8 touring musicals to catch while you can at a theater near you
Spring’s touring theater productions are a mix of old standbys and new shows. Relive the 1980s with “Les Miz” and “Phantom”; experience the 1800s with “Hamilton” if you still haven’t seen the long-running phenomenon. Your seats are waiting.
‘Hamilton’
It is hard to believe that Lin-Manuel Miranda’s instant-hit “Hamilton” was birthed at New York’s Public Theater more than a decade ago, in 2015. Oh, how the show has staying power. It’s the rare musical that pole-vaulted into the pop-cultural consciousness. In 2026, “Hamilton” still has various productions running across the globe, including the North American tour. (through Sept. 12, 2027)
‘Kimberly Akimbo’
The 2023 Tony Award for Best Musical walks an impossible tightrope. It is a hilarious, heartbreaking tale of a 16-year-old girl in suburban New Jersey who ages rapidly and is currently living in the body of a 60-something-year-old. Her family is a mess, she struggles — understandably — to fit in and time is running out. The legendary Ann Morrison (IYKYK) is playing the protagonist on the road. Expect guffaws; bring tissues. (through May 17)
‘Les Misérables’
The grande dame of sung-through musicals is back on the road. Its slogan, “Still the World's Most Popular Musical,” is hard — okay, impossible — to quantify. Nonetheless, more than 40 years have passed since “Les Misérables” had its English-language debut in London, and it has been playing there ever since. The current U.S. touring production is a bit scaled back; you can still expect the glorious melodrama to stretch to every theater’s back row. (through June 28)
‘MJ: the Musical’
A sanitized but, by all accounts, entertaining bio-musical about the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. It is a journey through his life story, told through his biggest hits. You might find yourself singing along to more than 25 of MJ’s best tunes — and prepare for a whole lotta moonwalking. (through May 24)
‘Phantom of the Opera’
Since its debut in 1986, “Phantom of the Opera” has been seen by more than 160 million people. And still the thirst for the man in the half-mask and his unrequited love for his muse, Christine Daaé, continues. The current tour production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s show stars Isaiah Bailey as the Phantom and Jordan Lee Gilbert as Ms. Daaé. (through Sept. 5, 2027)
‘Shucked’
Rare it is to encounter a new Broadway musical that is born of an original story and is also knee-slappingly hilarious. “Shucked” tells the tale of a small town that stars corn as its local moneymaker. Into town comes a con man, a “corn doctor,” and hijinks ensue, all to a score by Grammy-winning Nashville songwriters Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. (through June 7)
‘The Sound of Music’
It’s difficult to imagine American musical theater without the presence of “The Sound of Music,” especially the film adaptation that starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. See — and hear — for yourself the original material in the current touring production of the stage musical. You will almost certainly recognize a bunch of the show’s numbers, including “Do-Re-Mi” and “Edelweiss.” (through June 27, 2027)
‘Wicked’
The two-decade-old Broadway smash continues its current tour, with dates booking through summer 2027. Though that run may be extended into perpetuity after the raucous success of the two-part “Wicked” movies that starred Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The buzz around this tale of the origins of the Wicked Witch of the West just keeps on humming, and the musical carries a special magic in its staged incarnation. (through July 25, 2027)