One of the longest running broadway shows ever, with over 4000 performances, contained the name of a common animal in the title. What was it?

This feline-focused musical extravaganza is one of the most successful productions in Broadway history. The original Broadway production of "Cats" ran for an astonishing 7,485 performances, far exceeding the 4,000-performance milestone. The show, with music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is based on T.S. Eliot's 1939 poetry collection, "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats." This unlikely source material, a series of poems about a tribe of cats called the Jellicles, was transformed into a global phenomenon.

The story revolves around the annual Jellicle Ball, where the cats make the "Jellicle choice" to decide which among them will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn. The musical is entirely sung-through, with no spoken dialogue, a unique characteristic that has captivated audiences worldwide. Despite initial skepticism from investors about a musical centered on cats, the show's imaginative costumes and choreography, coupled with its memorable score, led to unprecedented commercial success.

"Cats" went on to win numerous awards, including seven Tony Awards, such as Best Musical. Its influence on musical theater is profound, ushering in an era of blockbuster "megamusicals." The show has been translated into multiple languages and has been performed in countries all over the world, solidifying its place as a cultural touchstone and one of Broadway's most enduring and beloved productions.