Give My Regards to Broadway

“As late as the turn of the century, the stage was truly a national construction. It was centered on Broadway, but there was much creative activity in other regions; Chicago had almost has many theatres as New York. However the expansion of theatre […] in the 1910s and 1920s made New York more than the center of activity: the source of it” (106).

The Book

Anything Goes: A History of the American Musical Theatre by Ethan Mordden follows the birth of the musical in America and the resulting innovations and genres. Mordden traces the first musical produced (The Beggar’s Opera in London) in 1728 to the birth of the American musical (The Black Crook) in 1866 to the present day blockbuster Wicked. As the musical evolved, innovations were first made in the score, then set design, and then the book itself. Once all three of these innovations were accomplished, unique characters became the norm for any musical.

While an interesting book, Anything Goes often feels like a detailed list. The plots for some musicals are described in detail and others are glossed over. Generous time is given to several key figures in American musical history, some are well-known names like Rodgers and Hammerstein and some are not as well-known like Victor Herbert. Mordden does well when he shows the way musicals changed and incorporated new and old concepts. Throughout the book, the American musical is shown maturing from shows with unrelated to songs to shows where “the script told the story and the score enhanced it in various ways” (119).

The Place

Broadway is synonymous with the American musical and the best way to experience Broadway is to attend a musical. TKTS provides day-of tickets at half the price. My friend and I bought our tickets through TKTS when we saw The Phantom of the Opera. Our seats were on the first floor towards the back and we had a great view of the stage. All shows on Broadway are offered, as long as there are empty seats for that date.

In the heart of Broadway is the restaurant Sardi’s. Mordden doesn’t mention Sardi’s in Anything Goes, but it is a large part of the American musical. Many casts would go to Sardi’s after opening night to wait for the first reviews. If you don’t have time to see a show or eat at Sardi’s, simply walking past the historic theatres is also a great way to experience Broadway. Each theatre has a story about past shows (hits and flops) and the actors who walked the stage.