New York! New York!...What's on Broadway

So it's off to New York City. With the hustle and bustle of Park Avenue and Wall Street, the signs of advertisers in Times Square and lights everywhere, New York City truly is "the city that never sleeps." How do you decide what to do? Of course, you have to see the Empire State Building, Central Park and the Statue of Liberty, but don't forget the museums, Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium. Now that you're worn out from all of the day's activities, how about a Broadway musical this evening?

For over a hundred years the shows and musical comedies on Broadway have delighted and entertained the American public. Originally, 42nd Street and Broadway was called Longacre Square, but the city fathers renamed it Times Square to honor the home of the New York Times. The surrounding neighborhood was rezoned for the burgeoning entertainment district. A cornerstone of the 30+ theaters in the area, the New Amsterdam opened in 1903. Many of America's favorite entertainers, including Will Rogers, W.C. Fields and Al Jolson, started on Broadway. One of the earliest shows at the New Amsterdam was the Ziegfield Follies. Many of the shows that premiered on Broadway - Oklahoma, South Pacific and My Fair Lady, have become symbolic of America. The same is true for some of the legendary songwriters and lyricists such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Jerome Kern, George Gershwin and Stephen Sondheim.

From old favorites like Mary Poppins, Gypsy, Grease and Hairspray to the latest shows such as Wicked, Spamalot, Mamma Mia and In the Heights, there are a variety of shows to choose from. Broadway has a show for everyone in the family.