Andrew Lloyd Webber - Top 8 Broadway Musicals

As one of the most well-known and influential composers in musical theatre, Andrew Lloyd Webber has produced music for some of the world’s biggest stage shows. He’s been delighting audiences for decades with his remarkable talents, so let’s take a look at eight of the best Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals to have hit Broadway.

1. The Phantom of the Opera

Since its West End debut in 1986 and subsequent Broadway debut in 1988, The Phantom of the Opera has become one of the highest-grossing Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway shows in theatre history. Adapted from the novel by Gaston Leroux, this haunting production is famous for compositions such as ‘The Music of the Night’ and recently celebrated its 15,000th performance on the West End.

2. Cats

The New London Theatre celebrated the opening of Cats in 1981, a musical that would become one of the most successful in the history of the West End and Broadway. Based on T.S. Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” this production is well known for the hit song ‘Memory’.

3. Jesus Christ Superstar

Andrew Lloyd Webber theatre doesn’t get much better than the rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar. This opened at the Palace Theatre back in 1972 and enjoyed an impressive run of over 3,300 performances. Powerful numbers from the show include ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’ and ‘Superstar’.

4. Evita

Chronicling the life of Eva Peron, Evita was another hot collaboration between Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice. It opened at the West End’s Prince Edward Theatre in 1978 and closed in 1986 after 3,176 performances. One of the musical’s best known songs is ‘Don’t Cry for me Argentina’. The show was the first British musical to win a Tony Award for Best Musical.

5. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat

Originally written as a 15-minute pop cantata in the late 1960s, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat opened in its modern form in the West End in 1974. The family-friendly biblical story attracted global audiences, all wanting to hear hit songs including ‘Any Dream Will Do’. In the early 90s, a succession of big names took the title role, including Jason Donovan and Darren Day.

6. Starlight Express

Starlight Express began its West End journey in 1984, subsequently opening on Broadway in 1987. Delighting audiences with the story of an ambitious steam train named Rusty, this Andrew Lloyd Webber musical is currently enjoying a new run in London, capturing the imagination of the next generation of theatre-goers with its uptempo songs and roller skating cast.

7. Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard opened in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre in November 1993. Based on the classic film of the same name, the musical delves into the underbelly of Hollywood, with songs like ‘With One Look’ and ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’.

8. School of Rock

School of Rock is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s award-winning smash musical based on the family movie starring Jack Black. It’s one of Lloyd Webber’s latest masterpieces, opening on Broadway in 2015 and making its West End debut the following year. Popular numbers include ‘Stick It to the Man’ and ‘You’re in the Band’.