At This Theatre: The Majestic

At This Theatre:

The Majestic

Lately, the Majestic Theatre has been in the news lately. First, after more than three and a half decades, it lost its longest-running tenant, The Phantom of the Opera. Then it was in the headlines after it began a major refurbishment inside and out. Who'd have thought a new marquee, the sanding of exterior paints, and the repainting of its biggest sign from black to its former signature red would make headlines?!

Of course, when a theater has been open for 97 years (it turns 98 on March 28), there have been several headline-making shows there. For several years in the 1930s, the 44th Street theater was home to Gilbert and Sullivan revivals in repertory. Later, it was home to two Rodgers and Hart classics, On Your Toes and Babes in Arms. Perhaps this was the house that should have been re-named the Rodgers, because here was where Rogers and Hammerstein debuted Carousel, Allegro, Me and Juliet and South Pacific. Many of Broadway's greatest musicals played here (and a few legendary flops, too) like The Music Man, A Little Night Music, Golden Boy, Funny Girl, Anyone Can Whistle, Ballroom and the never opened Breakfast at Tiffany's.

    

For the last forty plus years, the Majestic has had just three tenants: a transfer of the original production of 42nd Street, The Phantom of the Opera and now, the hit revival of Gypsy. It's fun to think that many of today's most hardcore theater fans have only known the last two on the marquee in their lifetimes! It says, for better or for worse, a lot about my age that I've seen all three there... 42nd Street was my second Broadway show ever.

The Majestic Refurbished:

  

Number of Shows We've Seen There: 3

42nd Street, The Phantom of the Opera, Gypsy

      

42nd Street (March 30, 1981 - April 5, 1987) As I said, my second Broadway show ever, and it really made an impression. Big dance numbers, huge scenery, lavish costumes and classic songs played by a big orchestra - everything that defined a "musical." Today, I look back on it with nostalgia and respect. It was a living history lesson. My tastes have evolved, but it still remains a prime example of that type of show for me.

The Phantom of the Opera (January 26, 1988 - April 16, 2023) Over its three plus decade run, I saw the show there several times. It was, and still is, a show I respect more than love. The pinnacle of 80s mega musical excess, it sure checks all the boxes for that sub-genre. My favorite Phantom was Howard McGillin, but it was the last time I saw it that I really appreciated is artistry and influence. Turns out it was the final company, headed by Ben Crawford, whose gritty portrayal was actually frightening. What impressed me most was that it was a pristine production, as fresh as if it had opened that week.

Gypsy (December 19, 2024 - still running) Seems that every time I step foot in the Majestic, I'm witnessing history. Not only was the refurbishment a sight to see, but one of Broadway's greatest shows of all time arrived in a stunning, history-making revival headlined by the reigning queen of Broadway, Audra McDonald. Lavish, daring and brilliant as always, it is the perfect show to continue the grand tradition this venerable theater.

All Aboard! Favorite Designs: Broadway Trains

A couple of months ago, we wrote about onstage cars and our love for them. This time around, we are making tracks, jumping onboard the (Starlight) Express, and celebrating a surprisingly frequent mode of transportation gracing our Broadway stages - TRAINS! Here are just a few.

All Aboard! 

Favorite Designs: Broadway Trains

 

The very first train I ever saw onstage was in the original Broadway production of 42nd Street. The song was "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," and the pretty chorus girls appeared in creative configurations while doing even more creative "berth curtain choreography."

Later the same day, I saw Cats for the very first time, and it, too, featured a "train."  And I have to say it is still one of my favorite choo-choos onstage. It is certainly the most creative. And that song is fun every single time.

Another time a train was featured in a Broadway show was Bullets Over Broadway, a show I generally loathed, though the performances were wonderful in spite of that. And the production values were top-notch, including the train car below. (Oh how I miss Marin and Nick.)

 

Another show I really disliked featured a beautiful train. I mean, how can a show with a train in the title not have a beautiful one? The show: On the Twentieth Century.

Finally, a whole show about trains! I know there are tons of you who hate this one, but I loved it! Starlight Express took my breath away visually, and it was a load of good old-fashioned fun on top of it all. Some shows can be just fun, right? Besides, I learned a valuable lesson: Freight is Great! RACE TIME!

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Broadway Games: Those Dancing Feet!

For most of the 80's, this billboard enticed theater-goers in Times Square to "come and meet those dancing feet" in the smash hit musical 42nd Street. It must have worked - the show ran an impressive 8 1/2 years! Of course, Broadway is known worldwide for its dancing feet. That's what today's game is all about!

Broadway Games:

Those Dancing Feet!

Can you name the show these dancing feet come from?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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Answers to Last Week's Game:

Which Leading Lady? The Return

Which Leading Lady...

1. ...played the leader of the Philippines and the first wife of the King of Siam? E. Ruthie Ann Miles

2. ...has played a free-loving mamma, a girl group guru and won a Tony for playing a drunken title character? I. Beth Leavel

3. ...made her Broadway debut in Sondheim's most famous flop, appeared in an August Wilson play, and played a titular maid in a musical? A. Tonya Pinkins

4. ...replaced Bernadette Peters in Song and Dance? F. Betty Buckley

5. ...is the only person to play all 3 major female characters in the same production of the same musical? D. Bebe Neuwirth

6. ...went down the rabbit hole in one show and played a hairdresser in another? H. Janet Dacal

7. ...rejected her most recent Tony nomination in solidarity with her "egregiously overlooked" cast mates? B. Julie Andrews 

8. ...played some of Broadway's most iconic roles before winning her first Tony for a flop musical?  J. Chita Rivera

9. ...is a two-time Tony nominee who debuted on Broadway as a cheerleader? G. Adrienne Warren 

10. ...came to Broadway's attention as an Apache dancer who stopped the show in Can-Can, winning both a Theatre World Award and a Tony Award for her efforts? C. Gwen Verdon

The Friday 5: 5 Best Title Songs: 1970 - 1982

Thanks for making last week's Friday 5 such a big success! (For those of you how asked, YES!, I will be glad to do a title song list prior to 1964.) We left off with 1970. And I put Company on last week's list. I meant to put it on this week's list, but I was off by a month. Since it's still 1970 on the list, I'm starting this week's list with a show that opened one month before Company, the Best Musical of 1971. That show is Applause, the Best Musical of 1970. And so begins this week's 5, covering 1970 - 1982. Enjoy!

The Friday 5

The 5 Best Broadway Title Songs

1970 - 1982

APPLAUSE (Opened March 30, 1970 at the Palace Theatre)

How cool that they filmed a stage-y version of this Strouse, Comden and Greene musical, and it didn't suffer from not having a live audience. Still, the best version of the title song comes from the 1970 Tony Awards, featuring Tony nominee and future TV star Bonnie Franklin.  And it answers that age old question: Why do we work our asses off?

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Opened October 12, 1971 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre)

This show is one of my favorites, and I love the entire score, so it makes sense that this title number would make my list. Unfortunately, the only decent Broadway recording of it comes from the awful 2012 revival. Still, it sounds good. Here's Josh Young and company.

42ND STREET (Opened August 25, 1980 at the Winter Garden Theatre)

This is the Broadway that people who aren't Broadway people think of when they hear "Broadway." Tap dancing, kick lines, show girls and jazz hands. It's cheesy, for sure. But it is well done cheese. And this is the best number in the show. Here's the number featuring FORTY-EIGHT dancers from the 2018 Olivier Awards.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (Opened November 16, 1981 at the Alvin Theatre)

I've seen so many different versions of this show, and it is always an enigma. An enjoyable enigma, but an enigma nonetheless. I don't think it'll ever be even close to perfect, but the score is amazing. Here's a snippet from a recent production at Huntington Theatre Company, directed by Maria Friedman, based on her Olivier Award-winning revival.

DREAMGIRLS (Opened December 20, 1981 at the Imperial Theatre)

The staging, casting and the score of this show were all epic. Michael Bennett was a genius, and he was firing on all cylinders with this production. It was like watching a movie live on stage, it was so smooth. Here are the original Dreams (Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine and Deborah Burrell) at the 1983 Jerry Lewis Telethon.



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Making the Move: When Shows Switch Theatres

Over the weekend, Broadway's 10th longest-running show, Mamma Mia!, resumed performances at its new home, the Broadhurst Theatre.  After a dozen years at the Winter Garden Theatre, the show moved to make room for Rocky: The Musical.  It also moved for economic reasons, I'm sure, since the Broadhurst is somewhat smaller.

This type of move, while pretty rare, is the latest in a long line of Broadway shows to make a switch (or two, or four...).  Whether the show is moving for economic reasons or to make way for newer productions, both reasons pretty much insure a longer run.  In fact, there are currently five shows in New York that have made the move: Mamma Mia!, Rock of Ages, Peter and the Starcatcher, Avenue Q and Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.  The middle three above "downsized" theatres - Peter  and Q  moved off-Broadway - and the last on the list couldn't find a theatre, so it built one on an empty lot on 45th Street!

Some other shows that have moved around include the original production of Les Miserables, The 39 Steps, the 1998 revival of Cabaret (which moved when its original theater was demolished by a crane collapse), the original production of Cabaret played 3 theatres, and the 1987 revival played 2! The original production of Grease played 4 theatres, and original production of Fiddler on the Roof played 3.

My favorite, though, is the original production of 42nd Street.  A long-runner in its own right (13th longest-running show, 3,468 perfs), this show also paved the way for two more of Broadway's biggest hits.  It opened at the Winter Garden, then moved to the Majestic to make room for Cats, which went on to become the second longest-running show.  It then moved from the Majestic across the street to the St. James, to make room for a little show called The Phantom of the Opera!  Talk about being a good neighbor...

Jeff
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