The Performance of New York:
An Analysis of Broadway’s Effects on New York
Broadway in the physical world is just a street in New York, but the buildings that line it are the true source of its amazement. The many theaters are full of the spirit and excitement of musicals. These musicals are one of the many things that have made New York so famous. It is no doubt that it has had large influence in New York. Theater came into existence long before the colonies came to America and made it their home, but New York has impacted the development of the art greatly. Of course, Broadway did not just receive influence from New York. It also influenced its home.
Unsurprisingly, theater became a large part of New York way back in 1750. During this time period, much more established places like London were considered the center of theater. Since then, however, theater has made its home in NYC. Broadway first got its start when “Thomas Kean and Walter Murray opened a theater company on Nassau Street” (“The History of Broadway Theater”). This theater performed Shakespearean plays and operas, nothing like the modern American musical. The first lasting English-language work of this period was John Gay's The Beggar's Opera in 1728. Suddenly, the growing interest in theater halted during the Revolutionary War. Undeterred, however, the love of performance and theater returned in 1798 and the influential Park Theater was built. The Park Theater soon became loved and extremely popular. After the Park theater had become so successful and important, the Bowery Theatre was built in 1826. More and more theaters were built and then, in the middle of the century, theater moved to Broadway due to inexpensive real estate prices. Many theaters were located near Madison Square with the heart of Broadway located at Union Square. (“The History of Broadway Theater”). Of course, other mediums of entertainment arrived, the most threatening being the Silver Screen in 1927. Movies were cheaper to attend and were new and shiny, making them more appealing to New Yorkers. Now Broadway had to share the spotlight. Then, not long after, came the Great Depression in the 1930s. While “In 1925, there were close to 1500 theaters in the vaudeville circuits, by 1930, only 300 remained.” Arts which had formerly been extremely popular were no longer able to continue with the loss of funds. It wasn’t just niche performance arts that were affected, either. The entirety of Broadway took a major hit during the Great Depression. “New productions on Broadway dipped to 98 shows in 1939; for the first time since the turn of the century, there were less than 100 shows being offered” (“Broadway 101: 1930-1940 The Great Depression”). The lack of wealth meant few people were able to afford the luxury of watching musicals or going to the theater. Once the Great Depression passed, people could finally spend time participating in their favorite pastimes which, for many people, included watching theater. For the rest of the twentieth century, the most exciting events occurring were simply new musicals coming to Broadway such as Hamilton, Wicked, The Lion King, and many more. Now, we are watching and waiting to see where the world of theater will take us next.
Broadway isn’t just a large part of New York’s history; it is also an influential factor in the modern day NYC. Despite it being older than New York itself, musical theater is still treasured, albeit not as much as it was in its earlier days. Similar to most art forms, it adds to tourism, creates jobs, and still acts as a form of entertainment. All of which has a large overall impact on the economy. “The US Bureau of Economic Analysis showed that 3.2 percent of US GDP (around US $504 billion) is attributable to arts and culture (compared with the entire US travel and tourism industry, which accounts for 2.8 percent of GDP)” (“Theatre, Performance and Society”). While in New York, many tourists view visiting Broadway as a must do activity. With all the tourists in the course of a year, Broadway theaters rake in millions of dollars. In 2014 alone, “Broadway as a biz was responsible for adding $11.9 billion dollars to the city’s kitty.” (Davenport). Broadway’s effect on the economy can be broken down into three basic ways: “tourists spending money on Broadway productions, theatre owners spending money on the upkeep of their theatres, and producers spending money to produce their show” (Last Year's Statistics). All this adds up and creates a powerhouse of moneymaking. Being such a large contributor makes it important that NYC continues to promote Broadway and theater culture. Not to mention it also creates “87,000 jobs and $500 million in taxes” (Broadway Contributed Nearly $12 Billion To New York City During 2012-13 Season). Without Broadway, thousands of people would be without work and poverty would increase. Like most arts programs, it should never be overlooked without being recognized for its contributions.
Broadway is more than a money maker, however, and also changes people's personal lives. Many people, including myself, have been raised on theater. We listened to Broadway soundtracks on repeat, performed in small local productions, and tried to write plays which we’d perform in the garage. These shows that could have originated as far away as the opposite coast of the US would influence us daily. Not a day goes by without some thought of theater crossing my mind. The influence of theater doesn’t just end there, however, and also holds the ability to change people’s minds.
For example, an experiment was conducted around the musical Guys and Does. The show had an overarching theme of environmentalism. One of the larger parts of the show was centered around hunting. The writers of the play had a positive view about ethical hunting and it was portrayed in the musical. “Before watching the play the audience filled out a survey which gauged the audience’s attitudes towards hunting. After, they took the same survey and the approval of hunting rose” (“Musicals Have the Power to Change Minds”). If opinions on hunting can be changed, why not other things? Learning about people on an intimate level makes it easier to look at things through their eyes. When watching a play or musical where you live the entire thing through one character’s experiences, you are physically looking through the character’s eyes. When something hits close to home, people tend to feel more inclined to agree or at least think about the topic. Not only do plays change people’s views, but they change people’s lives. Theater and performance acts as it's own form of communication and personal connection between others. People speak through their performances, both verbally and physically. These stories told through performance influence those watching and can leave lasting impacts. “Stories have always been told by live human beings to other live human beings, that’s what makes it such an important and enduring form of art in my view” (Panter). Through these other people, the audience learns lessons and enjoys stories in a memorable art form that has been passed down for many years and should be preserved. This personal form of storytelling can also connect people in a way, reading books or watching television cannot. “Theatre is an art form that brings people together to celebrate, challenge and provoke through the telling of stories” (Read). From the performers, to the audience, to the stage crew, all of the contributor to the show are in that one room sharing extremely similar experiences as they take part in the performance. No two shows give the same experiences, each and every performance brings a unique twist to the planned out script and choreography that cannot be predicted. Theater and Broadway can have a profound impact on the younger generations as well, inspiring them to delve into artistic endeavors such as trying to write their own scripts, create their own music, or learn to dance. This impact that theater can have both emotionally and mentally is important to development and helps people become more open individuals, very important in making progress. Without this medium, who knows if our current society would be so understanding.
Personally, I have also been influenced greatly by Broadway. I first began performing in Kindergarten as part of a school production. I continued to perform, enjoying it as a fun hobby to experience with friends. I even joined a local kid’s theater company known as Adderly. It is likely I would have stopped there if it had not been for the first time I went to see a Broadway show. It was a travelling performance of the show, Les Miserables, stopping in LA, so my parents drove me to see it while it was still in town. From that day forward I was hooked and even more inspired to keep performing. As of late, I have even been considering it as a possible career choice in my future. Without this connection to the arts, there is no doubt I would have lost my interest in the creative side of the world. Of course, it’s not only me for whom theater is so special to. Millions of people have been heavily influenced in their life by Broadway. Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, the co-author of Nonstop Metropolis: A New York City Atlas, talks about his experience listening to the West Side Story as a child and it’s positive influence on him. And there is no doubt there are many more who share similar experiences.
In conclusion, the arts and especially Broadway are extremely important to the world. New York’s economy is much more profitable with the addition of Broadway as a tourist attraction and job center. Broadway also affects its audience, helping make New York city a more accepting and diverse place, helping cultures find peace between each other through understanding gained by watching musicals. And with better understanding of each other, cultures can learn from each other and thrive in a large city of millions. These influences of diversity add to New York’s appeal as a cultural melting pot of showcasing all sorts of communities from many places across the world. In this on-stage showcase, one can see much of New York’s cultural appeals as well as interactions between people who are at odds with each other. This diverse city draws in others who are looking for an accepting place in which most communities can have a place and Broadway is partially responsible for making the Big Apple as aware as it is. This large influence could not be more important and without Broadway, New York would not have become as much of the capital of diversity it is today.
Broadway isn’t just a large part of New York’s history; it is also an influential factor in the modern day NYC. Despite it being older than New York itself, musical theater is still treasured, albeit not as much as it was in its earlier days. Similar to most art forms, it adds to tourism, creates jobs, and still acts as a form of entertainment. All of which has a large overall impact on the economy. “The US Bureau of Economic Analysis showed that 3.2 percent of US GDP (around US $504 billion) is attributable to arts and culture (compared with the entire US travel and tourism industry, which accounts for 2.8 percent of GDP)” (“Theatre, Performance and Society”). While in New York, many tourists view visiting Broadway as a must do activity. With all the tourists in the course of a year, Broadway theaters rake in millions of dollars. In 2014 alone, “Broadway as a biz was responsible for adding $11.9 billion dollars to the city’s kitty.” (Davenport). Broadway’s effect on the economy can be broken down into three basic ways: “tourists spending money on Broadway productions, theatre owners spending money on the upkeep of their theatres, and producers spending money to produce their show” (Last Year's Statistics). All this adds up and creates a powerhouse of moneymaking. Being such a large contributor makes it important that NYC continues to promote Broadway and theater culture. Not to mention it also creates “87,000 jobs and $500 million in taxes” (Broadway Contributed Nearly $12 Billion To New York City During 2012-13 Season). Without Broadway, thousands of people would be without work and poverty would increase. Like most arts programs, it should never be overlooked without being recognized for its contributions.
Broadway is more than a money maker, however, and also changes people's personal lives. Many people, including myself, have been raised on theater. We listened to Broadway soundtracks on repeat, performed in small local productions, and tried to write plays which we’d perform in the garage. These shows that could have originated as far away as the opposite coast of the US would influence us daily. Not a day goes by without some thought of theater crossing my mind. The influence of theater doesn’t just end there, however, and also holds the ability to change people’s minds.
For example, an experiment was conducted around the musical Guys and Does. The show had an overarching theme of environmentalism. One of the larger parts of the show was centered around hunting. The writers of the play had a positive view about ethical hunting and it was portrayed in the musical. “Before watching the play the audience filled out a survey which gauged the audience’s attitudes towards hunting. After, they took the same survey and the approval of hunting rose” (“Musicals Have the Power to Change Minds”). If opinions on hunting can be changed, why not other things? Learning about people on an intimate level makes it easier to look at things through their eyes. When watching a play or musical where you live the entire thing through one character’s experiences, you are physically looking through the character’s eyes. When something hits close to home, people tend to feel more inclined to agree or at least think about the topic. Not only do plays change people’s views, but they change people’s lives. Theater and performance acts as it's own form of communication and personal connection between others. People speak through their performances, both verbally and physically. These stories told through performance influence those watching and can leave lasting impacts. “Stories have always been told by live human beings to other live human beings, that’s what makes it such an important and enduring form of art in my view” (Panter). Through these other people, the audience learns lessons and enjoys stories in a memorable art form that has been passed down for many years and should be preserved. This personal form of storytelling can also connect people in a way, reading books or watching television cannot. “Theatre is an art form that brings people together to celebrate, challenge and provoke through the telling of stories” (Read). From the performers, to the audience, to the stage crew, all of the contributor to the show are in that one room sharing extremely similar experiences as they take part in the performance. No two shows give the same experiences, each and every performance brings a unique twist to the planned out script and choreography that cannot be predicted. Theater and Broadway can have a profound impact on the younger generations as well, inspiring them to delve into artistic endeavors such as trying to write their own scripts, create their own music, or learn to dance. This impact that theater can have both emotionally and mentally is important to development and helps people become more open individuals, very important in making progress. Without this medium, who knows if our current society would be so understanding.
Personally, I have also been influenced greatly by Broadway. I first began performing in Kindergarten as part of a school production. I continued to perform, enjoying it as a fun hobby to experience with friends. I even joined a local kid’s theater company known as Adderly. It is likely I would have stopped there if it had not been for the first time I went to see a Broadway show. It was a travelling performance of the show, Les Miserables, stopping in LA, so my parents drove me to see it while it was still in town. From that day forward I was hooked and even more inspired to keep performing. As of late, I have even been considering it as a possible career choice in my future. Without this connection to the arts, there is no doubt I would have lost my interest in the creative side of the world. Of course, it’s not only me for whom theater is so special to. Millions of people have been heavily influenced in their life by Broadway. Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, the co-author of Nonstop Metropolis: A New York City Atlas, talks about his experience listening to the West Side Story as a child and it’s positive influence on him. And there is no doubt there are many more who share similar experiences.
In conclusion, the arts and especially Broadway are extremely important to the world. New York’s economy is much more profitable with the addition of Broadway as a tourist attraction and job center. Broadway also affects its audience, helping make New York city a more accepting and diverse place, helping cultures find peace between each other through understanding gained by watching musicals. And with better understanding of each other, cultures can learn from each other and thrive in a large city of millions. These influences of diversity add to New York’s appeal as a cultural melting pot of showcasing all sorts of communities from many places across the world. In this on-stage showcase, one can see much of New York’s cultural appeals as well as interactions between people who are at odds with each other. This diverse city draws in others who are looking for an accepting place in which most communities can have a place and Broadway is partially responsible for making the Big Apple as aware as it is. This large influence could not be more important and without Broadway, New York would not have become as much of the capital of diversity it is today.