The new Museum of Broadway in New York is colorful, modern and experimental. The exhibition focuses on the appeal of musical hits such as "Hair" and "Oklahoma!"
New York City now has a museum celebrating Broadway cultureImage: Monique Carboni
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A selection of Broadway hits
A new museum is dedicated to New York's world-famous Broadway musicals. From "Oklahoma" to "Cats," here are eight of the biggest hits.
Ever since its premiere in 1943, "Oklahoma!" has been one of the most popular musicals in the US. Rivalry between local farmers and roving cowboys serves as the backdrop to this classic love story. Lyricist Oscar Hammerstein innovated the musical genre by having the songs contribute to the storyline. The musical received a Pulitzer Prize, a Grammy and a Tony Award, among others.
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'West Side Story'
This musical is a modern version of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Set in 1950s New York, a love story unfolds against the backdrop of a gang war between the US Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. None other than Leonard Bernstein wrote the music for the work, which premiered in 1957, beginning its triumphal march around the world.
Image: Peter Kramer/AP Photo/picture alliance
'Hair'
"Let the sun shine in": The catchy tune from the musical "Hair" was a hit. Among the exhibits on display at the new Broadway Museum are parts of the stage design for the show that premiered on Broadway on April 29, 1968. The story of hippies who didn't want to serve in the Vietnam War mirrored the spirit of the times. "Hair" became a milestone in pop culture.
Image: Monique Carboni
'Chicago'
This musical set in 1920s Chicago centers on two seductive female murderers, a seedy lawyer and ruthless tabloids. "Chicago" is a bitingly critical reckoning with the world of media and glitz and a perennial favorite on Broadway. The musical, which was first staged in 1975, has already won six Tonys.
"The sun'll come out tomorrow": That is at least the belief of 11-year-old orphan Annie, who believes that her parents are still alive. In the end she finds a new loving home. The original Broadway production "Annie" premiered in 1977, and after running well over 2,000 times on Broadway and winning several Tony Awards, it spawned several productions worldwide as well as beloved film adaptations.
Image: Monique Carboni
'Cats'
Even people who don't know much about Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Cats" will be familiar with its most famous song, "Memory," sung by the decrepit cat Grizabella. The text of the musical is based on a 1939 collection of poems by T.S. Eliot. It premiered in London in 1981, and "Cats" landed on Broadway a year later.
A mysterious phantom is up to mischief in the catacombs of the Paris Opera. He falls in love with the young choir girl Christine, and plots to keep her close to him. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe based their musical on a 1911 novel by French author Gaston Leroux. The show premiered in London in 1986 and moved to Broadway two years later.
Image: Monique Carboni
'The Lion King'
The musical is based on the 1994 Disney animated feature of the same name, featuring the adventures of Simba the lion. Colorful animal costumes and a mixture of pop music and African rhythms contributed to making "The Lion King" a hit. It premiered in Minneapolis in July 1997, but moved to Broadway just three months later.
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If you're in New York City, you can't miss out on Broadway. The legendary Theater District in Midtown Manhattan has its hub on Times Square, located at the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street. Beginning in the late 19th century and over the course of the 20th, dozens of theaters settled in the district.
The Museum of Broadway now presents New York's centuries-old theater history in a colorful, multimedia show.
'Ease on Down the Road' is a song from the 1975 Broadway musical 'The Wiz,' which revisits 'The Wizard of Oz'Image: Monique Carboni
In the first of the four exhibition rooms, visitors embark on a journey back in time to 1732, when the first play was staged in New York. At that time, theaters in New York City settled in what is now the Financial District.
Following the end of the American Civil War in 1865, the theaters gradually migrated north along Broadway, settling toward the turn of the 20th century in what is now Times Square.
New York City in the 20th century
The second room of the exhibition is dedicated to the history of today's Broadway with an interactive timeline. Dazzling costumes and props exude the magic of world-famous musicals such as "Hair," "Oklahoma!" and "The Phantom of the Opera."
But defining moments are also retold, such as the theater crisis during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Video projections bring an entire century of Broadway history to life.
The Museum of Broadway exhibition showcases a timeline of theater productionImage: Monique Carboni
In the third room, visitors can take a look behind the scenes of Broadway shows and get an idea of how the staff works on- and back-stage. The fourth room has a multifunctional setting, and can be booked for theater rehearsals or panel discussions.
