Wicked Surpasses Cats to Become Fourth-Longest-Running Broadway Show
(© Joan Marcus)
With tonight’s performance at the Gershwin Theatre — number 7,486 — Wicked becomes the fourth-longest-running production in Broadway history, surpassing the Andrew Lloyd Webber hit Cats.
Wicked celebrates its 20th anniversary this October. Over the course of that time, the musical has been seen in over 100 cities in 16 countries around the world and has been translated into six languages. Seen by nearly 65 million people worldwide, Wicked has amassed over $5 billion in global sales. A two-part film adaptation is currently in the works, with the first release set for 2024.
Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked has a book by Winnie Holzman and score by Stephen Schwartz, with direction by Joe Mantello and choreography by Wayne Cilento. The current Broadway company is led by Alyssa Fox as Elphaba, McKenzie Kurtz as Glinda, Michele Pawk as Madame Morrible, John Dossett as The Wizard, James D. Gish as Fiyero, Kimber Elayne Sprawl as Nessarose, Michael Wartella as Boq, and William Youmans as Dr. Dillamond.
Ahead of Wicked on the longest-running shows list are The Phantom of the Opera, which ends its run on April 16, Chicago, and The Lion King.
