What Would You See on Broadway 50 Years Ago?

Fifty years ago, the U.S. was celebrating its bicentennial. Times Square was a viper's nest of porn, prostitution and crime. The lights were bright, but dirty. Broadway was, as usual, "dying." Of course.

And yet, the theaters were open and serving a theater-going crowd the escape they craved. Inside those hallowed palaces was a refuge of elegance, glamour and vibrant art. Oases each and every one of them.

What might we have seen this week in 1976?

Broadway 

Time Machine:

What to See in September 1976

First-nighters had quite the week half a century ago! FIVE opening nights in a row!!

  

BROADHURST THEATRE:

Opening Night: September 21, 1976

A Texas Trilogy: Lu Ann Hampton Laverty Oberlander 

2 previews, 21 performances

Starring Diane Ladd and Everett McGill

Opening Night: September 22, 1976

A Texas Trilogy: The Last Meeting of the Knights of White Magnolia 

2 previews, 22 performances

Starring Fred Gwynne and Henderson Forscythe

Opening Night: September 23, 1976

A Texas Trilogy: The Oldest Living Graduate 

2 previews, 20 performances

Starring Fred Gwynne, Henderson Forscythe, Ralph Roberts and Patricia Roe

All three plays by Preston Jones and directed by Alan Schneider were performed in repertory.

EDISON THEATRE:

Opening Night: September 24, 1976

Oh! Calcutta!

5,959 performances

Until Chicago, this was the longest-running musical revival in Broadway history. 8 performers famously bared all in this musical revue that stuck around until 1989!

URIS THEATRE:

Opening Night: September 25, 1976

Porgy and Bess

5 previews, 122 performances

This production presented by the Houston Grand Opera was originally a limited run stop on a national tour. It went on to be nominated for 6 1977 Tony Awards, including for co-stars Larry Marshall and Clamma Dale, as well as director Jack O'Brien. It won for Most Innovative Production of a Revival.

BILTMORE THEATRE:

The Robber Bridegroom

12 previews, 145 performances

Fans of early previews had a chance to catch the first glimpse of eventual Best Actor in a Musical Tony winner Barry Bostwick.

Established hits to choose from included:

SHUBERT THEATRE: 

A Chorus Line 

Now in its 2nd smash year, the one singular sensation was the toughest, most coveted ticket in town.

ANTA PLAYHOUSE: 

Bubbling Brown Sugar 

A very popular musical revue of the African-American songbook.

46TH STREET THEATRE: 

Chicago 

The original production of the now classic Kander and Ebb was doing brisk business. The Bob Fosse helmed production started the legendary Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart, Jerry Orbach as Billy Flynn, and Lenora Nemetz as Velma Kelly.

BOOTH THEATRE: 

for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf 

The original, ground-breaking play has just opened last week to considerable acclaim. Good luck getting a ticket!

ROYALE THEATRE: 

Grease 

The original Broadway production continued its record-breaking run - at this point, nearly the longest-running musical in Broadway history, a record it would set before finally closing in 1980. You may have seen Richard Gere, John Travolta, Marilu Henner and Judy Kaye!

BROADWAY THEATRE: 

Guys and Dolls 

This all-Black revival of the Frank Loesser classic was taking Broadway by storm with Tony nominees Robert Guillaume and Ernestine Jackson leading the cast as Nathan Detroit and Sarah Brown, respectively.

ST. JAMES THEATRE: 

My Fair Lady 

This 20th Anniversary production starred Christine Andreas as Eliza Doolittle, Ian Richardson as Henry Higgins, Robert Coote as Col. Pickering and Tony winner George Rose as Alfred P. Doolittle.

MAJESTIC THEATRE:

The Wiz

Ease on down the road - 44th Street, that is - to catch the newly crowned Tony Award Best Musical (and 6 more Tonys!) soulful retelling of The Wizard of Oz. 

Which shows would you have picked to see back in the day?