Broadway: Theater in the Making

When we think Broadway it's bright lights, crowds of anxious theater goers, and an elaborate entourage of live performances. Broadway is made up of 39 large professional theaters now located in the Time Square area of Manhattan. Often, though, we overlook the historical road that made Broadway what it is today.

In the late 1700s, theater began to emerge from the woodworks of New York City. At this time most actors were imported from Europe to perform. Theater was halted by the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). In 1798, the 2000 seat theater, Parks Theater, now Park Row, opened its doors. Niblo Garden opened in 1829 and rapidly became the premier night spot in New York. In the 1850s Broadway moved from the downtown Manhattan to Mid Town and, in the 1870s, moved again to Union Town. It was not until the early 19th century that Broadway established its roots in the Times Square area.

Broadway’s 1st “long run” performance hit was "The Elves" in 1857. The 1st modern conception musical was a 5 1/2 hour performance, "The Black Crook". "Between You, Me, & the Post" is known as Broadway’s 1st musical comedy. Edward Hurrigan & Tony Hart (1878-1885) created situational musicals enacting New York's lower class everyday lifestyles. By using high quality singers they stepped up the expectations of Broadway performance. Gilvert and Sullivan imported the family-oriented comic operas to New York in 1896. Another stepping stone in history was the performance "A Trip to Coon Town" (1898). This was the first musical comedy entirely produced and preformed by African Americans.

Broadway today is recognized by its longest running performance, "The Phantom of The Opera", and classics like "Cats", "Grease" and "Chicago". However, recently, such performances as "The Little Mermaid" and "The Lion King" are family favorites. Enjoy Broadway!