Broadway's Best Shows

As the final curtain falls on Sunday, April 15th, 2023, Broadway bids adieu to one of its most iconic and enduring shows, “Phantom of the Opera.” After a remarkable run of more than three decades, this beloved musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber is closing its doors, leaving behind a legacy that has captivated audiences around the world. Let’s take a look back at some of the biggest milestones, notable cast members, and the enduring magic of “Phantom of the Opera.”

“Phantom of the Opera” has truly been a monumental production over its illustrious run on Broadway. With an astonishing 13,981 performances, the show has employed over 6,500 people, including 400 actors who have brought its iconic characters to life. The production has boasted the largest pit orchestra on Broadway, featuring a full-time ensemble of 27 musicians, adding to its grandeur and spectacle. With nearly 20 million people having seen the show, it has grossed a staggering $1.3 billion, solidifying its status as one of the most successful musicals in Broadway history. These impressive statistics are a testament to the show’s enduring popularity and the lasting impact it has had on the world of theater.

The show has become the longest-running musical in Broadway history, surpassing even the legendary “Cats,” another Webber masterpiece. Its success has earned it countless awards, including seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording.

One of the reasons for “Phantom of the Opera’s” enduring popularity is its remarkable cast of characters, brought to life by a multitude of talented performers over the years. From the enigmatic and masked Phantom himself to the innocent and courageous Christine, to the dashing Raoul, the love triangle at the heart of the story has captivated audiences for generations. Notable actors who have graced the stage in these iconic roles include Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, Hugh Panaro, Sierra Boggess, Ramin Karimloo, and many more, each bringing their unique interpretations to these beloved characters.

“Phantom of the Opera” has also been known for its groundbreaking theatrical elements that have set new standards in stagecraft. The show’s opulent costumes, elaborate set designs, and mesmerizing special effects have wowed audiences and set a benchmark for Broadway productions. The grand chandelier that descends from the ceiling during the show’s iconic “Masquerade” scene, the secret lair of the Phantom hidden beneath the opera house, and the hauntingly beautiful music that accompanies these scenes have become iconic symbols of the show’s enduring legacy.

Beyond its artistic achievements, “Phantom of the Opera” has also made a significant impact on Broadway and popular culture. The show has generated billions of dollars in ticket sales, making it one of the most successful musicals of all time. It has been translated into multiple languages and has been performed in over 150 cities worldwide, making it a global phenomenon. The show’s memorable songs, including “The Music of the Night,” “All I Ask of You,” and “Think of Me,” have become classics and are beloved by fans of musical theater everywhere.

But it’s not just the show itself that has made an impact; it’s also the devoted fan base that has grown around it. Known as “Phans,” these passionate fans have formed online communities, attended countless performances, and have even donned costumes to pay homage to their favorite characters. Their unwavering support and love for the show have contributed to its longevity and helped create a vibrant and enduring fan culture.

As “Phantom of the Opera” took its final bow on Broadway, fans and theater enthusiasts alike reflect on the show’s remarkable journey and its lasting impact. From its humble beginnings as a novel by Gaston Leroux to its transformation into a global phenomenon, “Phantom of the Opera” has captured the hearts of millions and has left an indelible mark on the world of theatre.

Joel Grey, the legendary American actor, singer, and dancer, is celebrating his birthday today, and it’s a perfect time to appreciate his incredible accomplishments and contributions to the entertainment industry. With his unique talent, magnetic stage presence, and infectious energy, Joel Grey has become one of the most iconic performers of his generation, earning numerous awards and accolades for his remarkable work.

Born on April 11, 1932, in Cleveland, Ohio, Grey was destined to become a star from a young age. He grew up in a showbiz family, with his father being a comedian and a musician. Grey started his career as a child actor, appearing in various TV shows and stage productions, including “Borscht Capades” and “On Borrowed Time.” However, it wasn’t until the 1960s when Grey rose to prominence, thanks to his breakthrough role as the Master of Ceremonies in the hit Broadway musical “Cabaret.”

Kander & Ebb’s “Cabaret” was a groundbreaking production that captured the dark and decadent atmosphere of 1930s Berlin, with Grey’s iconic performance as the MC stealing the show. His chilling rendition of the show-stopping number “Wilkommen” became an instant classic and won him a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. Grey’s portrayal of the MC was a perfect blend of seductiveness, cynicism, and vulnerability, showcasing his incredible range as a performer.

After “Cabaret,” Grey continued to conquer the stage and screen with his unique talent and charisma. He starred in numerous Broadway productions, including “Chicago,” “Wicked,” and “Anything Goes,” earning critical acclaim and adoration from audiences worldwide. He also appeared in several movies and TV shows, including “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and “Brooklyn Bridge,” showcasing his versatility as an actor.

Grey’s contributions to the entertainment industry have not gone unnoticed. In addition to his Tony Award, he has received an Academy Award for his performance in the movie version of “Cabaret” and an Emmy Award for his guest appearance in the medical drama “ER.” He has also been inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame, cementing his status as a true legend of the stage and screen.

But Grey’s accomplishments don’t stop at acting and singing. He is also an accomplished photographer, with his works being exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. His photography captures the beauty and complexity of everyday life, showcasing his unique perspective and artistic sensibility.

As Joel Grey celebrates his birthday, it’s clear that his contributions to the entertainment industry are as relevant and inspiring as ever. His legacy as a performer, photographer, and artist is a testament to his passion, dedication, and talent. From “Cabaret” to “Wicked,” from Broadway to Hollywood, Joel Grey has left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment, and we can’t wait to see what he’ll accomplish next. Happy birthday, Joel Grey!

By Jim Glaub

Shakespeare’s plays have been a staple of Broadway for decades, with countless productions staged on the Great Bright Way. In recent years, several notable Shakespearean plays have been produced on Broadway, including King Lear, Macbeth, and Othello. However, two recent productions have garnered significant attention is Fat Ham and & Juliet.

Written by James Ijames, “Fat Ham” features a Black cast and is inspired by “Hamlet.” The play explores themes of grief, revenge, and redemption in a modern-day context, highlighting the experiences of Black southern Americans. Despite its unique take on the classic story, “Fat Ham” has been well-received by audiences and critics alike. It even won the Pulitzer Prize!

Another notable Broadway production that is based on a Shakespeare play is & Juliet, which is a contemporary retelling of Romeo and Juliet. The play premiered in London in 2019 before transferring to Broadway in 2021. & Juliet imagines what might have happened if Juliet had not taken her own life at the end of the original story, and instead embarked on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Featuring a pop soundtrack that includes songs by Max Martin, the play has been praised for its energetic and irreverent take on the classic story.

While Shakespeare’s plays have been performed for centuries, the recent trend of updating these classic stories for modern audiences is a welcome development. By exploring themes of race, identity, and contemporary culture, plays like Fat Ham and & Juliet are able to connect with audiences in new and powerful ways. Shakespeare’s influence on Broadway continues to endure and inspire.

By Jordan Levinson

Tonight marks the start of the weeklong Jewish observance of Passover, which kicks off with the Seder. Here are some plays and musicals, past and present, that highlight Jewish rituals and observances:

Moving Broadway audiences this season is Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt, a deeply personal play about an extended family living in the Austrian Jewish quarter over the span of about fifty years. At one point early in the show, a Passover Seder is shown, but throughout the play the family must also deal with great loss: multiple people are killed in World War I; the family business must stay afloat throughout the Great Depression and the rise of the Bolsheviks; the Nazis reduce the number of survivors to just three in the final, post-World War II scene. Stoppard was inspired by the death of his own extended family while writing Leopoldstadt and he is receiving Tony buzz for his passionate drama. The show’s limited engagement has extended twice at the Longacre Theatre due to popular demand, and it is now set to run through July 2.

From a musical perspective, perhaps nothing sums this up in a more succinct manner than Fiddler on the Roof, the Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick masterwork that grapples with the preservation and breaking of “Tradition.” Set in an early 20^th-century shtetl in Imperial Russia, a conservative milkman contends with his marriage, as he reluctantly lets go of three of his daughters due to more modern marriages of their own. Combined with rising anti-Semitism in the area and the Czar about to evict the Jews from their village, the life that the milkman has known for a long time hangs in the balance. A different traditional observance is shown at one point, as the entire family gathers and prays for the Lord’s protection as they light the candles during “Sabbath Prayer.” Fiddler premiered in New York in 1964, won the Tony for best musical, and became the first musical in Broadway history to surpass 3,000 performances — the longest-running musical ever at the time. It was adapted into a wildly successful 1971 film, which won the Oscar for best picture, and it has been revived five times on Broadway as of this writing — and that’s not counting an Off-Broadway remount sung and spoken entirely in Yiddish, first staged in 2018 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Fiddler on the Roof punctuated the Golden Age of Broadway musicals with an exclamation point, and its impact can still be felt today. 

There have been multiple Broadway shows with scenes taking place at bar mitzvahs, a coming-of-age ritual in which children turn 13, and thus become accountable for their own actions (the traditional service is usually followed by a party). For one, the Harold Rome-Jerome Weidman musical I Can Get It for You Wholesale played Broadway in 1961 and gave New York City’s Depression-era Garment District a song to sing. The story of a young, ambitious businessman who stops at nothing to get to the top (even if it means lying to and betraying his loved ones and embezzling company funds), Wholesale utilized several Jewish folklike motifs in its score, and the second act opened with a touching bar mitzvah sequence in “A Gift Today.” A 1991 American Jewish Theatre revival starred Carolee Carmello and Vicki Lewis, and a new version (with a revised book by Weidman) will open in fall 2023 at Classic Stage Company, led by Tony winner Santino Fontana as the businessman. 

The Jason Robert Brown-Robert Horn-Dan Elish musical 13 uses a bar mitzvah as a primary plot point, as it follows a New Yorker who moves to Indiana and tries to fit in within the social circles of his new school, as he prepares for his big day. Throughout the show, the diverse, young cast begins to understand what growing up means, and the surprises that come with it.  The 2008 Broadway production ran just three months but it notably launched the careers of Ariana Grande, Liz Gillies, and Graham Phillips. On the creative side of things, Christopher Gatelli and Tom Kitt were involved before their respective claims to fame. 13 became a Netflix motion picture in 2021 and is still streaming on the platform. 

A more unconventional musical setting for a bar mitzvah occurs during a scene in The Wedding Singer, the 2006 adaptation of the Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore film of the same name. After wedding entertainer Robbie Hart gets dumped at the altar, he gets back on his feet playing gigs at bar mitzvahs in the song “Today You Are a Man” (“Your goyim friends have been agog / Since they left the synagogue / Drunk on schnapps and in a fog / And speaking Hebrew best they can”). A love letter to the ‘80s, the score was written by The Prom team of Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, who loaded the show with power chords, shout-it-out-loud choruses, and energetic ensemble harmonies. The Wedding Singer ran eight months at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

In Joshua Harmon’s play Bad Jews, two cousins wage war on a family heirloom after their beloved “Poppy” passes away. The character of Daphna, in particular, is strongwilled and closely in tune with Jewish tradition, and calls her cousins “bad Jews” for only going through the motions at family festivals (for instance, one of them pops a cookie in his mouth during Passover, violating culinary restrictions of the observance). It has never played on Broadway yet, but it played Roundabout’s Laura Pels Theatre in a fall 2013 Off-Broadway production starring Tracee Chimo, and Michael Zegen of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” fame. 

Finally, no article on Jewish pieces of theatre is complete without mentioning The Diary of Anne Frank, based on Frank’s posthumously published book. There are no indications that Frank had a Passover seder while in hiding from the Nazis during World War II, but the play does show her family celebrating the wintertime festival of Hanukkah and exchanging gifts. The Diary of Anne Frank originally opened at the Cort Theatre in 1955, and Natalie Portman led a 1997 revival at the Music Box. 

By Jordan Levinson

Every year, the Laurence Olivier Awards are presented to honor excellence in professional London theatre. Given to shows and individuals on the West End, the Oliviers are considered the British equivalent of the Tony Awards. This year’s ceremony is set to take place on April 2 from Royal Albert Hall. Through the years, there have been several Olivier-winning musicals and plays that have transferred to Broadway.

The reigning Olivier winner for best new musical is Back to the Future, which brings the beloved 1985 film of the same name to stunning new life onstage. Amid a successful London run thus far at the Adelphi Theatre, the show will begin Broadway previews on June 30 and officially open August 3 at the Winter Garden Theatre. Original West End cast members Roger Bart and Hugh Coles will reprise their roles as Doc Brown and George McFly, and Casey Likes (Almost Famous) joins the New York company as protagonist Marty McFly. Back to the Future features a score by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard (which also incorporates “The Power of Love” and “Johnny B. Goode” from the film), book by Bob Gale, choreography by Chris Bailey, and direction by John Rando.

Composer Tim Minchin and librettist Dennis Kelly saw through the eyes of an extraordinary child when they adapted Roald Dahl’s novel and subsequent 1996 film Matilda for the West End stage in late 2011. Following much critical praise and smashing box office records at the Cambridge Theatre, the tuner won a then-record seven 2012 Olivier Awards, including best new musical. A Broadway transfer followed in the spring of 2013; cast members Lauren Ward and Bertie Carvel came over and were both nominated for Tonys as teacher Miss Honey and headmistress Miss Trunchbull, respectively. After a 4-year run at the Shubert Theatre — and with the West End production still running — a film adaptation of the musical was released by TriStar Pictures for the 2022 holiday season and is now available to stream on Netflix.

Billy Elliot also found great success as an onstage spectacle based on a film. With a moving story about a motherless boy who becomes a ballerina, and with a thrilling pop score by Sir Elton John and Lee Hall, it won the 2006 Olivier Award for best new musical. It played over a decade in London, whereas the subsequent Broadway production closed a hit after just three years at the Imperial Theatre and ten 2009 Tony wins, including best musical (Haydn Gwynne transferred with the production and received a nomination for playing ballet instructor Mrs. Wilkinson). Billy Elliot was filmed live for a proshot in 2014 from its West End home, the Victoria Palace Theatre, and it premiered on PBS’s “Great Performances” the following year.  

During the height of the “British Invasion” of mega-musicals, three Andrew Lloyd Webber shows won Olivier gold and ended up finding similar success overseas. First came the Eva Perón cantata Evita, which, when it came to Broadway for the first time in 1979, became the first British musical to win the Tony for best musical. Following a 2012 revival, another remount — directed by Sammi Cannold — is aiming for Broadway in the upcoming season. 1981’s Cats — which set Lloyd Webber’s compositions to T.S. Eliot’s poems about the Jellicle tribe — ran for 18 years at the Winter Garden Theatre and became the longest-running musical in Broadway history at the time. That was bested by his 1986 Gothic melodrama The Phantom of the Opera, the black-and-white behemoth set to conclude its astounding 35-year New York run on April 16. 

Broadway has also played host to many Olivier-winning musical revivals (the prize was known as “Outstanding Musical Production” from 1997 to 2007). The third-ever winner for best musical revival was 1993’s Carousel. Director Nicholas Hytner’s reimagined vision of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic sold out its strictly limited London run before it transferred to Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater the following year. Notably, Enoch Snow and Carrie Pipperidge were cast as an interracial couple; Audra McDonald’s performance as the latter won her the first of her six Tonys to this day. 

Five years later, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! was given a darker side by director Trevor Nunn and choreographer Susan Stroman, and it was performed by an international cast. After winning several 1999 Oliviers, the attempt to transfer to Broadway with the entire London cast intact was thwarted by Actor’s Equity Association, which called for an all-American cast. The Broadway transfer came to fruition in 2002, but only with Josefina Gabrielle (as Laurie) and Shuler Hensley (as Jud Fry) making the move. 

An intimate 2006 revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George — starring Daniel Evans and Jenna Russell — marked its first such remount. Following a 5-win outing at the 2007 Oliviers, Roundabout Theatre Company brought it to New York, and it played Studio 54 for a limited run in 2008, which was extended three times.

Intimacy was also the key in the 2008 London revival of Jerry Herman’s La Cage aux Folles, where Douglas Hodge earned raves for playing the aging drag star of the titular nightclub. It was originally set for a limited engagement but became open-ended as it found success. Shortly after it closed in January 2010, it transferred to Broadway that spring, with Hodge intact; the production had also recruited Kelsey Grammer to play his husband. Both Hodge and the show itself won Oliviers and Tonys for actor in a musical and musical revival. 

In 2018, Marianne Elliott staged a neon-heavy, highly inventive, partially gender-swapped production of Sondheim’s Company at the Gielgud Theatre, as the bachelor Bobby became a female character, and a same-sex couple was featured for the first time in the show’s history. On the heels of ecstatic reviews, a Broadway transfer began previews on March 2, 2020 and was set to officially open on March 22 — Sondheim’s 90^th birthday — but it was pushed back because of the COVID shutdown. It finally resumed previews at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on November 15, 2021, when Sondheim got to see it one final time before he died just over a week later. The production and featured actress Patti LuPone (who played the acerbic Joanne) won Oliviers and Tonys.

Interestingly, Broadway has seen many more Olivier-winning plays make their way to the United States. With that comes a fascinating recent trend: as of this writing, every best new play winner since 2015 has eventually transferred to Broadway. These include King Charles III, Hangmen, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Ferryman, The Inheritance, Leopoldstadt, and Life of Pi. If Prima Facie takes home top honors on April 2, the streak will continue (New York previews begin at the Golden Theatre on April 11 before an April 23 opening). 

2010 and 2011 victors The Mountaintop and Clybourne Park both arrived on Broadway in the 2011-12 season, with the latter finding more success by winning best play at the 2012 Tonys. Murder mystery The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time — also directed by Elliott — won London’s big prize in 2013 before transferring to Broadway the following year and setting up a dominant 2015 Tony night. Other notable Olivier-winning new play transfers from years past include The History Boys (starring a then-lesser-known James Corden), The Pillowman, Vincent in Brixton, Betrayal, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and Arcadia.

Olivier-winning play revivals have also found Broadway homes, though these occurrences have been far less common than new plays (partially because the Play Revival category at the Oliviers did not exist from 1996-2002). A 1992 National Theatre production of An Inspector Calls — in which director Stephen Daldry referenced the post-World War II era, as well as the play’s pre-World War I setting to make it more politically relevant — transferred to the Royale Theatre (now the Jacobs) in the spring of 1994 and won top honors overseas as well. 

Ivo van Hove directed a 2014 minimalist revival of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge at the Old Vic, stripping the play down to its bare structure. The entire London cast — led by Olivier winner Mark Strong — transferred with the production for a fall 2015 New York staging at the Lyceum Theatre, and the show and van Hove won Tonys and Oliviers for emphasizing the emotional upheaval of Miller’s work. 

Finally, another game-changing Elliott revival won raves in both London and New York, as she reimagined Tony Kushner’s AIDS crisis masterwork Angels in America for the 21^st century. The star-studded, much-acclaimed event was led by film and TV actors Andrew Garfield and Nathan Lane, who both made the transfer (and won Tonys, along with the revival). After being nominated for six 2017 Oliviers, winning for Play Revival, the 2018 Broadway iteration at the Neil Simon Theatre received eleven of them, the most ever nominations by any play at the time. 

Now in its final weeks on Broadway, Pictures From Home is a tribute to Larry Sultan’s work and his unique perspective on family and photography. The play, written by Sharr White and directed by Bartlett Sher, is an adaptation of Sultan’s book of the same name. It explores the relationship between Sultan and his parents through a series of vignettes that recreate his photographs on stage.

Larry Sultan was an American photographer whose work focused on everyday life, particularly the lives of his own family members. He was born in 1946 in Brooklyn, New York, but spent most of his life in California. Sultan studied photography at San Francisco Art Institute and went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.

Sultan’s work has been described as “a sustained meditation on the relationship between family and photography.” His photographs often depicted his parents, with whom he had a complex and sometimes fraught relationship. He also explored themes of suburban life, domesticity, and the construction of identity.

Sultan’s most famous project, “Pictures from Home,” began in the 1980s and continued for over a decade. The project was based on his relationship with his parents and his childhood home in the San Fernando Valley. Sultan photographed his parents and their home, as well as the surrounding landscape and architecture, in a way that was both intimate and detached.

The play has been praised for its ability to capture the emotional depth of Sultan’s work and for its authenticity in bringing his unique perspective to life on stage. The play’s star, Danny Burstein, has been particularly praised for his portrayal of Sultan, capturing the photographer’s complex relationship with his parents and the emotions that underpinned his work.

Nathan Lane’s portrayal in Pictures from Home has been widely praised for its emotional depth and authenticity. Lane plays the role of Larry Sultan’s father, and he captures the complex relationship between father and son in a way that is both moving and nuanced. Lane brings a sense of gravitas to the role, infusing it with humor and vulnerability, and creating a character that is both flawed and sympathetic. Critics have hailed Lane’s performance as one of the highlights of the play, and audiences have been moved by his portrayal of a father struggling to connect with his son.

One of the things that makes Sultan’s work so powerful is its ability to capture the complexity of family relationships. In “Pictures From Home,” Sultan’s photographs are recreated on stage, giving audiences a chance to see his unique perspective in action.

Pictures From Home plays until April 30th at Studio 54 Theater in New York.

Kimber Elayne Sprawl has made history with her portrayal of Nessarose in the hit musical Wicked. Sprawl is the first Black actor to play the role. In a recent interview with Jim Glaub, Sprawl opened up about her experience breaking barriers and her journey to becoming a Broadway performer.

Congratulations on your return to Broadway after your incredible run with Girl From The North Country. How does it feel to be back on the Rialto?

I feel so grateful! Broadway is hard and it’s a blessing to be working. I don’t take that for granted. This is my fourth Broadway show and I couldn’t be happier.

And making history as the first Black Nessarose. What does it feel to be stepping into an iconic role in an long-running musical.

I think the most rewarding part of making history as the first Black Nessarose is that I get to inspire other little Black girls to dream beyond the imagination of others. I never saw myself in Wicked because there were very few people who looked like me on stage. Brittany Johnson and Jordan Barrow changed my prospective as the first Black Glinda and Boq. I hope to do the same for other artists and for the creatives behind the table. 

How different is it going from a brand new musical to a long running hit like Wicked? And from Bob Dylan to Stephen Schwartz!

They’re vastly different and uniquely special. Girl from the North Country and Wicked live in contrasting worlds musically, stylistically, dramaturgically and that’s great for me to stretch myself as an artist. In GFTNC, I created a role and that’ll always have a special place in my heart. In Wicked, I get to carry on a legacy and become a special part of its history. 

There’s major fandom around this musical, have you had any experiences with the fans yet?

Omg yes! This girl made a whole TikTok post about how excited she was that I was joining the cast. The girl had box braids just like the ones I have in the show and she was so deeply affected by that. She was crying and then I was crying. She felt seen by seeing me. Representation matters. There has been a flood of positivity and love around me assuming this role; it’s beautiful. 

What is it about Wicked that keeps people coming back again after 18 years on Broadway?

I mean, Wicked has everything! The last time I saw the show was in 2014 when my friend, Ryan Vasquez, made his Broadway debut. I was as memorized now as I was then. The music is iconic, the costumes are iconic, the book is great, and the set in spectacular. What’s even more impressive is that everyone who is still involved with the show is so invested and does their job with such skill and pride. 

You have been an advocate for change and created movements using art centered around equity and inclusion, how do you hope this turn as Nessarose will help further this mission?

I don’t know! I’m sure something will reveal itself and I’ll be ready to jump in. Sometimes you have to lead by minding your own business. At the moment, I’m enjoying just being Nessa. 

By Jordan Levinson

The annual celebration of St. Patricks Day marks the anniversary of the death day of the most prominent patron saint and national apostle of Ireland; he is notably credited with bringing Christianity to its people. It is an international holiday today, but the Irish have observed St. Patrick’s Day as a religious observance since around the 9^th or 10^th century — over 1,000 years by now. Through parades, parties, and food aplenty, people around the world love celebrating their Irish heritage on this day. It notably takes place in the middle of Lent, the period commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert fasting, so there are strict dietary rules and restrictions to follow. However, since St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday in 2023, the rules are a bit laxer — observers are more than welcome to eat meat on March 17 only (Shepherd’s Pie and corned beef and cabbage are traditional dishes for the holiday).

It has long been known that the Irish have a way with words and use them to tell the most wonderful stories, so seeing as St. Patrick’s Day is an international appreciation and celebration of Irish culture, this article will shine a light on some successful Irish playwrights who have seen their work take shape on Broadway’s stages:

Early in the 20th century, Dublin-born John Millington Synge — a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival (which saw a renewed interest in aspects of Celtic writing) — wrote many plays about Irish rural life before his 1909 death. His most notable play is The Playboy of the Western World, which has been seen eight times on Broadway in a 60-year span (1911-1971). It is centered on Christy Mahon, a young man who runs away from his farm and pretends that he has committed patricide. When it first premiered in Ireland in 1907, it was the subject of public controversy amongst republicans, as they claimed the play’s message and themes were an insult to the nation. The Playboy Riots broke out on its opening night before press opinion eventually turned against the rioters. Other Synge plays that came to Broadway include his first play, The Shadow of the Glen, Riders to the Sea, and The Well of the Saints; all of these had multiple runs throughout the 20^th century.

Orlagh Cassidy, Rachel Pickup, Aedin Moloney and Annabel Hägg in “Dancing at Lughnasa,” at the Irish Repertory Theater in 2011 (Carol Rosegg)

Brian Friel, known to some as “the Irish Chekhov”, is considered one of the greatest English-language dramatists, and his work was compared favorably to some of his fellow contemporaries. Friel’s plays were all written in the second half of the 20^th century. 14 of them take place in a fictional town he liked to call Ballyweg (Irish for “small town”), one being Dancing at Lughnasa, which won him the 1992 Tony for best play. A memory play, it follows narrator Michael Evans, who recalls a summer he spent with his mother and her four sisters in a cottage when he was seven. Dancing at Lughnasa was adapted into a 1998 movie, directed by Irishman Pat O’Connor, and starring Meryl Streep as one of the sisters. Other works include Faith Healer (last seen on Broadway in 2006 with Ralph Fiennes and Cherry Jones), Translations (which got a 2007 Roundabout Theatre Company revival), and the two-sided relocation comedy Philadelphia, Here I Come!

Brian Bedford, Dana Ivey, David Furr, and Santino Fontana in Roundabout Theater Company’s 2011 The Importance of Being Earnest (Sara Krulwich)

In the late 19^th century, a young man named Oscar Fingal O’Fflahertie Wills Wilde rose to fame as an avid spokesperson for aestheticism, making him one of the most striking personalities of his day. One of his most notable dramatic pieces — and the final comedy he wrote — is The Importance of Being Earnest, a farce where the protagonists adapt fictitious personas just so they can escape burdensome social obligations. The play’s premiere was successful, and it has been revived many times ever since. The original Broadway production opened in 1895 at the Empire Theatre and was produced by Charles Frohman; it most recently received a Roundabout remount in 2011, starring Tootsie Tony winner Santino Fontana. Oscar Wilde is also known for the Biblical legend dramatization Salome, the upper-class comedy Lady Windermere’s Fan, and the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.

One of the key figures in the mid-20^th century Theatre of the Absurd era, Samuel Beckett made himself known with his minimalist plays that focused on tragicomic life experiences, coupled with lots of nonsense. His Waiting for Godot tracks two men who have a variety of conversations under a leafless tree as they wait for the titular Godot, who never arrives. After first opening in France in 1953, it came to Broadway three years later and quickly became one of Beckett’s best-known works, with Bert Lahr — the Cowardly Lion in the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” — receiving praise for his turn as Estragon. Another popular Beckett play is the post-apocalyptic Endgame, a revival of which is currently playing through April 9 at New York’s Irish Repertory Theatre, starring Bill Irwin and John Douglas Thompson. 

Playwright and political activist George Bernard Shaw became the leading writer of his generation, as he wrote more than 60 dramatic works from the 1880s until his 1950 death. Much of Shaw’s work highlights his uncanny ability to contrast reality with conventional wisdom. The most known Shavian play is Pygmalion, about an English phonetics professor who changes the speech of a Cockney flower girl and passes her off as a duchess. The reality here, for instance, is that the lower class is just as smart as the upper class. Pygmalion received the musical treatment in the lush, “loverly” My Fair Lady, and the play has also been adapted into countless films and TV shows. Other Shaw plays include Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Saint Joan, and Man and Superman. 

David Patrick Kelly, David Abeles, Erikka Walsh, Andy Taylor, Paul Whitty, Carlos Valdes, J. Michael Zygo in Once on Broadway (Joan Marcus)

Another native Dubliner, Enda Walsh has written musicals, straight plays, radio plays, art installations, and even an opera in his theatrical career so far. Walsh himself has stated that his works are all about “some kind of love and need for calm and peace.” He is best known for writing the Tony-winning book for the stage adaptation of the indie film Once, which also won the 2012 Tony for best musical and ran for three years on Broadway. Walsh collaborated with David Bowie on the 2015 musical Lazarus, which played New York Theatre Workshop right before Bowie died. He also adapted the unabashedly Irish coming-of-age story Sing Street for the stage; after a successful run at NYTW, it was set to open on Broadway in April 2020, which never happened due to the pandemic shutdown. After a second tryout at Boston’s Huntington Stage in the summer of 2022, however, there could be a bright future in sight for the title. 

Todd Almond, center, and the ensemble of “Girl From the North Country.” (Sara Krulwich)

Like Walsh, Conor McPherson has also instilled himself as one of the great contemporary Irish playwrights. His 2006 play The Seafarer, about an alcoholic who lives with his aging brother during the holiday season and tries to stay sober, marked McPherson’s National Theatre debut; a Broadway production opened in late 2007 and garnered a best play Tony nomination. McPherson wrote the book for the Bob Dylan jukebox musical Girl from the North Country, which garnered raves in the West End and became the final Broadway production to officially open before the COVID shutdown; a national tour will begin in fall 2023. The Duluth, Minnesota-set piece was filmed on Broadway for a future proshot release; a more traditional film adaptation is also in the works and is set to star Olivia Colman, Woody Harrelson, and Chloe Bailey. 

Finally, Martin McDonagh has made his mark in dark comedy, both for the screen and the stage. His first six plays are separated into two trilogies, and they all take place around where he spent his holidays as a child. McDonagh fictionalized the perils of totalitarianism in The Pillowman, his first non-Irish play. The United States was the location of A Behanding in Spokane, about a mysterious man searching for his left hand for over 25 years. The Pillowman and A Behanding in Spokane both received Broadway runs, with lead actor Christopher Walken winning a Tony for the latter in 2010. Also making it to the Main Stem were The Lieutenant of Inishmore, in 2006, and the Tony-nominated best play Hangmen, which opened in 2022 after over a two-year delay.