Broadway is one of the longest streets in New York City, beginning in downtown Manhattan and running through the city to connect Manhattan with the Bronx. When referencing Broadway in terms of theater, the Great White Way, as the section of this lengthy street has come to be known, encompasses 14 blocks of the city. Thirty-six theaters located between 6th and 8th avenues and West 41st and 53rd streets make up the Broadway theater district. This small section of the city has been home to some of the world's most renowned stage performances.
The early history of theater in New York City was sparse until 1750, when the first professional, larger-scale permanent theater was erected by Walter Murray on Nassau Street. The theater seated less than 300 people and put on productions of Shakespeare and various operas for the city's amusement.
A band of British actors called the city home for a period in the mid-1700s, performing operas and farces. The advent of the American Revolutionary War temporarily suspended theater in New York City but performances resumed in the late 18th century. The Park Theatre, an impressive 2,000-seat venue, was built on Chatham Street in 1798. Various other larger theaters were built throughout the city in the first half of the 19th century.
Early theater in the city consisted largely of classic performance from the Old World. Slowly new forms of stage performance began to appear, with minstrel shows and burlesque performances being among the first. Early minstrel shows were often performed by actors in black-face makeup. Early burlesques were variety shows which included song and dance, improvisational skits, parodies and satires, in addition to pantomime and other performances.
Most of the early resident theaters in New York City were built downtown. Slowly there was a migration that occurred, beginning in the mid-19th century, and resulted primarily from owners seeking less pricey real estate. In the mid-1800s the majority of theater was located in the Union Square area but by the beginning of the 20th century, most of the city's grandest theaters were located nearer to Madison Square and continued to spread toward the Times Square region throughout the early 1900s.
When many people think of Broadway, the first thing that comes to mind is the Broadway musical. Musical performances as we know them today did not truly emerge in New York City until the mid-1800s, with the first full-length musical play, The Elves, appearing in 1857. The first musical that is similar in structure and style to our modern conception of musical plays was The Black Crook. This 5.5-hour performance opened in 1866 and mixed dance into the telling of the story. The first musical comedy, The Black Domino/Between You, Me and the Post, opened that same year.
Vaudeville comedy began in 1881 with the opening of the first dedicated theater just east of Union Square. Vaudeville and burlesque performances continued to be popular in the city, especially among the middle and lower classes but slowly, more literate and classy musical comedies became more prevalent. The musical comedies of the late 1800s and early 1900s took their inspiration from the real lives of lower and middle class New Yorkers and quickly endeared themselves to the public as a result.
The improvement of transportation in the city and the arrival of street lights made it possible for theaters to be safely enjoyed by a larger part of the city's enormous population. Plays could run well into the evening and still draw large audiences. The increased security and transportation resulted in a boom in theater profits in the early part of the 20th century.
The invention of motion pictures posed a serious challenge to theater, and talking pictures posed an even more dramatic challenge. Broadway Theater continued to thrive, due in no small part to the arrival of the extravagant and ornate musicals of the 1920s. These plays, while light on story, were huge productions with impressive sets, fancy costumes and some of the most unforgettable musical numbers. These plays resulted in some of the classic Broadway musical numbers still revered today, including pieces from Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart, Noel Coward, and Jerome Kern.
The play Show Boat, released in 1927, is considered by many to be the birth of modern musicals, with a completely merged musical score and play storyline. This musical merged all components of the play into a seamless production and was a tremendous hit with audiences.
While the Great Depression was hard on Broadway, the theater emerged victoriously after these lean years, and jumped into its golden age with the opening of Oklahoma! in 1943. The blockbuster ran for an astounding 2,212 performances and rocketed Broadway into a period of unprecedented success that continues today.
The popularity of Broadway has resulted in many changes in New York City, including the establishment of many New York hotels near and around the theater district. It's possible to find accommodations that are within comfortable walking distance of all the major theaters.
The early history of theater in New York City was sparse until 1750, when the first professional, larger-scale permanent theater was erected by Walter Murray on Nassau Street. The theater seated less than 300 people and put on productions of Shakespeare and various operas for the city's amusement.
A band of British actors called the city home for a period in the mid-1700s, performing operas and farces. The advent of the American Revolutionary War temporarily suspended theater in New York City but performances resumed in the late 18th century. The Park Theatre, an impressive 2,000-seat venue, was built on Chatham Street in 1798. Various other larger theaters were built throughout the city in the first half of the 19th century.
Early theater in the city consisted largely of classic performance from the Old World. Slowly new forms of stage performance began to appear, with minstrel shows and burlesque performances being among the first. Early minstrel shows were often performed by actors in black-face makeup. Early burlesques were variety shows which included song and dance, improvisational skits, parodies and satires, in addition to pantomime and other performances.
Most of the early resident theaters in New York City were built downtown. Slowly there was a migration that occurred, beginning in the mid-19th century, and resulted primarily from owners seeking less pricey real estate. In the mid-1800s the majority of theater was located in the Union Square area but by the beginning of the 20th century, most of the city's grandest theaters were located nearer to Madison Square and continued to spread toward the Times Square region throughout the early 1900s.
When many people think of Broadway, the first thing that comes to mind is the Broadway musical. Musical performances as we know them today did not truly emerge in New York City until the mid-1800s, with the first full-length musical play, The Elves, appearing in 1857. The first musical that is similar in structure and style to our modern conception of musical plays was The Black Crook. This 5.5-hour performance opened in 1866 and mixed dance into the telling of the story. The first musical comedy, The Black Domino/Between You, Me and the Post, opened that same year.
Vaudeville comedy began in 1881 with the opening of the first dedicated theater just east of Union Square. Vaudeville and burlesque performances continued to be popular in the city, especially among the middle and lower classes but slowly, more literate and classy musical comedies became more prevalent. The musical comedies of the late 1800s and early 1900s took their inspiration from the real lives of lower and middle class New Yorkers and quickly endeared themselves to the public as a result.
The improvement of transportation in the city and the arrival of street lights made it possible for theaters to be safely enjoyed by a larger part of the city's enormous population. Plays could run well into the evening and still draw large audiences. The increased security and transportation resulted in a boom in theater profits in the early part of the 20th century.
The invention of motion pictures posed a serious challenge to theater, and talking pictures posed an even more dramatic challenge. Broadway Theater continued to thrive, due in no small part to the arrival of the extravagant and ornate musicals of the 1920s. These plays, while light on story, were huge productions with impressive sets, fancy costumes and some of the most unforgettable musical numbers. These plays resulted in some of the classic Broadway musical numbers still revered today, including pieces from Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart, Noel Coward, and Jerome Kern.
The play Show Boat, released in 1927, is considered by many to be the birth of modern musicals, with a completely merged musical score and play storyline. This musical merged all components of the play into a seamless production and was a tremendous hit with audiences.
While the Great Depression was hard on Broadway, the theater emerged victoriously after these lean years, and jumped into its golden age with the opening of Oklahoma! in 1943. The blockbuster ran for an astounding 2,212 performances and rocketed Broadway into a period of unprecedented success that continues today.
The popularity of Broadway has resulted in many changes in New York City, including the establishment of many New York hotels near and around the theater district. It's possible to find accommodations that are within comfortable walking distance of all the major theaters.
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