The 20 Longest-Running Broadway Musicals That Lost the Tony for Best Musical

At the Tony Awards held on June 7, one musical will be awarded the prestigious title of Best Musical, while the cast and crew of the other three nominated productions will face disappointment. The nominees this year include The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon!, Titanique, and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).

For those associated with the three musicals that do not win, history offers reassurance. Numerous shows that did not secure the Tony for Best Musical have achieved remarkable success. A notable example is Chicago, which is being honored during this year’s ceremony. When it premiered 50 years ago, it did not win a single Tony.

Historical Context of Chicago and A Chorus Line

Chicago, created by John Kander and Fred Ebb, opened on June 3, 1975, just seven weeks prior to the debut of another iconic musical, A Chorus Line, which premiered on July 25. Both productions received significant recognition during the 1976 Tony nominations, with A Chorus Line leading with 12 nominations, one more than Chicago. However, at the awards ceremony on April 18, 1976, A Chorus Line dominated, winning nine awards while Chicago went home empty-handed.

The original run of A Chorus Line lasted for 6,137 performances, concluding in April 1990. In contrast, the original production of Chicago closed in August 1977 after 936 performances, lacking the momentum that Tony wins often provide.

The Revival of Chicago

The narrative did not end with the original productions. A revival of Chicago opened in November 1996 and continues to run today. The 30th anniversary of this revival will be celebrated during the upcoming telecast, featuring performances from notable artists such as P!nk, Queen Latifah, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

Competitive Landscape of Broadway Awards

The 1976 Tony Awards were not the first instance of two exceptional shows competing against each other. In 1964, Hello, Dolly! and Funny Girl faced off, with Dolly! winning 10 awards from 11 nominations. Funny Girl, which garnered eight nominations, including one for its rising star Barbra Streisand, did not win any awards.

In a further comparison between A Chorus Line and Chicago, a 2006 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line did not achieve the same level of success as the revival of Chicago, running for only 759 performances. The film adaptation of A Chorus Line also fell short, failing to win any Oscars, while the 2002 film version of Chicago received 13 nominations and won six, including Best Picture.

The Longest-Running Musicals That Lost the Tony

The following is a list of the 20 longest-running musicals in Broadway history that did not win the Tony for Best Musical, ranked in ascending order of their performances:

1. Come From Away (2017-2022)

• Credits: Book, Music & Lyrics by David Hein and Irene Sankoff
• Number of performances: 1,669
• Lost Best Musical to: Dear Evan Hansen
• Notes: Based on the events in Gander, Newfoundland, during the week following the September 11 attacks, the musical tells the story of 38 planes ordered to land at Gander International Airport.

2. Hair (1968-1972)

• Credits: Book by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, Music by Galt MacDermot, Lyrics by Rado
• Number of performances: 1,750
• Lost Best Musical to: 1776
• Notes: Hair defined the rock musical genre, reflecting the creators’ observations of the hippie counterculture and sexual revolution.

3. Dancin’ (1978-1982)

• Credits: Directed & Choreographed by Bob Fosse, Music & Lyrics by Various Artists
• Number of performances: 1,774
• Lost Best Musical to: Ain’t Misbehavin’
• Notes: This plotless, dance-driven revue showcases various music styles, including classical and jazz.

4. MJ The Musical (2022-present)

• Credits: Book by Lynn Nottage, Music & Lyrics by Michael Jackson and Various Artists
• Number of performances: 1,805
• Lost Best Musical to: A Strange Loop
• Notes: This jukebox musical focuses on Michael Jackson’s creative process prior to the Dangerous World Tour.

5. Aida (2000-2004)

• Credits: Book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, David Henry Hwang; Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Tim Rice
• Number of performances: 1,852
• Not nominated for Best Musical: which went to Contact
• Notes: Based on the opera of the same name, Aida won four Tony Awards, including Best Original Score.

6. The Magic Show (1974-1978)

• Credits: Book by Bob Randall; Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
• Number of performances: 1,920
• Not nominated for Best Musical: which went to The Wiz
• Notes: This one-act musical starred magician Doug Henning and featured illusions and magic tricks.

7. SIX: The Musical (2021-present)

• Credits: Book, Music, & Lyrics by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss
• Number of performances: 1,929
• Lost Best Musical to: A Strange Loop
• Notes: A modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII, presented as a singing competition.

8. Pippin (1972-1977)

• Credits: Book by Roger Hirson, Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
• Number of performances: 1,944
• Lost Best Musical to: A Little Night Music
• Notes: The musical follows a young prince on his quest for meaning, featuring a mysterious performance troupe.

9. Smokey Joe’s Café (1995-2000)

• Credits: Music & Lyrics by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
• Number of performances: 2,036
• Lost Best Musical to: Sunset Boulevard
• Notes: This musical revue showcases 39 pop standards and is the longest-running musical revue in Broadway history.

10. Rock of Ages (2009-2015)

• Credits: Book by Chris D’Arienzo, Music & Lyrics by Various Artists
• Number of performances: 2,328
• Lost Best Musical to: Billy Elliot the Musical
• Notes: A jukebox musical featuring classic rock songs from the 1980s.

11. Beautiful! The Carole King Musical (2014-2019)

• Credits: Book by Douglas McGrath, Music & Lyrics by Carole King and Various Artists
• Number of performances: 2,416
• Lost Best Musical to: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder
• Notes: This jukebox musical chronicles King’s songwriting career from her early days to her solo performance at Carnegie Hall.

12. Mary Poppins (2006-2013)

• Credits: Book by Julian Fellowes, Music by Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, and George Stiles, Lyrics by Anthony Drewe and The Sherman Brothers
• Number of performances: 2,619
• Lost Best Musical to: Spring Awakening
• Notes: Based on the Mary Poppins books and the 1964 Disney film, the musical features beloved songs from the film.

13. Grease (1972-1980)

• Credits: Book, Music & Lyrics by Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs
• Number of performances: 3,388
• Lost Best Musical to: Two Gentlemen of Verona
• Notes: This musical gained immense popularity, particularly after the 1978 film adaptation starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

14. Miss Saigon (1991-2001)

• Credits: Book by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, Music by Schönberg, Lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr.
• Number of performances: 4,092
• Lost Best Musical to: The Will Rogers Follies
• Notes: A sung-through musical based on Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly, set during the Vietnam War.

15. Aladdin (2014-present)

• Credits: Book by Chad Beguelin, Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, and Beguelin
• Number of performances: 4,429
• Lost Best Musical to: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
• Notes: Based on the Disney film, the musical includes several new songs alongside the original film’s classics.

16. Beauty and the Beast (1994-2007)

• Credits: Book by Linda Woolverton, Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice
• Number of performances: 5,462
• Lost Best Musical to: Passion
• Notes: Adapted from the Disney animated film, it was the first animated film to win a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy.

17. Mamma Mia! (2001-2015)

• Credits: Book by Catherine Johnson, Music & Lyrics by Benny Anderson and Björn Ulvaeus
• Number of performances: 5,758
• Lost Best Musical to: Thoroughly Modern Millie
• Notes: This jukebox musical has significantly boosted ABBA’s popularity, leading to their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

18. Oh! Calcutta! (revival, 1976-1989)

• Credits: Book by Various Artists; music and lyrics by Peter Schickele, Robert Dennis, Stanley Walden
• Number of performances: 5,959
• Original production not nominated for Best Musical: which went to Applause
• Notes: This avant-garde revue was controversial for its explicit content and became the longest-running revue in Broadway history.

19. Wicked (2003-present)

• Credits: Book by Winnie Holzman, Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
• Number of performances: 8,803
• Lost Best Musical to: Avenue Q
• Notes: Loosely based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked explores the backstory of the witches from The Wizard of Oz.

20. Chicago (revival, 1996-present)

• Credits: Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Ebb
• Number of performances: 11,640
• Original production lost Best Musical to: A Chorus Line
• Notes: The revival has won six Tony Awards and is recognized as the longest-running show currently on Broadway.

As reported by www.billboard.com.

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Published on 2026-06-04 21:56:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk