On Sunday 18th December, Thriller Live performed its 3,304th performance at the Lyric Theatre to become the West End’s 16th longest running musical of all time.
This news means that Thriller Live has now toppled the 1985 production of Me & My Girl to take the 16th longest running West End production crown.
But it won’t be long until this record is broken once again as on the 4th February 2017, the production will play its 3,358th performance at the theatre when it will topple Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical Jesus Christ Superstar from the 15th position.
The show has also recently announced a new booking period and is now set to remain in the West End until at least October 2017.
Thriller Live is a chance to celebrate the career of pop legend Michael Jackson and features all of his biggest hits such as ‘Smooth Criminal’ , ‘Billie Jean’ and of course ‘Thriller’.
The current list of longest running musicals of all time includes:
1. Les Misérables, 1985
still running, over 12,884 performances
2. The Phantom Of The Opera, 1986
still running, over 12,552 performances
3. Blood Brothers, 1988
(closed, 10,013 performances)
4. Cats, 1981
(closed, 8,949 performances)
5. Mamma Mia!, 1999
still running, over 7,409 performances
6. Starlight Express, 1984
(closed, 7,406 performances)
7. Disney’s The Lion King, 1999
still running, over 7,175 performances
8. Chicago, 1997 revival
(closed, 6,187 performances)
9. Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, 1989
(closed, 5,140 performances)
10. We Will Rock You, 2002
(closed, 4,659 performances)
11. Billy Elliot The Musical, 2005
(closed, 4,566 performances)
12. Wicked, 2006
still running, over 4,291 performances
13. Miss Saigon, 1989
(original 1989 production / closed – 4,264 performances)
14. Jersey Boys, 2008
still running, over 3,657 performances
15. Jesus Christ Superstar, 1972
(original 1972 production / closed, 3,357 performances)
16. Thriller Live, 2009
still running, over 3,304 performances
17. Me And My Girl, 1985
(1985 revival / closed – 3,303 performances)
18. Evita, 1978
(original 1978 production / closed – 2,900 performances)
19. Oliver!, 1960
(original 1960 production / closed – 2,618 performances)
20. Grease!, 1993
(1993 revival / closed – 2,529 performances)
Directed by Gary Lloyd, the current West End cast includes: Angelica Allen, J Brock, Dajiow, Haydon Eshun, Alex Ko, John Moabi, Stefan Sinclair, Reece Bahia, Tyrone Henry, Cordell Mosteller, Ione Townsend, Aisling Duffy, Florivaldo Mossi, Leslie Bowman, Myron Birch, Ebony Clarke, Ella Coghill, Jamal Crawford, Victoria Lamm, Arnold Mabhena, Ashley-Jordan Packer, Helen Parsons, Jacinta Seivers, Steven Thompson, Thomas Remaili, Sophie Usher, Aled Arhyel Charles, Remi Gooding, Zayn Johnson, Zuriel Williams-Kabasomi and Daniel Odejinmi.
Thriller Live is booking at the Lyric Theatre until the 1st October 2017. To book tickets visit: Ticketmaster.co.uk, Discount Theatre.com, Last Minute.com, Theatre Tickets Direct.co.uk, Love Theatre.com, Theatre People.com and UK Tickets.co.uk.