In the early 1800's, the Broadway stage was graced with plays such as William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." The first long running Broadway hit was "The Elves" in 1857, which ran for 64 performances. However, "The Black Crook" broke that ran with 474 performance when it premiered in 1866. Then in 1891, "A Trip to China," held the stage throughout 657 performances.
Other plays that appeared on Broadway during this era included "Cinderella," "The Bohemian Girl," and "Rip Van Winkle."
In the 1900's Frank L. Baum's "The Wizard of Oz" brought the iconic character of "Dorothy" to life for the first time -- with Anna Laughlin as Dorothy. By the 1930's, Broadway had found a new star in Jessica Tandy, who made her debut in "The Matriarch."
The 1940s brought Tennessee Williams's "The Glass Menagerie," which starred Julie Haydon as Laura. According to Broadway 101, the "History of the Great White Way," "Menagerie" and Williams were acclaimed simultaneously .
The period between the 1950s to the 1970s was the age of musicals. Such musicals as "West Side Story", "My Fair Lady", "The Sound of Music", and "Hair" were performed.
According the official Website Broadway.com, Andrew Lloyd Webster's masterpiece, "The Phantom of the Opera" remains today's longest running play of all time. It debuted in 1988, with Michael Crawford in the lead role. It was awarded seven Tony Awards in its first year. It has since been adapted to screen numerous times, one of which starred Robert Englund of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" fame. It was based on the 1910 horror classic written by Gaston Leroux. Its original screen debut current in 1924, which starred Lon Chaney.
Numerous plays performed on Broadway have been later adapted into movies. But now more and more movies have been transformed into plays. This began with the 1980s classic "9 to 5" and "Grease." However, this trend became so popular that such movies as "Legally Blonde", "Kiss of the Spiderwoman", and "Prelude to a Kiss" have been performed on the Broadway stage as well.
According to Broadway.com, there will soon be a sequel to the beloved "The Phantom of the Opera." Its title is "Love Never Dies." It will premiere in London in 2009 and later make its way to New York City. However, while you are waiting you can still see "The Phantom of the Opera." It is currently running seven days a week at a price of $76.50 a ticket.