The Phantom of the Opera

^{Running since January 1988}
In this classic musical - the longest running in Broadway history - a hideously deformed man lives in the cellars of the Paris Opera and takes a beautiful soprano as a student.
^{Winner of 7 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.}

This show is a very good buy for families looking for the quintessential Broadway experience. The scenery is lavish, the lush orchestral score has a real "Broadway" feel to it, and even after all of the worldwide productions, tours, and the 2004 film, the original is still a great introduction to Broadway.

Here's a clip from the 1988 Tony Award broadcast, featuring the show's original stars, Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman (neither of whom are currently in the Broadway production):


In July 2005 a NY Times critic revisited "The Phantom of the Opera" and said: "Judging by sheer invention, emotional punch and onstage talent, the venerable blockbuster still beats out almost all of the whippersnappers currently on Broadway."