American Broadway 1930- Present Day

Where did Broadway start?

• In 1811, the city planners of New York City began a massive building execution of the grid, Broadway as we know it was born.

Where is it most popular?

• Broadway is the most popular theatre in the entire United States because it's "name brand"

Time Periods

1900-1919

• The Era of Good Feeling
• Just beginning to develop as a cultural center in New York City. For the most part of this era the relationship between audiences and actors was mostly cordial and unsophisticated, but lively and exubrent

1920's

• The Roaring Twenties
• After the war ended, Times Square became mobbed with crowds of enthusiastic citizens carrying flags and cheering and the Times square was strung with electric lights for celebration.

1930's -1940's

• The Great Depression
• During the Great Depression Broadway distracts audiences with escapism,while also offering political commentary and social engagement.

1950's

• The Golden Age
• During the Golden Age a new form of narrative storytelling that bring that brings a new age of musical classics.

1960's - 1970's

• Changing Times
• Broadway confronts the seismic changes in American culture by reinventing it's own traditions.

1980- Present Day

• Second Century
• Broadway becomes a truly global phenomenon as new innovations respond to economic challenges.

Broadway is a street in Manhattan and is now also the name of major theatres on that street. We don't so much of think of Broadway as a theatre now, but as major musicals and plays around the nation and world.

They do a variety of different plays and musicals on broadway from School of Rock to Fiddler on the Roof.

Famous Musicals and Plays on Broadway

• Guys and Dolls
• Oklahoma
• West Side Story
• Rent
• Mary Poppins
• Hairspray
• Wicked

The musical actors on broadway have to be a triple threats meaning they have to be able to sing, dance, and act.

Famous Actors and Writers

• John Travolta- Grease
• John Wilkes Booth- made his acting career in a production of Shakespeare Richard III
• Julie Andrews was on Broadway before she starred in movies

Broadway has really made theatre popular in America and has promoted musicals and plays around the nation and the world

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