List of Broadway shows that have held the title of longest-running show
This is a list of shows that have held the title of being the longest-running show (including straight plays and musicals) on Broadway since 1853.

List of Broadway shows that have held the title of longest-running show

Section Title:
Table Section Text: This is a list of shows that have held the title of being the longest-running show (including straight plays and musicals) on Broadway since 1853.

Took lead	Title	Type	Opening date	Closing date	Performances	Comments/Notes

January 9, 2006	The Phantom of the Opera	M	January 26, 1988	12,927	Currently running at the Majestic Theatre 7 Tony Awards in 1988, including Best Musical 7 Drama Desk Awards in 1988 Broadway's longest-running show and musical

June 19, 1997	Cats	M	October 7, 1982	September 10, 2000	7,485	7 Tony Awards in 1983, including Best Musical 3 Drama Desk Awards in 1983 Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album in 1984

September 29, 1983	A Chorus Line	M	July 25, 1975	April 28, 1990	6,137	9 Tony Awards in 1976, including Best Musical 5 Drama Desk Awards in 1976, including Outstanding Musical A Special Tony Award in 1984 for becoming Broadway's longest-running musical Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1976 Revival in 2006 (759 performances)

December 8, 1979	Grease	M	February 14, 1972	April 13, 1980	3,388	2 Drama Desk Awards in 1972 Revivals in 1994 (1,505 performances) and 2007 (554 performances)

June 17, 1972	Fiddler on the Roof	M	September 22, 1964	July 2, 1972	3,242	Became longest running musical in July 1971, at 2,845 performances passing 2,844 mark of Hello Dolly!. 9 Tony Awards in 1965, including Best Musical A Special Tony Award in 1972 for becoming Broadway's longest-running musical Revivals in 1976 (167 performances), 1981 (53 performances), 1990, (241 performances), 2004 (781 performances), and 2015 (431 performances)

June 14, 1947	Life with Father	P	November 8, 1939	July 12, 1947	3,224	Broadway's longest-running straight play. Started at Empire Theatre, moved to the Bijou Theatre in 1945, and finished up its run in 1947 at the Alvin Theatre.

June 1939	Tobacco Road	P	December 4, 1933	May 31, 1941	3,182	Revivals in 1942 (34 performances), 1943 (66 performances), and 1950 (7 performances)

May 23, 1925	Abie's Irish Rose	P	May 23, 1923	October 1, 1927	2,327	Revivals in 1937 (46 performances) and 1954 (20 performances)

March 17, 1920	Lightnin'	P	August 26, 1918	August 27, 1921	1,291	Revival in 1938 (54 performances)

June 22, 1893	A Trip to Chinatown	M	November 9, 1891	August 7, 1893	657

December 1885	Adonis	M	September 4, 1884	April 17, 1886	603

May 1881	Hazel Kirke	P	February 4, 1880	May 31, 1881	486	250th performance programme claimed play had exceeded number of consecutive performances of any "similar play" in the country on its 238th performance, which is no doubt a reference to Pique (1875) which ran for 237 performances.

August 5, 1867	The Black Crook	M	September 12, 1866	January 4, 1868	474	First Broadway show to run for over one year. In terms of a "musical", The Seven Sisters (1860–61, 253 perf.), was probably the longest running show closest to a "musical" prior to this.

1853	Uncle Tom's Cabin (Aiken version)	P	August 8, 1853	May 13, 1854	325	Has generally been classified as a play, though some arguments have been made that it was a musical. Played at the National Theatre.

1850	The Drunkard	P	1850	October 7, 1850?	100	As of October 7, 1850, it hit 100 consecutive performances in New York, the first play to do so. At Barnum's American Museum.

September 24, 1844	Putnam, the Iron Son of '76	P	August 5, 1844	November 2, 1844	78	At the Bowery Theatre. If Mazeppa ran 43 nights in 1833 and was previous record, Putnam became most performed on its 44th performance on September 24, 1844.

1833	Mazeppa, Or, The Wild Horse of Ukraine	P	July 22, 1833	September 9, 1833	43	At the Bowery Theatre with George Gale as Mazeppa.

1831	The Elephant of Siam and the Fire Fiend by Samuel Beazley	P	January 10, 1831	?	18	At the Bowery Theatre, the first season under Thomas S. Hamblin, who embraced melodramas which might support longer runs.

Sentence(s)

"Cats" was the longest-running Broadway show from 1997 until 2006, when it was surpassed by "The Phantom of the Opera".

final_sentence: "Cats" was the longest-running Broadway show from 1997 until 2006, when it was surpassed by "The Phantom of the Opera".