What Is the Number 1 Longest Running Broadway Show?

The number one longest running Broadway show isn’t just a hit-it’s a cultural landmark. The Phantom of the Opera held the title for over three decades, becoming the first musical in Broadway history to surpass 10,000 performances. It opened on January 26, 1988, at the Majestic Theatre and ran continuously for 35 years, closing on April 16, 2023. That’s 13,981 performances. No other show came close during its reign.

How Did The Phantom of the Opera Stay So Popular?

It wasn’t just the music. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score, with songs like "The Music of the Night" and "Think of Me," became instantly recognizable. But what kept people coming back? The show delivered spectacle without losing its heart. The chandelier drop, the hidden passages, the haunting masks-every element was designed to pull you into a world that felt real, even when it was wildly theatrical. Audiences didn’t just watch a musical; they stepped into a gothic romance that felt timeless.

Unlike flash-in-the-pan hits, The Phantom of the Opera didn’t rely on celebrity cameos or trending themes. It stayed true to its source material-Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel-and gave audiences a consistent, high-quality experience. Ticket prices rose over the years, but demand never dropped. Even during the 2020 pandemic shutdown, when Broadway went dark for 18 months, fans still waited. When it reopened in 2021, the house was full again. That kind of loyalty doesn’t happen by accident.

What Made It Different From Other Long-Running Shows?

Before The Phantom of the Opera, the record was held by Cats, which ran for 7,485 performances between 1982 and 2000. Cats had its charm-talking cats, funky choreography-but it never had the emotional weight of Phantom. People didn’t just love Cats; they remembered it. Phantom made them feel something deeper: longing, obsession, tragedy.

Compare it to Chicago, which took over as the longest-running American musical after Phantom closed. Chicago has more performances now (over 10,000 as of 2026), but it didn’t hold the crown for decades. Phantom was the first to break the 10,000 mark. It set the bar. And it did so with a production that never changed much. The same set, the same costumes, the same lighting cues-year after year. That consistency became part of its appeal. You could bring your kids, then your grandchildren, and they’d see the same magic.

Other Long-Running Musicals on Broadway

While The Phantom of the Opera is gone, its legacy lives on in other shows that have stuck around. Here are the top five longest-running Broadway musicals as of 2026:

• Chicago - Opened in 1996, over 10,000 performances (and still running). The only show to surpass Phantom in total runs.
• The Lion King - Opened in 1997, over 9,500 performances. Known for its puppetry and African-inspired visuals.
• Wicked - Opened in 2003, over 8,500 performances. A modern classic with a devoted fanbase.
• Les Misérables - Opened in 1987, ran for 6,680 performances before closing in 2003. Still beloved worldwide.
• Cats - Held the record before Phantom, with 7,485 performances.

None of these had the same cultural footprint as Phantom. Chicago might have more performances now, but it didn’t define an era the way Phantom did. It didn’t turn a theatre into a pilgrimage site. People would fly from Europe just to see it. It was the show you told your friends about before you even bought the ticket.

Why Did It Close?

The Majestic Theatre, where Phantom ran for 35 years, is one of Broadway’s oldest and largest venues. But it’s also aging. The building needed major renovations, and the producers faced a tough choice: invest millions into repairs or move the show. No other Broadway theatre had the space, technical capabilities, or historical prestige to host Phantom as it was. The lighting rig alone required custom engineering. The underground lake? The trap doors? The chandelier? They were built for the Majestic. No other stage could replicate it.

So, after 13,981 performances, the final curtain fell. It wasn’t because audiences stopped coming. It was because the show had outgrown its home. The producers called it a "natural ending." Fans were heartbroken. Social media flooded with tributes. One woman posted a photo of her grandmother holding a 1990 ticket next to her granddaughter holding a 2023 ticket. "We saw it together," she wrote. "Now I’m the one who remembers."

What’s the Legacy?

The Phantom of the Opera didn’t just break records-it changed how people think about Broadway. It proved that a show could be both wildly expensive and wildly successful. It showed that a story rooted in the 19th century could still move 21st-century audiences. It turned a single theatre into a monument.

Today, you can still find its music on streaming playlists, hear it in school choirs, or see amateur productions in small towns. But nothing compares to seeing it live in the Majestic. The air still smells like old velvet and stage dust. The silence before the chandelier drops? That’s the sound of a generation holding its breath.

There will be other long-running shows. Maybe even one that passes Chicago. But The Phantom of the Opera will always be the one that showed the world what a Broadway musical could become when it dared to be grand, tragic, and unforgettable.