The Great White Way, more formally known as Broadway, is a highly acclaimed institution of art and culture. Broadway is the street in New York that has come to symbolize live theater entertainment throughout the world. Today the area, known to tourists and theater-goers, stretches from W. 41st Street, where the Nederlander Theater is located, up to W. 53rd Street’s Broadway Theater. Only four theaters are located physically on Broadway, the Marquis at 46th Street, the Palace at 47th Street, the Winter Garden at 50th Street and the Broadway at 53rd. At Broadway’s beginning actors were usually called in from Europe, but as the Broadway phenomena grew, more and more people wanted to become involved with the hectic and magical lifestyle that the Broadway stage promises. In 1852 The National Theater and Uncle Tom’s Cabin provided Broadway with its first matinee performances, and the child prodigy Miss Cordelia Howard appeared in 12 performances a week. This performance would be the opening gateway for a phenomena like no other, this performance opened the door for Broadway. “In the 1900-1901 season there were seventy plays or musicals being produced on Broadway. It was the beginning of the boom, and the decades that followed saw the truth of it as the play numbers began to quadruple. In 1914, A newcomer to the theater district, Irving Berlin, composed a Broadway score entirely in jazz rhythms, entitled Watch Your Step. It had a distinctly American flavor and a New World Sound. The following year, in 1915, Jerome Kern (who was also classically trained in Europe, though born in New York) and Guy Bolton, collaborated on the play, Very Good Eddie. For the first time, the songs of a play were part of the action, and “the farsighted got a glimpse of the future of the Broadway musical.” The 1920s, “this will be the decade that sees a push for genuine Repertory Theater with some success. It is the decade that sees blacks on Broadway – not as the secondary entertainment, but as stars in white productions and as stars of their own theater creation, black productions for white audiences. It is also the decade of the cry for a “morality police” for theater, and the new argument between what is “art” and what is not.” “Throughout the 1900’s Broadway shows were strongly influenced by the events of the time, from comedic spoofs to heartfelt dramas. The 1920’s, 30’s, and 40’s saw many ups and downs in theater production, due to historical events such as prohibition, the stock market crash, war, and the draw to Hollywood for much of Broadways top talent.” Today, the longest running show in Broadway history is still in production. The Phantom of the Opera debuted on Broadway in 1988. It is still widely known today as well as being a huge influence on our Musical Culture today.
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Citation 1: http://www.talkinbroadway.com/bway101/
Citation 2: http://www.mapsites.net/gotham01/webpages/alisonhannah/broadwayhistory.html
