#tbt: This Month in Broadway History
The 2017–18 Broadway season is just getting underway! But before we look ahead to new productions, let’s recall what came before. Here are a few of the sparkliest shows that opened on the Great White Way in previous Augusts.
42nd Street
(1980)
The cast of the
2001 revival of
42nd Street performing at the Tony Awards
If you need an example of traditional Broadway-style tap, this couldn’t be any closer. The original production of 42nd Street ran for over eight years. That’s a lot of time steps.
La Cage aux Folles
(1983)
Calling La Cage aux Folles a hit is almost an understatement. The musical comedy, set in a nightclub that features over-the-top drag entertainment, is full of glitz but also packs plenty of heart. And if this clip has you thinking “best costumes ever,” you’re totally right. The production snagged six Tonys, including accolades for best musical, actor and costumes.
Hairspray
(2002)
Hairspray
brought a boatload of ’60s style moves, courtesy Jerry Mitchell, to the Broadway stage. But the story of Tracy Turnblad, who dreams of dancing on “The Corny Collins Show,” went deeper than the Twist and Mashed Potato, tackling the racial issues of 1962 Maryland. And, yes, that is a pre-“Glee”-Matthew Morrison playing the male lead, Link Larkin, in the above clip of the original cast.
Hamilton
(2015)
This show phenomenon clearly needs no introduction, but we’re happy to say that Hamilton, which celebrated its second anniversary earlier this month, is still going strong.
