The history of theater in New York dates back to the early 19th Century. However, most critics and historians will agree that the most influential time period for theater in New York came in the 20th Century. It wasn't until the turn of the 20th Century that Broadway became the entertainment venue that it is today.
It was 1891 when the lights of the first electric theater marquee came to life. Within ten years the area was a splash of white lights, which led to the name given to the location: the "great white way." Before 1891, most of the New York theater houses were spread out over a span of 30 blocks. By 1904 the area ran thick with theater traffic, and was dubbed Times Square by the arrival of the New York Times to its new offices.
Since its opening, Broadway has enjoyed great success. It was highly praised for its theatrical performances by critics, which in turn drew crowds of more and more theatergoers.
Some of the first plays produced on Broadway included:
The Wizard of Oz
Babes in Toyland
Madam Butterfly
Peter Pan
At the turn of the century, comedies and operettas were extremely popular among theatergoers. It was also during this time period that Broadway inherited its reputation for creating theatrical experiences that were innovative and revolutionary. In 1921, playwrights Eubie Blake and Noble Sissel's, Shuffle Along, was the first Broadway-play to be produced by African-Americans, as well as the first to employ African-American actors. Many historians agree that Shuffle Along was responsible for bringing about the Harlem Renaissance.
There have been many cultural successes on Broadway including musical plays. The rich history of theater musicals began on Broadway in 1915 with the debut of Very Good Eddie, the first play to ever incorporate songs into the action. This style of play writing continued to evolve at the hands of such notable talents as Kern, Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse. It wasn't until 1927 that musicals began to take the modern day form that is seen today. Showboat was one of the first musicals that was written around the songs, instead of the songs fitting around the action of a play.
Though shunned by many political ideologies during its infancy, Broadway could never be accused of being anti-American. When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Broadway bolstered American patriotism with its theatrical offerings. Irving Berlin's Yip, Yip, Yaphank and Ben Ali Hagan's Ziegfield Follies were huge successes at home, as well as overseas with the soldiers. Many actresses found their fame in Broadway productions including Kay Laurell. She was so praised for her beauty that the French government used photos of her to help recruit soldiers. In addition to entertainment, Broadway actors also helped organize food drives and even went on the road with their acts to help raise money for the Red Cross.
Broadway had a reputation for being well-loved during World War I, but in the 1920s, controversy shrouded this theater community. The acceptance of black playwrights in the theater community had already caused an uproar among some white Americans, and the trend of liberality that had been trapped by Victorian traditions was beginning to gain force. This new trend resulted in plays such as Sex, The Shanghai Gesture and Lulu Belle. These three plays created a stream of discontentment with some moralists. However, the plays' actors did nothing to help quiet their complaints. Actresses like Olga Nethersole and Mae West were even arrested for their performances. In fact, Mae West's trial set a legal precedent for that time, which held that only playwrights and producers could be held responsible for obscenities, not the actors.
Not to be outdone in popularity by his contemporaries, the playwright Eugene O'Neill also left his mark on Broadway during the 1920s. He is most noted for his works Beyond the Horizon, Anna Christie and Strange Interlude for which he won the Pulitzer Prize. Although he won awards for other productions, his most well-known play is probably Morning Becomes Electra.
Broadway has suffered few set backs since its establishment. It faced its greatest challenge during the Depression, which resulted in 25,000 actors being out of work. With help from the government, many actors managed to get by. The few productions that were performed around this time focused mainly on comedy to help theatergoers escape the drudgery of the Depression, and later World War II.
The end of World War II ushered in a new era of talent to Broadway. The famous playwright Tennessee William, who is best remembered for his plays A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie, established himself during this time. This is also the period when Rodgers and Hammerstein made their marks on the world of theater. They began in 1943 with the very successful Oklahoma, and in 1949 produced South Pacific, which was only the second musical to ever win a Pulitzer Prize.
Broadway continued to flourish throughout the second half of the 19th Century. In 1975, the play A Chorus Line found great success and won a Pulitzer Prize and nine Tony Awards. In 1982, Cats began its journey as the longest running play on Broadway. And, in 1987, Les Miserables made its debut on Broadway, and has since enjoyed great success all over the world.
Today, the Broadway district encompasses 39 theaters, though strangely enough, only four of the theaters are actually located on Broadway. Nevertheless, New York's famous theater community is a place rich in culture, that's just waiting for vacationers who want to experience Broadway, or any of the Empire State's other cultural gems.
