Broadway (magazine)
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| Broadway (magazine) | |
|---|---|
| Title | Broadway |
| Category | Arts and entertainment |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Broadway (magazine) is an American periodical devoted to theatrical arts, popular entertainment, and cultural reporting with an emphasis on commercial theater in New York City and touring productions across North America. It covers Broadway productions, Off-Broadway venues, theatrical biographies, industry trends, and profiles of performers, composers, directors, and producers. The magazine offers reviews, feature journalism, photographic portfolios, and interviews that engage with institutions, awards, and notable productions.
History
Founded amid shifts in publishing and theatrical commerce, the magazine emerged during a period marked by debates around revitalization of Manhattan theater districts, preservation of historic venues such as the New Amsterdam Theatre and the Winter Garden Theatre, and the growth of corporate producing entities like the Shubert Organization and Nederlander Organization. Its early issues focused on the postwar expansion of touring companies, the influence of producers including the Nederlanders and producers associated with the Shuberts, and the impact of major productions like the original runs of Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, A Chorus Line, and later revivals of Porgy and Bess. Over time the publication documented landmark events including the transfer of shows between Broadway and West End stages, the international tours involving the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, and the rise of mega-musicals associated with creators like Andrew Lloyd Webber and companies such as Really Useful Group.
The magazine chronicled industry responses to crises and turning points, including the effects of theater strikes, the responses to urban policy changes affecting Times Square and Midtown Manhattan, and the consequences of cultural moments such as the emergence of jukebox musicals inspired by catalogues of artists represented by labels and estates like those of The Beatles, Elton John, and Bob Dylan. Its archives preserve coverage of awards season developments tied to the Tony Award ceremony and the evolving role of producers, impresarios, and theatrical unions.
Editorial Profile and Content
The editorial profile balances critical coverage with industry reporting. Regular sections include previews, critical reviews, opening-night photography, box-office reporting, and long-form features on figures connected to institutions such as the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Carnegie Hall complex, and regional houses like the Goodman Theatre and American Conservatory Theater. Coverage often ties productions to creators and companies—composers like Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, and Jonathan Larson; librettists and book writers such as Arthur Laurents and Terrence McNally; directors including Hal Prince and Garry Marshall; choreographers like Bob Fosse and Jerome Robbins; and producers with credits spanning Broadway and international tours.
The magazine runs dossier-style profiles on playwrights and lyricists linked to repertory companies, musicals associated with commercial entities such as Disney Theatrical Group, revivals handled by producers connected to the Roundabout Theatre Company, and institutional debates over preservation of playhouses like the St. James Theatre and the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. It situates reviews in the context of awards such as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Obie Award, and the Drama Desk Awards, and often examines adaptations of film properties, television properties, and literary works staged on the Great White Way.
Contributors and Notable Interviews
Contributors include critics, historians, photographers, and cultural journalists who have written about figures and entities spanning theater history and contemporary practice. Interview subjects frequently include leading performers like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Audra McDonald, Bernadette Peters, Bette Midler, and Denzel Washington when they appear on Broadway; composers and songwriters such as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim, Tom Kitt, and Jeanine Tesori; directors and choreographers like Susan Stroman, Michael Bennett, and Christopher Wheeldon; and producers and impresarios tied to organizations such as the Shubert Organization and Nederlander Organization.
The magazine has published oral histories and interviews with playwrights and dramatists linked to institutions like Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the Public Theater, and with cultural figures associated with crossover projects—from film directors staging plays to recording artists like Lady Gaga and Elvis Costello attached to new musicals or benefit concerts. Photo essays have featured costume designers and scenic artists who worked on iconic productions such as Cats, Les Misérables, and Hamilton.
Circulation and Distribution
Printed on a monthly schedule, the magazine circulates among subscribers, newsstands, theater lobbies, and cultural institutions in major markets including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Toronto, and regional theater centers. Distribution channels include retail outlets that also carry publications covering performing arts, museums, and university libraries with performing-arts collections. Circulation strategies have targeted tourists and theater professionals through partnerships with box offices at theaters like Broadway Theatre, Palace Theatre (New York), and Lyric Theatre as well as digital distribution to subscribers via institutional access platforms used by conservatories and performing-arts schools such as the Juilliard School and the Yale School of Drama.
The magazine reports box-office grosses and run lengths, following trends exemplified by long-running shows such as The Phantom of the Opera and commercial successes like The Lion King and Wicked. It also covers touring schedules affecting houses like the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts and the Kaufman Center.
Reception and Influence
Critics and academics cite the magazine for contemporaneous accounts of premieres, production histories, and interviews used in secondary scholarship on theatrical culture, including studies connected to institutions such as the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and university theater departments. Its reviews have influenced ticket-buying publics and producers’ decisions, shaping commercial outcomes for productions by amplifying audience and critical responses to shows associated with awards and festivals like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The magazine’s archival material informs biographical and institutional histories of theater, aiding writers documenting the careers of artists tied to landmark productions and awards such as the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Its influence extends to trade discussions about labor practices involving unions like the Actors' Equity Association and debates surrounding urban cultural policy as it affects theater districts and preservation efforts.