Broadway theaters began to develop around Times Square in New York city in the 1920's, creating what we know now as the modern "Broadway." However, in the late 1800's, Broadway theaters were concentrated in the Union Square and Madison Square areas of New York. The first long-running Broadway musical was a big hit called "The Elves," which began its run in 1857 and ran for 50 performances. Other shows, such as "The Fortune Teller" (1898), "Babes in Toyland" (1903) and "The Red Mill" (1906) followed. Around this time, Broadway theaters began to install the electric signs that we recognize today. Since colored lights burned out too quickly, they installed white lights, which is how Broadway got its nickname, "The Big White Way."
As the economy in America improved and advancements were made in transportation, theater-going grew immensely, allowing plays to run longer and make more of a profit. In 1927, the Broadway musical "Show Boat" broke ground as the first big musical production that seamlessly combined music with dialog and dancing. "Show Boat" ran for a total of 572 performances.
There are various types of Broadway musicals, but the two main types are those that consist of entirely singing (operas) and those that incorporate spoken dialog alongside musical numbers. However, those types can be broken down even further into more specific genres. Rock operas are plays like "The Who's Tommy" and "Jesus Christ Superstar." Musical comedies include plays like "The Producers" and "Spamalot." Often these genres overlap and break off into sub-genres, creating interesting hybrid pieces of theater with varying characteristics. Opera is broken down further into "comic opera" or "operetta." Big musical productions can be dramatic, comedic or both. "Experimental" theater brings something entirely new to the stage and is often met with mixed feelings from the audience. This can be anything from pantomime to encouraging audience participation.
The Broadway musical combines song, dance and spoken dialog to create a piece of entertainment for the stage. All of the content of the piece is brought through to the audience by the music, movement and the spoken word. Visual properties--such as lighting, set design and costume--also play an integral part in the success of any given show. Depending on the musical, there may be a heavier emphasis on singing, dancing or costume, and each combination creates a different effect. Whatever the genre or type, the goal is always the same--to engage and entertain the audience.
The length of a Broadway musical varies from production to production. It usually ranges from about one and a half to three hours. Musicals are usually presented in two acts with one 10 to 20 minute intermission. The first act is typically longer than the second and includes most of the music.
The length of time a musical runs on Broadway also varies, depending on the popularity of the show and whether it is continuing to make a profit. Musicals tend to run longer than "straight" plays, however. In 2006, "The Phantom of the Opera" at the Majestic Theatre became the longest running Broadway musical with a total of 7,486 performances.
In 2006-2007, Broadway theaters sold 12 million tickets for various productions, grossing almost a billion dollars. Theatergoers from all over the world flock to New York City to attend Broadway musicals. New productions are being written and produced every day. The importance of Broadway theater was recognized formally in 1947, when the Tony Awards were created to recognize the achievements of shows and performers on Broadway. The "Tony" is a highly prestigious award, given by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League.