126 Fun Facts About Broadway

Which musical ran on Broadway for over 35 years, longer than any other show?

Andrew Lloyd Webber's show ran for over 35 years before closing in April 2023; in 2012 it became the first Broadway production to reach 10,000 performances.

Who composed the music and wrote the lyrics for the hit Broadway musical 'Wicked'?

Stephen Schwartz is the acclaimed composer and lyricist behind 'Wicked', as well as other popular musicals like 'Godspell' and 'Pippin'.

Which character in 'Hamilton' sings the jaunty breakup song 'You'll Be Back'?

King George III sings 'You'll Be Back' to his rebellious colonies; Jonathan Groff originated the role on Broadway and earned a 2016 Tony nomination for it.

Who was the original Elphaba when 'Wicked' opened on Broadway?

Idina Menzel originated Elphaba when Wicked opened in October 2003 and won the 2004 Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, a decade before voicing Elsa in Frozen.

In what year did 'Hamilton' officially premiere on Broadway?

After a successful Off-Broadway run, 'Hamilton' officially opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on August 6, 2015.

Which iconic Broadway house is the long-time home of the musical 'Wicked'?

'Wicked' has been performing at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway since its premiere in October 2003.

Who wrote the book, music, and lyrics for 'Hamilton'?

Miranda started writing the show while on vacation from his previous hit 'In the Heights' and first performed a number from it at the White House in 2009.

The score of 'Hamilton' blends Broadway show tunes with what other main genre?

'Hamilton' is celebrated for its innovative integration of hip-hop, R&B, and pop music with traditional show tunes to tell a historical narrative.

Which Broadway musical famously features the powerful anthem 'Defying Gravity'?

'Defying Gravity' is one of the most iconic songs from 'Wicked', performed by Elphaba, symbolizing her embrace of her true power.

What fantastical land serves as the primary setting for the musical 'Wicked'?

Set before Dorothy's arrival, 'Wicked' explores the Land of Oz, delving into the backstories of its famous witches.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'Hamilton' is based on a biography of Alexander Hamilton written by which author?

The musical 'Hamilton' was inspired by Ron Chernow's comprehensive 2004 biography, 'Alexander Hamilton'.

How many performances make up a standard Broadway week?

A standard Broadway contract week is eight performances, six evenings plus two matinees, with one day dark, traditionally Monday.

What is the theatrical term for a new production of a previously produced Broadway play or musical?

A revival is a new staging of a show previously produced on Broadway; the Tonys have handed out a separate Best Revival of a Musical award since 1994.

What is the most prestigious honor given for excellence in Broadway theatre?

The Tony Award is Broadway's top honor, given for the season's best plays, musicals and performances; winners receive a medallion bearing the masks of comedy and tragedy.

In which Andrew Lloyd Webber musical does Grizabella sing 'Memory'?

Grizabella sings 'Memory' in Cats, which opened on Broadway in October 1982 and ran nearly 18 years; Betty Buckley won the 1983 Tony for the role.

Which musical follows a red-haired orphan and her dog Sandy during the Great Depression?

'Annie' is the classic Broadway musical about an optimistic orphan who captures the heart of billionaire Oliver Warbucks amidst the challenges of the 1930s.

Who composed the iconic music for the Broadway musical 'West Side Story'?

Leonard Bernstein composed the memorable score for 'West Side Story', with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, reimagining Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' in 1950s New York.

Which Disney musical is known for its puppets and masks bringing African animals to life on stage?

Disney's 'The Lion King' is renowned for its innovative puppetry, elaborate costumes, and vibrant staging that transforms the animated film into a breathtaking theatrical experience.

Which musical about the 1899 New York newsboy strike features 'Seize the Day'?

'Newsies' tells the inspiring true story of the 1899 newsboy strike, where a group of young paper sellers stood up to powerful newspaper publishers.

Which American playwright authored the classic drama 'Death of a Salesman'?

'Death of a Salesman,' a Pulitzer Prize-winning play from 1949, explores the American Dream through the life of Willy Loman and was written by Arthur Miller.

What is the single bulb left burning on an otherwise dark stage when a theatre is empty called?

A ghost light's practical job is to stop people falling into the orchestra pit, though superstition says it keeps the theatre's ghosts company.

Which historic Broadway venue, built in 1903, was nicknamed 'The House Beautiful'?

The New Amsterdam Theatre, an early example of Art Nouveau architecture, opened in 1903 and was immediately hailed as 'The House Beautiful' by the press.

Who choreographed the original Broadway production of 'Hamilton'?

Andy Blankenbuehler won a Tony Award for Best Choreography for his work on 'Hamilton,' known for its dynamic blend of hip-hop and contemporary dance.

Which square sits at the heart of Manhattan's Theater District?

Times Square, where Broadway crosses Seventh Avenue near 42nd Street, anchors the Theater District; it was Longacre Square until 1904, when The New York Times moved its headquarters there.

Which musical won a record 12 Tony Awards in 2001?

Mel Brooks' The Producers swept the 2001 Tonys with 12 wins, including Best Musical, beating the 10 won by Hello, Dolly! in 1964.

What minimum seating capacity officially makes a theater a Broadway theater?

To be classified as a Broadway theater, a venue must have 500 or more seats, distinguishing it from smaller Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway venues.

In which part of Manhattan are most Broadway theaters located?

Midtown Manhattan holds the Theater District, roughly 41st to 54th Streets between Sixth and Ninth Avenues, plus Lincoln Center.

Which American composer wrote the scores for 'Annie Get Your Gun' and 'Call Me Madam'?

Irving Berlin was a renowned American composer and lyricist known for writing the complete scores for numerous Broadway musicals, including the highly successful 'Annie Get Your Gun' and 'Call Me Madam'.

Which Broadway theater, on the third floor of One Astor Plaza, has hosted 'The Lion King' since 2006?

The Minskoff Theatre, situated on the third floor of One Astor Plaza, has been the long-term home for Disney's 'The Lion King' since 2006.

In which month is the Tony Awards ceremony usually held?

The Tony Awards are usually held in June, after the Broadway season's late-April eligibility cutoff; the pandemic-delayed 2021 ceremony in September was a rare exception.

Who composed the music for the Broadway musicals *Sweeney Todd* and *Into the Woods*?

Stephen Sondheim, a highly influential American composer and lyricist, created the music and lyrics for numerous acclaimed Broadway shows, including 'Sweeney Todd' and 'Into the Woods'.

The Broadway theatre district is primarily located in which major U.S. city?

The Broadway theatre district, often referred to as 'The Great White Way,' is a prominent area in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, home to most Broadway theatres.

Which 1996 revival overtook 'Cats' in 2014 as Broadway's second-longest-running show?

Chicago's 1996 revival, by Kander and Ebb, passed the 7,485 performances of Cats in November 2014 to become Broadway's second-longest-running show of all time.

In what year was the first Tony Awards ceremony held?

The first Tony Awards ceremony was held on April 6, 1947, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

Who wrote the book (the spoken script) of the Broadway musical 'Wicked'?

Holzman, best known for creating the TV series 'My So-Called Life', spent about a year shaping the plot outline with the composer before a note was written.

Which Broadway house, open since 1903, is New York's oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre?

The Lyceum Theatre on West 45th Street opened on November 2, 1903, and has staged legitimate theatre ever since, making it Broadway's oldest continuously operating playhouse.

What is the historical origin of Broadway's nickname, "The Great White Way"?

The bright electric lights illuminating the district did it: millions of bulbs on marquees and billboards inspired the journalistic nickname.

What patchwork garment is presented on a Broadway opening night to the chorus member with the most Broadway credits?

The Legacy Robe, called the Gypsy Robe from 1950 until Actors' Equity renamed it in 2018, collects a memento from every show it visits before it is retired.

Which Tennessee Williams play pits Blanche DuBois against Stanley Kowalski?

A Streetcar Named Desire opened on Broadway in December 1947 with Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski and won Williams his first Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948.

In Broadway theatre, what does the term "dark night" refer to?

A "dark night" in Broadway theatre is a night when a particular show does not have a performance, often used for maintenance or as a cast and crew day off.

Which iconic Manhattan venue has most frequently hosted the annual Tony Awards ceremony?

While the Tony Awards have been held at various venues throughout their history, Radio City Music Hall has hosted the ceremony more frequently than any other location.

What are a Broadway show's public performances before its official opening, or press night, called?

Previews are public performances that precede the official opening, known as the press night, letting the team refine the show from audience reactions.

Which long-running musical set in 19th-century France features Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert?

"Les Misérables," based on Victor Hugo's novel, tells the story of Jean Valjean and his pursuit by Inspector Javert in post-revolutionary France.

Who famously conceived, choreographed, and directed the original Broadway production of 'A Chorus Line'?

Michael Bennett was the visionary behind "A Chorus Line," which won nine Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

What is the full name of the prestigious awards given annually for excellence in Broadway theatre?

The Tony Awards are officially known as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, named after actress and director Antoinette Perry.

Which Pulitzer-winning August Wilson play, set in 1950s Pittsburgh, centers on Troy Maxson?

"Fences" by August Wilson, a part of his 'Pittsburgh Cycle,' explores the life of Troy Maxson, a sanitation worker and former baseball player, in 1950s Pittsburgh.

What is the traditional number of acts in a typical Broadway musical?

Most Broadway musicals traditionally consist of two acts, separated by an intermission.

Which pop star wrote the music for the 1994 film songs that anchor 'The Lion King' on Broadway?

The stage show kept the film songs he wrote with lyricist Tim Rice, but most of its new numbers came from Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Tsidii Le Loka, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer.

Who became the first performer to win six competitive Tony Awards?

Audra McDonald won her sixth competitive Tony in 2014 for Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, becoming the first performer to reach six and the only one to win in all four acting categories.

Which West 44th Street restaurant papers its walls with more than a thousand caricatures of Broadway stars?

Sardi's founder Vincent Sardi Sr. paid Russian refugee artist Alex Gard in free meals for the first drawings; the walls now hold more than a thousand.

The musical 'Wicked' is based on a 1995 novel by which author?

Gregory Maguire's Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995) was itself based on L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

What is the term for a financial backer who invests in a Broadway production?

A Broadway investor is called an angel; producers raise a show's capitalization from many angels, who recoup only after weekly profits have repaid the initial investment.

Which director-choreographer won the Tony for directing 'The Producers' and also created 'Contact'?

Susan Stroman won 2001 Tonys for both directing and choreographing The Producers; her dance-driven Contact took the 2000 Tony for Best Musical.

At which university do Elphaba and Glinda first meet in 'Wicked'?

Elphaba and Glinda are thrown together as roommates at Shiz University, where Madame Morrible runs the sorcery seminar and Doctor Dillamond, a Goat, teaches history.

Which play by August Wilson won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1990?

"The Piano Lesson," part of August Wilson's 'Pittsburgh Cycle,' won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1990.

Which musical opens its second act with the song 'Seasons of Love'?

'Seasons of Love', which measures a year in 525,600 minutes, opens the second act of Rent, Jonathan Larson's 1996 musical that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Which Leonard Bernstein musical follows three sailors on 24 hours of shore leave in New York?

On the Town (1944), with Bernstein's score and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, follows sailors Gabey, Chip and Ozzie and opens with 'New York, New York'.

Which 1939 comedy's 3,224 performances set the Broadway long-run record for a non-musical play?

Life with Father, adapted from Clarence Day's stories, ran from 1939 to 1947 for 3,224 performances, setting the Broadway long-run record for a non-musical play.

Jonathan Larson's rock musical 'Rent' is loosely based on which Puccini opera?

Rent transplants Puccini's La bohème from 1830s Paris to the East Village: Mimi, Roger (Rodolfo), Mark (Marcello) and Angel (Schaunard) replay the opera's bohemians under the shadow of AIDS instead of tuberculosis.

Which biblical musical began as a 15-minute cantata for a London school in 1968?

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, was first performed as a short cantata at Colet Court school in London in 1968, years before its 1982 Broadway debut.

At which Lower Manhattan venue did Hamilton premiere off-Broadway in February 2015?

Hamilton opened Off-Broadway at The Public Theater on Astor Place in February 2015; the same nonprofit had earlier launched Hair (1967) and A Chorus Line (1975) before they transferred to Broadway.

Which Broadway house, opened in 1924 as the Martin Beck, was renamed in 2003 for a caricaturist?

The Martin Beck Theatre, built in 1924 by vaudeville impresario Martin Beck in Moorish-Byzantine style, became the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in 2003 in honor of the caricaturist who drew Broadway for The New York Times for decades.

Which 1964 show was the first Broadway musical to run more than 3,000 performances?

Fiddler on the Roof opened in September 1964 and ran 3,242 performances, the first musical past 3,000; it held Broadway's long-run record until Grease overtook it in December 1979.

Which classic American play features Martha and George over a single tumultuous evening?

Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is a powerful drama that unfolds during one evening as two couples unravel.

Who designed the iconic sets and costumes for the original Broadway production of 'The Phantom of the Opera'?

Maria Björnson won two Tony Awards for her spectacular set and costume designs for "The Phantom of the Opera," including the famous collapsing chandelier.

What is the annual fall event where fans buy show memorabilia to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS?

The Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction, held each fall in Shubert Alley and on West 44th and 45th Streets since 1987, sells memorabilia and auctions show experiences for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Which Anaïs Mitchell musical, retelling the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, won the 2019 Best Musical Tony?

Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell's folk-opera retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, began as a 2010 concept album and won eight Tonys in 2019, including Best Musical, the most of any show that season.

Which 1970 Sondheim musical centers on bachelor Bobby's 35th birthday?

Company (1970), with a book by George Furth, follows Bobby and his married friends around his 35th birthday; it won the 1971 Tony for Best Musical and closes with 'Being Alive'.

In Broadway theatre, what does the term 'the house' refer to?

'The house' is the audience seating area; house left and house right are given from the audience's view, the reverse of stage left and right, and the house manager runs front-of-house.

Which jukebox musical tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons?

"Jersey Boys" chronicles the rise, tough times, and eventual success of the legendary band Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

Which Sondheim collaborator directed the original 'Phantom of the Opera'?

Harold Prince's partnership with Stephen Sondheim began in 1970 and produced Company and Sweeney Todd before he staged Phantom.

What is the term for a Broadway performer prepared to step into multiple roles at short notice?

A 'swing' is an invaluable member of a Broadway company who covers multiple ensemble roles, ready to perform at a moment's notice.

On what date did Broadway theatres close due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Broadway went dark on March 12, 2020, after Governor Andrew Cuomo banned gatherings of more than 500 people; 31 productions were running at the time, and the shutdown lasted about 18 months.

Which 1866 production is considered the first work to fit the modern idea of a musical?

The Black Crook opened at Niblo's Garden in September 1866, grafting a stranded French ballet troupe onto a melodrama, and ran a then-record 474 performances.

Off-Broadway theatres officially seat how many people?

Off-Broadway houses officially seat 100 to 499; anything under 100 seats is Off-Off-Broadway, and the Obie Awards honor Off- and Off-Off-Broadway work.

Cats is based on a 1939 poetry collection by which writer?

T. S. Eliot's 1939 Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats supplied the lyrics; Cats opened at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre in October 1982 and won seven Tonys, including Best Musical.

Evita tells the story of the second wife of which president?

Evita follows Eva Duarte, who married Juan Perón in 1945 and became Argentina's first lady when he took office in 1946; Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the music and Tim Rice the lyrics.

Which was the first musical written by Rodgers and Hammerstein?

It is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play Green Grow the Lilacs and ran 2,212 performances.

Whose Pulitzer-winning 1947 book became the musical South Pacific?

James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific (1947) won the 1948 Pulitzer for fiction; the 1949 musical stitched several of its stories together and ran 1,925 performances.

How many times did Yul Brynner play the King in The King and I on stage?

Yul Brynner played the King 4,625 times between the 1951 premiere and his final performance in June 1985, months before his death; he kept the shaved head as a trademark.

My Fair Lady is based on which George Bernard Shaw play?

Shaw's Pygmalion (1913) gave Lerner and Loewe Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins; the 1956 production won six Tonys, including Best Musical.

Hello, Dolly! is based on a farce by which playwright?

Thornton Wilder's farce The Merchant of Yonkers (1938), revised as The Matchmaker in 1954, gave Hello, Dolly! its Dolly Levi; Carol Channing originated the role in 1964.

Guys and Dolls is based on short stories by which writer?

Damon Runyon's Broadway stories, especially 'The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown', supplied Sky Masterson and Nathan Detroit; Frank Loesser wrote the music and lyrics for the 1950 show.

Cabaret is ultimately based on which Christopher Isherwood novel?

Isherwood's Goodbye to Berlin (1939) introduced Sally Bowles; John Van Druten's 1951 play I Am a Camera adapted it, and Kander and Ebb's Cabaret followed in 1966.

Who composed the music for Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical?

Galt MacDermot composed Hair, which opened on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre in April 1968 and produced hits like 'Aquarius'; Gerome Ragni and James Rado wrote the book and lyrics.

Dreamgirls is particularly based on the career of which girl group?

Dreamgirls' Dreams echo The Supremes, with Effie White's ouster mirroring Florence Ballard's; Jennifer Holliday starred when it opened at the Imperial Theatre in December 1981.

Which songwriting duo wrote Little Shop of Horrors before their Disney work?

Alan Menken and Howard Ashman wrote Little Shop of Horrors (1982), its score drawing on early-1960s rock and roll, doo-wop and Motown, before The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.

Which songwriting duo wrote the music and lyrics for Dear Evan Hansen?

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote the score for Dear Evan Hansen, which opened at the Music Box Theatre in December 2016 after an Off-Broadway run and won six Tonys, including Best Musical.

Come From Away is set in which Newfoundland town after the September 11 attacks?

Gander's airport took in 38 diverted planes carrying about 7,000 passengers on September 11, 2001, nearly doubling the town's population; Come From Away opened on Broadway in 2017.

The musical Six retells the lives of the wives of which king as a pop concert?

Six gives Henry VIII's wives, from Catherine of Aragon to Catherine Parr, a pop concert of their own; Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss wrote it as Cambridge students in 2017.

Who wrote the music and lyrics for Kinky Boots?

Cyndi Lauper wrote the music and lyrics for Kinky Boots and won the 2013 Tony for Best Original Score, the first woman to win it alone; Harvey Fierstein wrote the book.

Which puppet musical, with songs by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, won Best Musical, Book and Score at the 2004 Tonys?

Avenue Q swept Best Musical, Book and Score in 2004; Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx wrote its songs.

Spring Awakening is based on an 1891 German play by whom?

Frank Wedekind's Frühlings Erwachen (1891) was not staged until 1906 because of its frank treatment of teenage sexuality; Duncan Sheik wrote the music and Steven Sater the book and lyrics for the 2006 musical.

Fun Home is adapted from a 2006 graphic memoir by whom?

Alison Bechdel's 2006 graphic memoir Fun Home recalls her closeted father and the family funeral home; Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron's adaptation won the 2015 Tony for Best Musical.

Hairspray is set in 1962 in which city?

Hairspray, from John Waters' 1988 film, is set in 1962 Baltimore, where Tracy Turnblad dreams of dancing on The Corny Collins Show.

Next to Normal centres on a mother struggling with what illness?

Diana Goodman's bipolar disorder, treated with drugs and electroconvulsive therapy, drives Next to Normal; Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt's rock musical won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Rent's creator Jonathan Larson died the night before its first preview of what?

Jonathan Larson, 35, died of an aortic dissection caused by undiagnosed Marfan syndrome in the early hours of January 25, 1996, hours after Rent's final dress rehearsal at New York Theatre Workshop.

Whose painting 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte' inspired a Sondheim musical?

Georges Seurat's pointillist canvas inspired Sunday in the Park with George, by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, which won the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Bye Bye Birdie's story was influenced by which singer being drafted in 1957?

Elvis Presley's 1957 draft notice inspired Bye Bye Birdie (1960), whose rock star Conrad Birdie is a play on Conway Twitty; Dick Van Dyke and Chita Rivera led the original cast.

Kiss Me, Kate involves a production of which Shakespeare play?

Kiss Me, Kate follows a divorced couple starring in a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew; Cole Porter's 1948 show won the first Tony for Best Musical in 1949.

Which two Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals won the Pulitzer Prize?

Oklahoma! received a special Pulitzer award in 1944 and South Pacific won the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the same year it swept 10 Tonys, including all four acting awards.

Which performer is often called 'the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage'?

Ethel Merman, famed for a brassy, trumpet-like belt, starred in Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Call Me Madam and Gypsy, and introduced 'There's No Business Like Show Business'.

Carol Channing originated the lead in Hello, Dolly! and which 1949 musical?

Carol Channing created Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1949), introducing 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend'; she revisited the role in Lorelei in 1974, her fourth Tony nomination.

Angela Lansbury won a Tony as Mrs. Lovett in which 1979 musical?

Sweeney Todd opened on Broadway in March 1979; Angela Lansbury's Mrs. Lovett brought her fourth Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, after Mame, Dear World and Gypsy.

Nathan Lane won a Tony for playing which role in The Producers?

Nathan Lane won the 2001 Tony for Max Bialystock in The Producers, opposite Matthew Broderick's Leo Bloom; he also won for Pseudolus in Forum (1996) and Roy Cohn in Angels in America (2018).

Which 1972 show earned Bob Fosse Tonys for both choreography and direction?

Pippin (1972) brought Bob Fosse 1973 Tonys for both direction and choreography; he won eight choreography Tonys in all, from The Pajama Game in 1955 to Big Deal in 1986.

Harvey Fierstein won a Best Actor Tony for playing which Hairspray role?

Harvey Fierstein won the 2003 Tony for Best Actor in a Musical as Edna Turnblad, a role played by a man since Divine in the 1988 film; he had earlier won Best Play and Best Actor for Torch Song Trilogy.

Which 1931 show was the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama?

Of Thee I Sing (1931) won the 1932 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the first musical to do so; George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind and lyricist Ira Gershwin shared it, but composer George Gershwin was left out.

Jerry Herman's La Cage aux Folles (1983) was the first hit Broadway musical about what?

La Cage aux Folles (1983) centered on Georges and Albin, a gay couple running a Saint-Tropez drag club, and won six Tonys including Best Musical; 'I Am What I Am' became its anthem.

The Palace Theatre, opened in 1913, was the flagship venue of what kind of entertainment?

The Palace Theatre was vaudeville's top booking from 1913 as the flagship of the Keith-Albee circuit, and 'playing the Palace' meant a performer had arrived; it turned to films in the early 1930s.

New York's TKTS discount ticket booth first opened in which year?

The Theatre Development Fund opened the first TKTS booth in Duffy Square on June 25, 1973; a 2008 rebuild put it beneath the glowing red glass steps.

Which Parisian music hall inspired Florenz Ziegfeld's annual revues from 1907?

The Folies Bergère, the Paris music hall famous for spectacle and showgirls, was the model for the Ziegfeld Follies, which Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. mounted from 1907 to 1931.

The Tony Awards are presented jointly by the American Theatre Wing and which organisation?

The Broadway League, the trade association of theatre owners and producers, has co-presented the Tonys with the American Theatre Wing since 1967; it was the League of American Theatres and Producers until 2007.

Which two shows won the Best Musical Tony without any acting nominations?

The Best Musical award has been presented every year since 1949.

Who mentored the young Stephen Sondheim?

Oscar Hammerstein II, a neighbor of the Sondheim family in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, taught the teenager the craft; Sondheim went on to win eight Tonys, more than any other composer, plus an Oscar for 'Sooner or Later'.

Fiddler on the Roof is based on stories about Tevye the Dairyman by which author?

Sholem Aleichem's Yiddish stories about Tevye the Dairyman, begun in 1894, became Fiddler on the Roof in 1964, with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick.

The musical Annie is based on a 1924 comic strip by whom?

Harold Gray's Little Orphan Annie strip debuted in the New York Daily News in August 1924; Charles Strouse wrote the music and Martin Charnin the lyrics for the 1977 musical.

Who played the Phantom in the original 1986 London production?

Michael Crawford, until then best known for the sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, created the Phantom in London in 1986 and repeated it on Broadway, winning the 1988 Tony; Sarah Brightman, then Lloyd Webber's wife, was Christine.

Which con man promises River City a boys' band in 'The Music Man'?

Harold Hill, the fast-talking salesman of The Music Man (1957), sells River City, Iowa on a boys' band; Robert Preston originated the role and won the 1958 Tony, and the show beat West Side Story for Best Musical.

How many Tony nominations, a record, did Hamilton rack up at the 70th ceremony?

It converted 11 of them into wins, including Best Musical.

Chicago is based on a 1926 play by which journalist?

Maurine Dallas Watkins covered the 1924 trials of Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner for the Chicago Tribune, then turned them into the 1926 play Chicago that Kander and Ebb musicalized in 1975.

Hugh Jackman won his Tony for playing which entertainer in The Boy from Oz?

Hugh Jackman won the 2004 Tony for Best Actor in a Musical as Peter Allen, the Australian singer-songwriter of 'I Go to Rio' and 'I Honestly Love You', in The Boy from Oz.

Who composed the music for A Chorus Line, the 1975 musical about dancers at an audition?

Marvin Hamlisch, fresh from three 1974 Oscars for The Sting and The Way We Were, wrote A Chorus Line's score to Edward Kleban's lyrics, including 'What I Did for Love' and 'One'.

Which former Arcade Fire member composed the songs for the play Stereophonic?

Will Butler, who left Arcade Fire in 2021, wrote Stereophonic's songs; David Adjmi's play about a 1976-77 band recording an album drew Fleetwood Mac comparisons and set a record with 13 Tony nominations in 2024.

The Shubert brothers, founders of Broadway's biggest theatre owner, came from which New York city?

Lee, Sam and J. J. Shubert ran theatres in Syracuse in the 1890s before moving to New York in 1900 and building the Shubert Organization, which owns 17 Broadway houses including the Shubert and the Majestic.

Where in Boston did Moulin Rouge! The Musical premiere in July 2018 before Broadway?

It opened at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre in 2019 and won 10 Tonys from 14 nominations, including Best Musical.