Live theater has been a staple to the entertainment industry for hundreds of years. In the United States, a young country in comparison to many, the hub of great theater, the best in the nation, will be found on Broadway. The term “Broadway” applies to theatrical performances in 39 large, professional theaters located in Manhattan, New York City’s Theatre District. Broadway, along with London’s West End theatre, is considered the most prestigious commercial theater in the English speaking world.

American theater began taking shape in the 19th century. In New York City, residents attended shows at the Park Theater on Park Row and The Bowery, with the migration headed north in the city. This time period saw the development of the “Syndicate” a group of regional theater owners joining under the influence of a great producer of early Broadway productions.

Since America had a steady flow of European immigrants coming in the country, theater had a deep Victorian European style. Those who have become known as the great American playwrights immerged beginning in the 1920s, featuring morality tales of young maidens, strong heroes, and very evil villains. The highly exaggerated, over the top style of emoting was heavily critiqued by some actors and critics, and began waning away from the Victorian style. Shakespeare’s plays avoided the emoting style and have consistently pleased audiences since American theater’s earliest days.

Early shows displayed a taste for the controversial, as well. After Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a novel about slavery, was published in 1852, it quickly became a play. With a newly devised happy ending Uncle Tom’s Cabin appeared at the National Theater. Southerners were insulted by both novel and play, considering its unflinching portrayal of slavery and a northerner’s opinion of the institution. The show, however, saw great success on Broadway. In the following year the same theater produced a version following the original storyline, featuring 5-year-old prodigy, Cordelia Howard, and the first matinee performances.

Another controversial show came in the same year when Jean Davenport adapted and starred in Camille. In consideration of American morality, she altered the romantic story and received praise from critics and the audience, alike. Just a few years later in 1857 Matilda Heron presented a version of Camille that she had seen in Paris, which was heralded for its realism in acting.

With more than two hundred years under its belt, a line of aristocratically respected theater families, and performances by the best of any American acting time period, Broadway is crucial to the theater experience. Some of the incredible shows that have graced the stage include Prelude to a Kiss, Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Rocky Horror Show, and Fiddler on the Roof.