Broadway is the street in New York that has come to symbolize live theater entertainment and musicals throughout the world. Today the area, known to tourists and theater-goers, stretches from W.41st Street, where the Netherlander 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. All the other legitimate houses are located east or west of this twelve block stretch.
Broadway Stars.
By the 1830's America was exporting stars to Europe. The first notable American actor to make a successful tour was Edwin Forrest, who at nineteen, had played Iago to Edmond Kean's Othello. Forrest's second tour of Great Britain, in the following decade didn't fare as well. He was hissed off stage. Though the disruption of his tour was a personal feud with a British actor, its results were well publicized in the American Press and his return to the American stage was received with populist fervor. This "personal feud" became an international incident and demonstration of class struggle in 1849, when the British actor in question was scheduled to perform at the Astor Place Opera House in New York. A riot ensued on the night of May 10th which was put down with troops and cannon.
Broadways first marquis.
In 1891, the first electric marquis was lit on Broadway. The theater was on Madison Square at the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue at W. 23rd Street. The Flatiron Building now occupies the site. By midway through the following decade, the street blazed with electric signs as each theater announced its shows and stars in white lights. By the turn of the 20th Century the street had an entirely different look, with as many as sixteen theaters on Broadway itself and many others located on the side streets or other avenues. Broadway was much more than a mere twelve blocks. It started at 13th Street and wound its way a mile and a half up the Avenue to 45th Street, ending in the heart of Long acre Square. This first decade of the century also saw the construction of many theaters, most notably the New Amsterdam on 42nd Street in 1903, along with four others in that same year, that are still standing today.
Our Broadway.
The first decade of the 20th Century was both boring and transformational in the history of our Broadway Musicals. The seeds of that transformation go back to 1882, and the construction of The Madison Square Theater at 24th Street. The Mallory's, who had built the theater, had employed a young actor-manager from San Francisco along with two brothers from the lower Eastside to help manage the theater. David Belasco, who had the distinction of appearing on stage with another unknown child, Maude Adams, in San Francisco in 1877, was soon to become a playwright, theater owner and builder. The two brothers from the lower Eastside were, of course, Charles and Daniel Frohman. The first sign of the transformation occurred when producer Rudolf Aronson decided to build a theatre of his own. At the time, theatres were concentrated between Union Square and 24th Street.
History Of Broadway Musicals
1. West Side Story - A retelling of the Romeo and Juliet tale set in the background of New York's racial gang warfare. All of the music are consistently good and inspired - some are full of passion (Tonight, Maria, One Hand, One Heart, Somewhere), some are rousing (America, Tonight Quintet), and some funny (Gee, Officer Krupke, I Feel Pretty). When seen with the dancing, it's one of the most memorable experience!
2. My Fair Lady - This witty, funny, very delightful musical is a classic that defined a generation (early 60's). Story of a dirty flower girl whom an English professor taught to speak proper English until he was able to pass her off as a princess in a ball. Great music includes "I Could Have Danced All Night", "On The Street Where You Live". Other delightful music that Rex Harrison half-sings and half-recites include "Why Can't The English", "A Hymn to Him" and "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face".
3. Jesus Christ Superstar - This once controversial rock musical about the last days of Jesus actually contains music in a variety of genre. It's mostly rock of course, but there's also pop (I Don't Know How To Love Him) classical (John 1941) charleston (King Herod's Song) and opera (The Last Supper)! My other favorites are "Getsemane" and "Everything's Alright". A feast for the ears!
4. The Music Man (Meredith Wilson) - Set in Iowa, the story of a con man who sells musical instruments but gets caught because of his love for Marian the librarian. Every number is a delight - from the opening "The Traveling Salesman" to "Goodnight My Someone" to "Ya Got Trouble" and "Seventy Six Trombones". Even the quaint "Lida Rose", sung by a barbershop quartet is delightful. And of course, "Till There Was You" is so good the Beatles even recorded it!
5. Chicago - This cynical musical from Kander and Ebb set in the 1920's is a satire about how society turns criminals into celebrities. Every song is a vaudeville number, and two songs are my personal anthem, "Razzle Dazzle" (if you don't have anything substantial, razzle dazzle 'em) and "All That Jazz". Became famous for the movie adaptation winning Best Picture of 2002.
6. Grease - A fun romp full of 50's inspired music about the youth of the 50's discovering love, friendship, class conflict and pregnancy. I like it mainly for the toe-tapping choruses "We Go Together", "Greased Lightning" and "Born to Hand Jive".
7. Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat - The story of the Biblical David the Dreamer with enjoyable songs that parody many genres - French Cafe (Those Canaan Days) country (There's One More Angel in Heaven), calypso (Benjamin Calypso) and Elvis (Seven Fat Cows)! This early Rice and Webber is a lot of fun to listen to. Famous for "Any Dream Will Do."
8. Fiddler on the Roof - a tuneful musical about a Jewish father whose traditions are being challenged by his five daughters and the changing world. Best songs to me are "Sunrise, Sunset", "If I Were A Rich Man", and "Matchmaker, Matchmaker". "To Life" and "The Bottle Dance" are rousing, while "Tevye's Dream" and "Tradition" are fun.
9. Company - differs from the traditional musical in that it is comprised of vignettes (linked by Bobby's 35th birthday) instead of a straightforward plot. Sondheim's clever music and cleverer lyrics are not immediately accessible, but they grow on you. You will also empathize if you're into marriage and relationships. My favorites include "Being Alive", "The Ladies Who Lunch" (two songs made famous by Barbra Streisand), "You Could Drive A Person Crazy" and "Side by Side by Side".
10. Kismet - full of wonderful, tuneful, exotic music based on themes by Russian composer Alexander Borodin. All of the songs are so good, with "Stranger in Paradise" and "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" becoming classics. My personal favorites are "Fate" and the beautiful quartet "And This Is My Beloved".
11. Follies - the other pastiche Sondheim musical with theme about relationships has many wonderful, classy, intelligent songs that are surprisingly tuneful. The best of Sondheim songs here include "Losing My Mind" , and "I'm Still Here". I can relate to "The Road You Didn't Take". "Broadway Baby" is a guilty pleasure.
12. Oklahoma - the granddaddy of them - the first musical with depth and psychological complexity - is as fresh as when it was created by the genius of Rodgers and Hammerstein. All songs are great from "Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin" to the rollicking "The Surry with the Fringe On Top" to the beautiful "Out of My Dreams" and the bitter "Lonely Room".
13. Carousel - another great musical from the great Rodgers and Hammerstein about a bad Carousel barker whose life is changed by the thought of having a daughter. "If I Loved You" is to me one of the best Broadway song ever, but "You'll Never Walk Alone" is a bit on the annoyingly cloying side. Another of my favorite is the "Soliloquy".
14. Camelot - this musical takes you to the time of King Arthur and tells the story of how love can destroy a "brief, shining moment that was known as Camelot". "If Ever I Would Live You" has become a classic. Other enjoyable songs include the comically self-confident "C'est Moi", Guenevere's melodious songs "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood", "The Lusty Month of May, and "Before I Gaze at You Again". My favorite though is Arthur's self-mocking song "I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight". Go figure.
15. Hello, Dolly - very delightful musical with a farcical plot about a widow who puts her hand on matchmaking penniless clerks. Rousing numbers include "Put on your Sunday Clothes", "Before the Parade Passes By", "Elegance", and of course, the title song "Hello, Dolly". "It Only Takes A Moment" is a beautiful ballad.
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