Overview of Broadway Theatre
– Broadway theatre refers to theatrical performances presented in 41 professional theaters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
– These theaters have a seating capacity of at least 500 people.
– Broadway and London’s West End are considered the highest commercial level of live theater in the English-speaking world.
– Times Square is closely associated with Broadway, although only three theaters are located on Broadway itself.
– Smaller theaters in New York City are referred to as off-Broadway, while very small venues with fewer than 100 seats are called off-off-Broadway.
Theater District and Tourist Attraction
– The Theater District is a major tourist attraction in New York City.
– According to The Broadway League, the 2018-19 season had a total attendance of 14,768,254.
– Grosses for Broadway shows reached $1,829,312,140, with a 9.5% increase in attendance and a 10.3% increase in grosses.
– The Museum of Broadway, opened in 2022, is the first museum dedicated to documenting the history and influence of Broadway theatre.
– Broadway shows are predominantly musicals and have played a significant role in shaping American popular culture.
Early Theatre in New York
– New York City’s first significant theatre was established in the mid-18th century.
– Walter Murray and Thomas Kean established a resident theatre company in Lower Manhattan around 1750.
– The company presented Shakespeare plays and ballad operas.
– Theatre was suspended during the Revolutionary War but resumed in 1798 with the construction of the Park Theatre.
– Other major theatres, such as the Bowery Theatre, opened in the 19th century.
Birth of the Musical and Post-Civil War
– Theatre in New York gradually moved from Downtown to Midtown Manhattan around 1850.
– Oscar Hammerstein I built the iconic Victoria Theater on West 42nd Street in the late 19th century.
– The first long-run musical on Broadway was ‘The Elves’ in 1857.
– Theatres started appearing in the Times Square area in the early 1900s, leading to the consolidation of Broadway theatres in the area.
– ‘The Black Crook’ in 1866 is considered the first modern musical, followed by ‘The Black Domino/Between You, Me and the Post’ as the first musical comedy.
Impact and Influence
– Broadway shows have contributed to making New York City the cultural capital of the world.
– Renowned Shakespearean actors, such as Edwin Booth, performed on Broadway during the 19th century.
– The rise of musicals, particularly Rodgers and Hammerstein productions, influenced American popular culture.
– Vaudeville theatre, pioneered by Tony Pastor, added to the diversity of Broadway performances.
– The improvement of transportation and decreased poverty in New York City led to the growth and popularity of Broadway theatre. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway_theatre
Broadway theatre, or Broadway, is a theatre genre that consists of the theatrical performances presented in 41 professional theaters, each with 500 or more seats, in the Theater District and Lincoln Center along Broadway, in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Broadway and London's West End together represent the highest commercial level of live theater in the English-speaking world.
While the Broadway thoroughfare is eponymous with the district, it is closely identified with Times Square. Only three theaters are located on Broadway itself: Broadway Theatre, Palace Theatre, and Winter Garden Theatre. The rest are located on the numbered cross streets, extending from the Nederlander Theatre one block south of Times Square on West 41st Street, north along either side of Broadway to 53rd Street, and Vivian Beaumont Theater, at Lincoln Center on West 65th Street. While exceptions exist, the term "Broadway theatre" is used predominantly to describe venues with seating capacities of at least 500 people. Smaller theaters in New York City are referred to as off-Broadway, regardless of location, while very small venues with fewer than 100 seats are called off-off-Broadway, a term that can also apply to non-commercial, avant-garde, or productions held outside of traditional theater venues.
The Theater District is an internationally prominent tourist attraction in New York City. According to The Broadway League, for the 2018–19 season total attendance was 14,768,254. Broadway shows had $1,829,312,140 in grosses, with attendance up 9.5%, grosses up 10.3%, and playing weeks up 9.3%. The Museum of Broadway on West 45th Street, opened to the public in November 2022, became the first museum to document the history and experience of Broadway theatre and its profound influence upon shaping Midtown Manhattan and Times Square.
Most Broadway shows are musicals. Historian Martin Shefter argues that, "Broadway musicals, culminating in the productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein, became enormously influential forms of American popular culture" and contributed to making New York City the cultural capital of the world.
