Broadway

The name “Broadway” conjures up an image of bright lights illuminating names of shows and their stars up and down a major thoroughfare of New York City. This picture is mostly true--but what exactly counts as “Broadway”? Not only is it a street in Manhattan, but it is another name for the Theatre District in New York City, one of the largest centers of professional theatre in the world.

Today, there are 41 theatres listed by The Broadway League, a trade organization that represents the artists and showmakers. Interestingly, only three of these theatres are actually on Broadway itself, while most are on the streets nearby. In 1949, Actors’ Equity crafted a definition of what can be considered a Broadway theatre, in order to distinguish them from the rising Off-Broadway theatres: If a theatre is within Manhattan’s designated theatre district and seats at least 500, it is considered a Broadway theatre. This guide will present a brief history of Broadway and discuss the significant cultural impact it has had.

Key Dates & Events

• 1732 - The Nassau Theatre opens with a production of The Recruiting Officer; in 1750 it presents the first documented musical performance in New York City: The Beggar’s Opera
• 1767 - John Street Theatre is opened by David Douglass
• 1798 - The Park Theatre opens
• 1823 - Niblo’s Garden on Broadway and Crosby Street opens.
• 1860 - Laura Keane’s The Seven Sisters breaks attendance records.
• 1866 - The Black Crook opens at Niblo’s Garden, widely considered the first true musical on Broadway.
• 1885 - The beginning of “Tin Pan Alley” in Manhattan.
• 1904 - George M. Cohan’s “Give My Regards to Broadway,” a Tin Pan Alley hit
• 1927 - Show Boat, considered the first book musical, premieres
• 1947 - The first Tony Awards
• 1975 - A Chorus Line premieres and is the first show to reach over 6000 performances in its initial run
• 1982 - Cats
• 1988 - The Phantom of the Opera premieres. It closes in 2023 after 13,981 performances, making it the longest-running Broadway show ever.

Terminology

• Actors’ Equity Association: The labor union of theatre artists.
• The Broadway League: A trade organization for Broadway producers and theatre owners that negotiates labor agreements and contracts with the theatre artist unions in New York City.
• Burlesque: entertainment that seeks to ridicule by means of grotesque exaggeration or comic imitation.
• Civil War: a civil war in the United States fought between the Union and the Confederacy from 1861 to 1865.
• Minstrel: a member of a band of entertainers, typically white actors who performed with blackened faces.
• Vaudeville: a type of popular entertainment popular chiefly in the early twentieth century, featuring a mixture of specialty acts, such as burlesque comedy and song and dance.
• Commercial Theatre: A type of theatre with the financial goal to make a substantial profit for its owners and investors.
• LORT: The League of Resident Theatres.
• Non-profit Theatre: A type of theatre that, while making money to cover operational costs, does not make a substantial profit.
• Regional Theatre: Also called “resident” theatre and located around the country, these theatres are professional members of the League of Resident Theatres.