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Theatre Gift Guide: Gift these Broadway shows this holiday season

New York Theatre Guide's editor curated a list of 20 top shows for friends, family, and more so you can give theatre tickets to everyone on your list this year.

Gillian Russo
Written byGillian Russo

Theatre tickets make an ideal gift. You don't have to wait in long lines for them, they don't require complicated wrapping, and you can always find another option if a given performance is sold out, unlike a popular toy or tech gadget.

I, for one, have made something of a tradition of getting Broadway tickets for my parents. And perhaps that's the best reason to give theatre as a gift: It's more than a thing. It's an experience to share with your loved ones. You can plan a show as a date night, a family bonding trip, or a day out with friends. Or, honestly, even as a gift to yourself.

To help you find the perfect gift, check out our hand-picked list of 20 top Broadway shows that are proven fan favorites — meaning they're sure to delight everyone on your holiday shopping list. Broadway has options for everyone, from your theatre-obsessed friends to your old-fashioned parents to kids, dates, teachers, grandparents, and more. Check out our recommendations below, and get gifting — especially now that our Black Friday sale lets you save on dozens of shows for a limited time only.

Get Broadway tickets on New York Theatre Guide, or get a New York Theatre Guide gift card to let your loved ones choose their next favorite show.

Summary

  • Broadway shows like Wicked; The Lion King; and The Great Gatsby are great gifts for first-time Broadway theatregoers
  • Shows like Aladdin; The Lion King; and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child are great gifts for kids and families
  • Shows like Maybe Happy Ending; Hadestown; and Moulin Rouge! The Musical are great gifts for couples
  • Shows like Six; Hell's Kitchen; & Juliet; and Mamma Mia! are great gifts for friends
1.

Wicked

2.

The Lion King

3.

The Great Gatsby

4.

MJ The Musical

5.

The Book of Mormon

6.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

7.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical

8.

& Juliet

9.

Chicago

10.

Buena Vista Social Club

11.

Hamilton

12.

Oh, Mary!

13.

Mamma Mia!

14.

Hell's Kitchen

15.

The Outsiders

16.

Six

17.

Aladdin

18.

Hadestown

19.

Maybe Happy Ending

20.

Little Shop of Horrors

1.

Wicked

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: First-time theatregoers, The Wizard of Oz fans, your best gal pals, people who can't get enough of the movie

Now that the Wicked movie musical came out, you might know people who saw it and want to experience the story of Elphaba and Glinda live. It's a thrillifying experience — Wicked has defied gravity on Broadway with its songs and stagecraft for over 20 years. Audiences of all ages love the magic, the female friendships, and the theme of standing up for what's right.

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Wicked

2.

The Lion King

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: First-time theatregoers, your kids, Disney lovers, safari enthusiasts

When The Lion King premiered on Broadway, its beloved story and songs made it an instant hit, and the unique, intricate animal puppetry made it revolutionary. More than 25 years later, the circle of life is still turning and bringing in millions of theatregoers of all ages; The Lion King is a popular first Broadway show for kids.

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The Lion King

3.

The Great Gatsby

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: First-time theatregoers, your party-hearty friends, lovers of classic novels

Broadway's biggest bash is The Great Gatsby, bursting with Roaring Twenties glamour, sparkle, and energy. Grab your friends, don your best flapper dresses and pinstripe suits, and party like Gatsby at this musical adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic book.

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The Great Gatsby

4.

MJ The Musical

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: Michael Jackson fans, concert lovers, people who dance along to music videos in their bedrooms

MJ The Musical has all the energy of a Michael Jackson stadium concert — which makes sense since it's set during rehearsals for his 1992 Dangerous World Tour. As he perfects his performances, including his iconic dance moves, audiences get an electrifying look into his life and career, hearing his greatest hits along the way.

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MJ The Musical

Unlock your 24-hour New York City itinerary

Unlock your exclusive guide, full of the best attractions, food, free events and more.

09:00

Breakfast at Liberty Bagels

Regularly named one of the city’s best bagel shops, the unassuming Liberty Bagels is the perfect spot to get a classic NYC breakfast sandwich.

10:00

Macy’s Herald Square

One of the world’s largest stores, Macy’s is a sight to behold, especially when it’s decked out for the holidays.

5.

The Book of Mormon

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: South Park fans, people who don't think they like musicals, anyone except a priest

With a hit Broadway run of over 10 years, The Book of Mormon is a great way to introduce a casual or first-time theatregoer to musical comedy. Anyone who likes the R-rated humor of South Park (whose creators also wrote Mormon) will have plenty of laughs at this satire about misguided missionaries in Africa.

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The Book of Mormon

6.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Broadway
Play
Award winner

Gift this show to: People who grew up with the books and movies, people who love magic and illusion shows

A Harry Potter and the Cursed Child ticket is a magical gift for your loved ones — we guarantee they'll be spellbound by the play's unbelievable illusions. You can even plan a whole Harry Potter-themed day, coupling the show with a trip to the nearby Harry Potter store to get even more merch and butterbeer.

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

7.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: Hopeless romantics, your friend who keeps looking at flights to France

If a trip to Paris isn't in the cards, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is the next best gift. The musical fully immerses you in the Bohemian nightclub, and with 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical, the show is a certified spectacular perfect for pop music lovers, fans of the 2001 movie, or anyone looking to escape the outside world for a few hours.

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Moulin Rouge! The Musical

8.

& Juliet

Broadway
Musical

Gift this show to: Millennials who grew up listening to Top 40 radio, your karaoke-obsessed friend

Featuring 30 pop hits from Bon Jovi to Britney Spears to NSYNC and more, & Juliet is the perfect gift for a nostalgic millennial or anyone looking to have two and a half hours of pure fun. Go along with Juliet, of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, as she sets out to find herself rather than ending it all over Romeo.

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& Juliet

9.

Chicago

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: True crime fans, first-time theatregoers

Chicago is the longest-running show currently on Broadway! This classic musical, with sleek moves and a script co-created by Bob Fosse, has razzle-dazzled audiences since 1996 with the story of two 1920s murderesses who compete to win over the press and the public to get acquitted — and get famous.

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Chicago

10.

Buena Vista Social Club

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: People who like concerts more than theatre, international visitors to Broadway, people who love to go dancing, music history buffs

The music of the groundbreaking Cuban ensemble Buena Vista Social Club is the true star of the show at the same-named musical. All the songs are in Spanish, but you don't need to speak the language to get swept up by the Tony-winning onstage band, who will make you want to get up and dance.

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Buena Vista Social Club

11.

Hamilton

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: History buffs, anyone who thinks history is boring, someone you really want to impress

A decade after its Broadway premiere, Hamilton is still one of Broadway's hottest tickets, and it's sure to impress any loved one. This hip-hop and rap retelling of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton's life story brings American history to thrilling new life.

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Hamilton

12.

Oh, Mary!

Broadway
Play
Award winner

Gift this show to: Theatre fans who think they've seen everything, Saturday Night Live fans, American history buffs (maybe)

Oh, Mary! is in no way an accurate retelling of Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln's lives, but it sure is a hilarious one. Imagining Mary as an alcoholic, repressed wannabe cabaret star, playwright Cole Escola created one of the most unique and off-the-wall comedies on stage right now.

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Oh, Mary!

13.

Mamma Mia!

Broadway
Musical

Gift this show to: Moms and daughters, anyone planning a bachelorette party, people who sing ABBA songs at every karaoke night, people who wish they were vacationing on a Greek island right now

Mamma Mia! is the ultimate feel-good musical, starting from the moment you get tickets for a loved one. This ABBA-fueled story of a bride-to-be, her mom, and her three possible dads is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and it's great for a girls' night or an outing with your own family.

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Mamma Mia!

14.

Hell's Kitchen

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: Moms, daughters, and mother figures; pianists; first-time visitors to NYC; Alicia Keys and R&B fans

Experience NYC through the eyes of a young Alicia Keys: as a place bursting with color, music, and possibility. This high-energy musical is loosely inspired by the Grammy winner's own coming of age and is set to her soulful hit songs.

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Hell's Kitchen

15.

The Outsiders

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: Your teenage son, fans of the book and movie, people who like darker and edgier shows

Winner of the 2024 Tony Award for Best Musical, The Outsiders brings S. E. Hinton's novel about teenage gangs in Tulsa to life. The show is about survival and brotherhood, and it unfolds with exciting fight sequences and stirring Americana music.

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The Outsiders

16.

Six

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: Your closest group of girlfriends, anyone planning a bachelorette party, anyone getting over a breakup

Grab your gal pals for a trip to a feminist musical that rules. Six reimagines Henry VIII's six wives as a contemporary girl group, each competing to become the band's leader and telling their stories via catchy pop tunes. Anyone on your gift list will lose their head once they unwrap Six tickets.

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Six

17.

Aladdin

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: Families who take an annual trip to Disney, significant others looking for a fun date-night outing

Take friends, family, or a date to a whole new world at Aladdin. A ticket to this Disney hit, based on the animated film, is perfect for anyone who loves a musical spectacle and plenty of classic theatrical magic — and the flying carpet's only the half of it.

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Aladdin

18.

Hadestown

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: People who know every underground artist in the local indie scene, people obsessed with Greek mythology in high school, your significant other for date night

Get Hadestown tickets for someone and they'll be livin' it up on top. It's a perfect show to gift a significant other, as the folk and jazz musical weaves together epic love stories from ancient Greek mythology that are just as stirring now.

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Hadestown

19.

Maybe Happy Ending

Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: Your significant other for date night; Pixar film fans; people interested in robotics, sci-fi, and futuristic stories

Boy meets girl, boy and girl become friends, boy and girl go on an adventure that leads to romance. It's your tried-and-true love story — except with humanoid robots. The Tony Award-winning Best Musical tells an original, sweet, 100-minute tale that's great for date night.

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Maybe Happy Ending

20.

Little Shop of Horrors

Off-Broadway
Musical
Award winner

Gift this show to: Fans of the movies, fans of campy (and not-too-scary) horror, botanists and gardeners

This horror comedy about a hapless flower shop worker and a flesh-eating plant is a fan favorite, and the current revival features a rotating lineup of celebs in the lead roles. Hear songs like "Somewhere That's Green" and "Suddenly, Seymour" performed in an intimate venue — just watch out for the plant's snapping jaws, especially if you're close to the front!

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Little Shop of Horrors
Halloween in New York
Death Becomes Her

Death Becomes Her

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Beetlejuice

Beetlejuice

Palace Theatre
Wicked

Wicked

Gershwin Theatre
Little Shop of Horrors

Little Shop of Horrors

Westside Theatre
Perfect Crime

Perfect Crime

The Theater Center
Speakeasy Magick

Speakeasy Magick

The Overlook Bar
AMAZE Magic

AMAZE Magic

New World Stages
Chamber Magic

Chamber Magic

Lotte New York Palace Hotel