Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre is often considered the highest professional form of
theatre in the
United States. Broadway theatre, or a Broadway show, refers to a performance staged in one of the thirty-nine larger professional theatres located in the
New York City borough of
Manhattan, with 500 seats or more, that appeal to the mass audience.
Along with
London's West End theatre, Broadway theatre is often considered of the highest level of
English language theatre. Unlike most developed nations, the US has no nationwide government-subsidized theatre program, and thus the shows that reach Broadway and thrive there have historically been perceived as more populist or crowd-pleasing, less avant-garde or challenging than the plays produced Off-Broadway or in regional non-profit theatres such as the
Guthrie Theatre
Encyclopedia
Broadway theatre is often considered the highest professional form of
theatre in the
United States. Broadway theatre, or a Broadway show, refers to a performance staged in one of the thirty-nine larger professional theatres located in the
New York City borough of
Manhattan, with 500 seats or more, that appeal to the mass audience.
Along with
London's West End theatre, Broadway theatre is often considered of the highest level of
English language theatre. Unlike most developed nations, the US has no nationwide government-subsidized theatre program, and thus the shows that reach Broadway and thrive there have historically been perceived as more populist or crowd-pleasing, less avant-garde or challenging than the plays produced Off-Broadway or in regional non-profit theatres such as the
Guthrie Theatre and the American Repertory Theatre.
While the term "Broadway" comes from the street, Broadway, it is best described as a theatre district as not all Broadway theatres are located on this street. With roots in 1882, and expansions and new construction, by 1900 Broadway was the centerpiece of American musical theater and fast becoming the most important commercially in the world, enticing
European stars such as
Sarah Bernhardt. Some of the important early investors and developers of the Broadway theater district include Henry Abbey, A.L. Erlanger, Marcus Klaw,
Florenz Ziegfeld, Rudolf Aronson,
David Belasco,
Charles Frohman, Daniel Frohman, Oscar Hammerstein, and the Shubert family. Broadway theatre played an important role in
20th century American cultural history, as it featured the work of some of the most influential American composers of classical music, such as
George Gershwin, Kurt Weill, Marc Blitzstein and
Leonard Bernstein, as well as many of the famous American playwrights like
Edward Albee, George S. Kaufman,
Eugene O'Neill and Neil Simon. Broadway plays and musicals have their roots in
19th century American dramatic forms such as
vaudeville and
burlesque in interaction with the influences of European grand opera, operetta, and Realist drama.
Today, the majority of Broadway theatres are located in the area called
Midtown, in and around
Times Square. Broadway theatres are usually run by a producing organization , or another theatre group .
All Broadway shows are professionally produced and adhere to strict contracts for all artists involved . Artistic trades unions such as
Actors' Equity, commonly known simply as "Equity," and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers bargain for contracts guaranteeing minimum wages and other rights involved with the rehearsal and production process. On rare occasions, disputes over contracts can result in a group of artists going on
strike. In March 2003, musicians in the orchestra pits of Broadway musicals went on strike because producers wanted to reduce the minimum number of orchestra members required. More than a dozen Broadway musicals went dark for four days after the musicians'
union walked out, and theaters lost millions of dollars in revenue.
Broadway shows may run for a varying number of weeks, depending on ticket sales. Musicals tend to have longer runs than do stage plays. On January 9, 2006,
The Phantom of the Opera is a French [i] novel [i] by Gaston Leroux [i]. ...
at the
Majestic Theatre became the longest running musical with 7,486 performances when it overtook Cats.
In addition to long runs in Broadway theatres, producers often copy the production with a new cast and crew for the Broadway national tour, which travels to theatres across the country. Both musicals and stage plays on Broadway and in their respective tours often rely on casting well-known performers in leading roles to draw larger audiences or bring in new audience members to the theatre. Actors from movies and television are frequently cast for the premieres of Broadway shows or are used to replace actors leaving a cast. Many performers, however, are still primarily "stage" actors, who spend more time on the stages of New York and will appear in television and screen roles as a secondary venue.
Broadway shows and artists are honored every June when the Antoinette Perry Awards are given by the American Theatre Wing. The Tony is Broadway's highest theatre award. The importance of these awards has increased since their annual broadcast on
television began. Celebrities are often chosen to host the show, like
Hugh Jackman and
Rosie O'Donnell, in addition to celebrity presenters. While some critics have felt that the show should focus on celebrating the stage, many others recognize the positive impact that famous faces lend to selling more tickets and bringing more people to the theatre. The performances from Broadway musicals on the telecast have also been cited as vital to the survival of many Broadway shows. Many theatre people, notably critic Frank Rich, dismiss the Tony awards as little more than a commercial for the limited world of Broadway, which after all can only support a maximum of two dozen shows a season, and constantly call for the awards to embrace off-Broadway theatre as well.
Seeing a Broadway show is a common
tourist activity in New York and a business that generates billions of dollars annually. The Tkts booth in Duffy Square, at Broadway and 47th Street, sells same-day tickets for many Broadway and Off-Broadway shows at half price. This service helps sell empty seats and makes seeing a show in New York more affordable. Many Broadway theatres also offer special student rates, same-day "rush" tickets, or standing-room tickets to help ensure that more people have the opportunity to see Broadway shows.
Some theatregoers prefer the more experimental, challenging, and intimate performances possible in smaller theatres, which are referred to as Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway . The classification of theatres is governed by language in
Actors' Equity Association contracts. To be eligible for a Tony, a production must be in a house with 500 seats or more, which pretty much defines the Broadway Theatre. Some theatres can convert from Off-Broadway to Broadway and vice versa.
Total Broadway attendance in 2005 was just under 12 million. . This was approximately the same as London's West End theatre.
See also
, a film by
Rick McKayList of Broadway theaters
- If no show is currently running, the play listed is the next show planned .
- If the next show planned is not announced, the play listed is the last one that closed .
| Theatre | Show | Address | Opened
>-
| Ambassador Theatre | Chicago | 219 West 49th Street | November 14, 1996
|-
| American Airlines Theatre | Heartbreak House* | 227 West 42nd Street | September, 2006
|-
| Brooks Atkinson Theatre | The Times They Are A-Changin'* | 256 West 47th Street | November, 2006
|- Broadhurst Theatre
|-
| Ethel Barrymore Theatre | Company* | 243 West 47th Street | >-
| Belasco Theatre | Awake and Sing!# | 111 West 44th Street | April 17, 2006
|-
| Vivian Beaumont Theatre | The Coast of Utopia is a 2002 trilogy of plays by Tom Stoppard [i], focused on the philosophical deb ...
* | 150 West 65th Street | October, 2006
|-
| Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre | | 242 West 45th Street | August, 2006
|-
| Biltmore Theater | Losing Louie* | 261 West 47th Street | October 12, 2006
|-
| Booth Theatre | Butley* | 222 West 45th Street | October 25, 2006
|-
| Broadhurst Theatre | The History Boys | 235 West 44th Street | April 23, 2006
|-
| Broadway Theatre | The Color Purple is a 1982 [i] novel [i] by Alice Walker [i] which received the 1983 [i] Pulitzer Prize for Fiction [i] ...
| 1681 Broadway | December 1, 2005
|-
| Cadillac Winter Garden Theatre | Mamma Mia!, a musical [i] written by British [i] playwright [i] Catherine Johnson [i] ...
| 1634 Broadway | October 18, 2001
|-
| Circle in the Square Theatre | The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee | 1633 Broadway | May 2, 2005
|-
| Cort Theatre | The Little Dog Laughed* | 138 West 48th Street | November 13, 2006
|-
| Gershwin Theatre | Wicked | 222 West 51st Street | October 30, 2003
|-
| John Golden Theatre | Avenue Q | 252 West 45th Street | July 31, 2003
|-
| Helen Hayes Theatre | * | 240 West 44th Street | September 28th, 2006
|-
| Hilton Theatre | Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one of the best-known children's books by Dr. Seuss [i]. ...
* | 213 West 42nd Street | November 8, 2006
|-
| Al Hirschfeld Theatre | The Wedding Singer | 302 West 45th Street | April 27, 2006
|-
| Imperial Theatre | High Fidelity* | 249 West 45th Street | December 7th, 2006
|-
| Walter Kerr Theatre | Grey Gardens* | 218 West 48th Street | October, 2006
|-
| Lunt-Fontanne Theatre | Beauty and the Beast is a traditional folktale [i]. ...
| 205 West 46th Street | April 18, 1994
|-
| Lyceum Theatre | The Lieutenant of Inishmore# | 149 West 45th Street | May 3, 2006
|-
| Majestic Theatre | The Phantom of the Opera is a French [i] novel [i] by Gaston Leroux [i]. ...
| 247 West 44th Street | January 26, 1988
|-
| Marquis Theatre | The Drowsy Chaperone | 1535 Broadway | May 1, 2006
|-
| Minskoff Theatre | The Lion King is the 32nd animated feature [i] in the Disney animated feature [i]...
| 1515 Broadway | June 13, 2006
|-
| Music Box Theatre | The Vertical Hour* | 239 West 45th Street | November 30, 2006
|-
| Nederlander Theatre | Rent | 208 West 41st Street | April 29, 1996
|-
| New Amsterdam Theatre | Mary Poppins* | 214 West 42nd Street | >-
| Eugene O'Neill Theatre | Spring Awakening* | 230 West 49th Street | December 10, 2006 *
|-
| Palace Theatre | Legally Blonde is a 2001 [i] comedy film [i] starring Reese Witherspoon [i], produced b...
* | 1564 Broadway | April, 2007 *
|-
| Richard Rodgers Theatre | Tarzan | 226 West 46th Street | May 10, 2006
|-
| Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre | A Chorus Line* | 236 West 45th Street | October 5, 2006 *
|-
| Sam S. Shubert Theatre | Spamalot is a comedic musical [i] "lovingly ripped off from" the film ...
| 225 West 44th Street | March 17, 2005
|-
| Neil Simon Theatre | Hairspray | 250 West 52nd Street | August 15, 2002
|-
| St. James Theatre | The Producers | 246 West 44th Street | April 19, 2001
|- | August Wilson Theatre | Jersey Boys | 245 West 52nd Street | November 6, 2005 |
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