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BroadwayBroadway is shorthand for the Broadway theater district, an area in New York City's Manhattan borough that occupies a segment of Broadway, a 13-mile road. Although the Broadway theater district has a relatively small geographic footprint, its 41 theaters stage some of the world's most popular productions of plays and musicals.
A "Broadway show" means a show that runs at a Broadway theater, though the classification doesn't necessarily include every theater within the Broadway theater district. Instead, a Broadway theater is a theater in the district that seats over 500 people.
Throughout its centuries-long history, Broadway has been the home of numerous landmark shows that have changed the face of American and international theater.Explore Broadway
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'Shuffle Along' helped pave the way for Black theater on BroadwayThe 1921 musical revue featured an all-Black cast and brought jazz music and dance to Broadway. It opened at the 63rd Street Theater and ran for over 500 performances, attracting white and Black audiences alike. It was so popular, in fact, that in 1948 Harry Truman used one of its songs in his presidential campaign. Theater historian Loften Mitchell later credited the show with effectively launching the Harlem Renaissance. Kennedy CenterThe 'Wicked' movies turned an already-successful Broadway show into a behemothThe production was already one of the most successful in Broadway history, but the release of the first movie kicked it into overdrive: It grossed 15% more in 2024, the year "Wicked: Part I" was released, than the previous year, bringing in more than $112M. The New York TimesBroadway hit 'Stereophonic' was inspired by Fleetwood MacThe show follows a 1970s rock band while they're in the studio, tracking a new album, and mirrors many of the internal conflicts that led to Fleetwood Mac's 1977 record, "Rumours." The play was a massive hit, earning 13 Tony nominations (the most ever for a play). It won five, including best play. NPRThe term ‘angel investor’ is thought to have originated with Broadway playsThe first so-called angel investors funded theatrical productions. Now, angels invest in startups at an early stage, hoping their investment will pay off in the future. InvestopediaBroadway employs tens of thousands of people in various rolesWhile we often just think of the actors and directors who take top billing, Broadway productions operate as distinct businesses employing numerous people in various roles: stage managers, sound designers, house managers, ushers and more. BackstageAs a kid, Jay-Z was inspired by the Broadway musical “Annie”That led to the rapper’s 1998 track “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” which sampled one of the show’s most recognizable songs, “Hard Knock Life.” "When the TV version [of Annie] came on, I was drawn to it," he told NPR in 2010. NPRWhy one highly anticipated Broadway musical flopped“Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” had all the makings of a Broadway blockbuster, with acclaimed director Julie Taymour and music from U2’s Bono and the Edge, but technical mishaps and bad reviews plagued the musical, which closed with $60M in losses. BBCThe longest-running Broadway musical is 'The Phantom of the Opera'Andrew Lloyd Webber's legendary show holds the record for the longest-running musical on Broadway, with an astounding 13,981 performances. When it was announced the show would close, its dedicated "phans" rushed to buy tickets, leading to an unexpected extension. Smithsonian Magazine'Hair' helped redefine Broadway theater "Hair" rewrote the rule book, bringing politics, race, and, yes, nudity to Broadway. Plenty was going on backstage, too, with the young, revolutionary cast embracing the countercultural life they portrayed onstage. Broadway.comBroadway grosses over $1B annuallyThe famous but relatively small geographic area is responsible for a relatively enormous economy, thanks to high demand and high ticket prices. Broadway BusinessBroadway's superfans unite at BroadwayConLike ComicCon for theater lovers, BroadwayCon convenes annually in New York and offers panels, meet-and-greets, and, of course, singalongs. (Some readers may experience a paywall.) The New York TimesOff-Broadway and off-off-Broadway are about more than locationA Broadway theater is located in Manhattan and seats more than 500 people. Off-Broadway theaters have 100 to 499 seats, while off-off-Broadway theaters house up to 100. Mental FlossBroadway's songwriters began experimenting in the 1920sBroadway’s early decades were heavily influenced by opera and vaudeville, but songwriters in the 1920s began exploring more narrative-based songwriting and psychologically complex characters. That trend would continue in the following decades, though it would evolve in even more nuanced ways. Houston SymphonyBroadway's nickname is 'the Great White Way'Thanks to the advent of electricity, by the middle of the 19th century, theaters in the Broadway area were illuminated by lampposts and marquees. The nickname “the Great White Way” describes how it looked at night. The term is still used today. BackstageBroadway is the epicenter of the American theater worldBroadway is shorthand for the Broadway theater district, an area in New York City's Manhattan borough that occupies a segment of Broadway, a 13-mile road. Although the Broadway theater district has a relatively small geographic footprint, its 41 theaters stage some of the world's most popular productions of plays and musicals. Broadway.comRegional theaters help develop shows for BroadwayTheaters like the La Jolla Playhouse often act as testing grounds for Broadway, allowing audiences to witness groundbreaking world premieres before they hit the Great White Way. Spectrum NewsA Spider-Man musical became one of Broadway's biggest flopsOnce hyped as a revolutionary stage production with music by U2's Bono and The Edge, and direction from Julie Taymor of "The Lion King," "Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark" became one of Broadway's most expensive flops. 1440Broadway's 10 biggest flopsFor every "Carousel" or "Cabaret," there's a "Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark"—a show that never found its footing, sometimes in a public and disastrous way. Here are 10 Broadway musicals the producers and stars would probably rather we forget. Some, like "The Rocky Horror Show" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's," were eventually revived and relatively well received. Others, like "Into the Light"—which involved mimes, metaphysics, and the legend of the Shroud of Turin—have rightfully stayed buried. Smithsonian MagazineThe best Broadway oral historiesWhat do you get when you combine elite performers, spectacular sets, and tons of rehearsal time? Maybe an award-winning show, but definitely drama. This list of Broadway-based oral histories spans from RENT’s groundbreaking depiction of the AIDS crisis to the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on live theater. There’s even a retelling of how TikTok helped bring a musical version of Ratatouille to the stage for a one-night-only streaming exclusive. REDEF100 of Broadway's best songsFrom the pathos of "One Day More" from "Les Misérables," to the soaring "Defying Gravity" from "Wicked," this video showcasing 100 of Broadway's best songs will keep any musical theater lover quite busy. While the list trends toward modern pieces, there are still plenty of selections from classics and Tony Award winners like "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Miss Saigon." MsMojoBroadway is a theater district in New YorkThere are 51 official Broadway theaters in New York City, all within a few blocks of Times Square, a key contributor to the area's prestige and economic success. These theaters host the productions eligible for Tony Awards. New York Theatre Guide'SNL' parodied Liza Minnelli's showbiz personaKristen Wiig plays Minnelli in the skit, poking fun at the Broadway star's extravagance and onstage presence. Minnelli is unable to perform regular tasks without whipping out Fosse's dance moves. Saturday Night LiveMinnelli's acting career began as a toddlerHer first film appearance was at age three in 1949's "In the Good Old Summertime," which starred her mother, Judy Garland. Minnelli's stage debut came not long after, at the age of 10. At age 19, she'd made her Broadway debut in "Flora, the Red Menace," and landed a Tony Award for the performance. PBSPaul Robeson was the Harlem Renaissance's chief renaissance manRobeson played many roles throughout his life: He was an All-American football player who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, earned a law degree while playing in the NFL, starred in numerous films and Broadway shows, and became an outspoken advocate for labor and civil rights. His vocal criticism of US involvement in the Korean War led to his passport being voided and a protracted struggle with the US government. Rutgers UniversityAn early version of the musical 'Hamilton' debuted at the White HouseYears before the musical "Hamilton" reached Broadway, Lin-Manuel Miranda performed an early draft of the opening song at the White House during a 2009 poetry event attended by President Obama. The Obama White HouseHughes’ ‘Harlem’ inspired Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun’Hughes' 11-line poem from “Montage of a Dream Deferred” is one of the most recognizable verses in American literature. Part of that is due to its legacy as the inspiration for the title of Lorraine Hansberry’s landmark 1959 play “A Raisin in the Sun,” the first show written by a Black woman to appear on Broadway. Poetry FoundationMovie trailers used to air after the film, hence why they’re called ‘trailers’These in-theatre advertisements used to “trail” the movie rather than precede it. The first movie trailer shown at the movies dates back to 1913, when marketer Nils Granlund put together rehearsal footage of an upcoming Broadway musical to drive ticket sales. How Stuff WorksOne actor made a career out of playing Mark TwainHal Holbrook toured in the one-man show “Mark Twain Tonight!” for over six decades. In the performances, Holbrook wore Twain’s iconic white suit and offered witticisms similar to Twain’s famous lectures. Holbrook won a Tony Award in 1966 for a Broadway run of the show. The New York TimesThe 1939 ‘Wizard of Oz’ reimagined Baum’s book for a new ageTechnological breakthroughs brought high-quality, synchronized sound to films by the end of the 1920s. By the 1930s, the movie-musical, a genre that blended artful cinematography and Broadway-style musicals, became more popular. “The Wizard of Oz” evolved the form further by structuring the plot into episodes anchored by memorable, revelatory songs. One Hundred Years of CinemaThe musical 'The Wizard of Oz' debuted in 1902Following the success of ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,’ Baum adapted the novel for the stage. It premiered at Chicago’s Grand Opera House in 1902 and made it to Broadway’s Majestic Theatre in 1903. It then toured the country through 1909. It was also a musical adaptation of the story. New York Public Library'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ became an award-winning stage playPremiering in 2016, the play continues the story beyond the original books and has run in London’s West End and on Broadway, winning nine Olivier Awards and six Tony Awards, including best play. Harry Potter BroadwayNonprofit theaters are incubators for new theaterUnlike commercial Broadway theaters, ticket sales account for only a fraction of nonprofit theaters' income. This lets them take chances on new playwrights and innovative shows, including Lin Manuel Miranda's "Hamilton" and Stephen Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park with George." PlaybillThe Faustian Bargain is a classic trope about cutting a deal with the devilGoethe's "Faust," Broadway's "Damn Yankees," and the American folktale about Robert Johnson all embrace the familiar details of the Faustian Bargain, in which a young, eager striver is offered their wildest dreams in exchange for the rights to their soul. Overly Sarcastic ProductionsNiagara power helped electrify early New York CityTesla's AC system at Niagara Falls was so successful that electricity generated there lit up Broadway theaters and powered NYC’s subway system in the early 1900s. Big ThinkAtlantic City was a major vacation destination in the early 20th centuryThe city’s boardwalk, filled with amusement parks and vendors, became a significant attraction for vacationing families. The town also became a hub for entertainment, with actors often starting there before heading to Broadway. The Atlantic City Free Public LibraryAn early Sly and the Family Stone live recording was discovered in 2002A live recording of the legendary funk band in 1967—shortly before their mainstream breakthrough—was found in 2002 by two of the band's unofficial archivists. However, the full recording, "The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967," wasn't released until 2025. Sly and the Family StonePlenty of excellent shows take place far outside the Big AppleRegional theaters like the La Jolla Playhouse often act as testing grounds for Broadway, allowing audiences to witness groundbreaking world premieres before they hit the Great White Way. Spectrum NewsThe 'Ratatouille' musical started as a joke on TikTokIt all started as a meme: What if “Ratatouille” were adapted for the stage? Just a few months later, though, it was an actual production, featuring genuine Broadway stars. The Ringer‘A Raisin in the Sun’ made history in 1959The play was the first on Broadway written by a Black woman. Lorraine Hansberry, the playwright, was 29 when it debuted at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on March 11, 1959. HISTORY'Show Boat' redefined the American musicalThe 1927 musical—penned by Oscar Hammerstein II, who would go on to create, with Richard Rodgers, other titanic shows like "Oklahoma!" and "Carousel"—used its songs to advance the plot and build character rather than simply entertain. America MagazineSylvester's 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)' is a definitive LGBTQ+ anthemThe 1978 dance hit was all about self-acceptance, inspired by the artist's difficult experience growing up gay in a Pentecostal church. The song has influenced numerous contemporary artists and inspired an off-Broadway musical. NPRSondheim was the king of the patter songPatter songs are up-tempo numbers that match beats and syllables, requiring singers to flex serious verbal dexterity. Stephen Sondheim's patter songs are some of the most famous in Broadway history, featuring rapid-fire speech and clever turns of phrase. This video breaks down some of the finest examples. Musicals w/ CheeseTony Awards are given only to shows playing in theaters with more than 500 seatsThat means only shows playing in Broadway theaters are eligible for Tonys. Off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway theaters have fewer seats. Town & CountryHal Prince holds the record for most Tonys, with 21As the producer and director of iconic shows like "West Side Story," "Sweeney Todd," and "Evita," Hal Prince made a huge impression on Broadway history. This episode of the "Anything Goes" podcast is part of a three-part series that highlights the songs that defined Prince's career. Anything Goes PodcastThe best Tony performances of all timeA big part of the Tony Awards ceremony is the selection of live performances from that year's nominated musicals. This Time Out list pulls together 35 of the best songs from over six decades of broadcasts, complete with videos of each. Catch the savannah-themed spectacle of 1998's "Circle of Life" from "The Lion King," the classic "Tomorrow" from "Annie," and many legendary Patti LuPone performances, among others. Time Out New YorkThe Tony Awards were founded by Brock PembertonA Kansas boy who went on to become a groundbreaking Broadway producer, Brock Pemberton is also the founder of the Tony Awards. He went from a prodigious Midwestern newspaper reporter to a New York drama critic and quickly caught the attention of a local producer, who offered Pemberton a job and kick-started his decades-long Broadway career, which included cofounding the influential American Theatre Wing. Algonquin Round TableThe Tonys got their name from Antoinette PerryIn 1946, trailblazing director Antoinette Perry died after decades of creative success. The following year, Perry's professional partner, Brock Pemberton, founded a series of awards to honor her. While handing out an award at the first ceremony, Pemberton referred to it using Antoinette's nickname of "Tony," and the name caught on. Broadway DirectThe Tony Awards, explainedBroadway's top honor began in 1947, when the American Theatre Wing created the Tony Awards in memory of Antoinette "Tony" Perry. From scrolls and cigarette lighters to today's iconic medallion, the Tonys have evolved into a nationally televised celebration of Broadway's best. 1440Many shows close without earning a profitBroadway is a tough market, and a show closing early is relatively common, especially in the winter: Between December 2024 and February 2025, 17 shows closed. It's more than just low ticket sales: Broadway shows face a number of hurdles to success, including stop clauses and bad reviews. Playbill'The Jazz Singer,' the first film with synchronized sound, changed HollywoodMovies changed forever in 1927, when Warner Bros. released "The Jazz Singer," the first feature film with integrated dialogue. Based on a Broadway musical, the movie starred Al Jolson as the son of a Jewish cantor who wants to be a popular singer. Alt Film Guide
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