| 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. | |