, PLAYBILL SYNOPSIS: “A GROUP OF CATS PROWL A JUNKYARD AND COMPETE FOR THE HONOR OF ASCENDING TO THE HEAVISIDE LAYER IN ORDER TO ENJOY ANOTHER OF THEIR NINE LIVES, IN ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S MUSICAL VERSION OF A BOOK OF T.S. ELIOT POEMS.”

10. MARY POPPINS MARY POPPINS HAS A TOTAL BROADWAY GROSS OF $ MILLION. IT OPENED ON NOVEMBER 16, 2006, AND CLOSED ON MARCH 3, PLAYBILL SYNOPSIS: “BASED ON THE BOOKS BY P.L. TRAVERS AND THE CLASSIC DISNEY FILM, THIS IS THE STORY OF THE BANKS FAMILY AND HOW THEIR LIVES CHANGE WHEN NANNY MARY POPPINS ARRIVES AT THEIR LONDON HOME.”