A reader recently asked me: how does a show get to Broadway? Are there different paths? Do certain shows start there?
First of all, thank you for the questions! I love getting to create new posts based on what the readers want to talk about!
Second of all, I'm so glad you asked because this is a fun topic. Let's jump right in!
So the short answer to this is there is no one guaranteed path to get a show to Broadway -- it varies from situation to situation. The roads I'll be talking about here will certainly not cover every possibility (as I'm sure there are MANY unique stories I don't know of), but these types of scenarios will give you a good idea of the (approximate) majority of Broadway shows.
Step 1: Creation
Before a show can go to Broadway, it's gotta be written first, right? Whether it be a brand new story, a revival or reimagining of an existing play / musical, or an adaptation of another medium of work, it starts with the playwright(s) and composer(s). They come up with a concept and get to work fully realizing that idea. Maybe that includes asking trusted friends or family to read the script and give feedback, or maybe it involves getting together a group of musician friends to record a concept album. I imagine that a lot of writers -- especially those new to the industry -- would get stuck around this point. We're all well-aware of the phrase, "It's not what you know, it's who you know", and it certainly applies here: now a writer has to get their script into the right hands in order for it to go anywhere.
Step 2: Development
The development phase is where any new show's path branches off into countless possibilities. It might start with a reading. A reading is exactly what it sounds like: the creator gathers a group of actors to play the various roles in the script, and the actors present a modified version of the story to an audience without sets, without props, without costumes -- one actor sets the stage by reading the stage directions, the other actors read the lines aloud in character (often with the script in front of them), and it's up to the audience to fill in the gaps and imagine what a full production might look like. During this stage, the book and the score are in flux. Nothing is set in stone: from the lines of dialogue and lyrics to the musical arrangement, all of it can be (and likely will be) changed, replaced, or cut entirely for the good of the show going forward. Sometimes readings will be a bit more theatrical (i.e. actors are off-book, some numbers choreographed, representational costuming or prop usage, etc.), but this is the stage that can ultimately decide the fate of a project as it has to spark the interest of investors, industry producers, and influential members of the theatre community in order to move forward into production.
The next step would be a workshop. The workshop phase is very much like the reading phase (you may hear it compared to a "staged reading" or even the two combining into a "workshop reading"), the only difference being that it is physically on a stage and with more production elements (i.e. a minimal set, costumes, proper lighting, etc.). Again, like a reading, everything about the production is in flux: you may have songs cycling in and out, whole scenes changing or being moved around, characters being added or cut entirely -- the show must go on, even if that means the writer has to kill their darlings. Workshops are performed in front of execs to hopefully gain interest and find a home theatre to bring that story to the masses.
Step 3: Production
The show made it through workshops and is being produced onstage, hooray! In production, a show might go up in a regional theatre, in a major theatre city outside of NY, or Off-Broadway / Off-Off-Broadway. When produced by a regional theatre, a show could go from there to one of the other two options before Broadway, but it doesn't have to: if the show is good enough and has the interest, it will go straight there. Certain theatres across the country are known for putting up shows that are "Broadway-bound", so people will often look to those theatres for what is heading to NYC in the following season. For example, ever hear of Paper Mill Playhouse? It's a regional theatre in Millburn, NJ, that puts up Broadway-budget productions, including world premiere productions with the anticipation of being moved to Broadway. Their latest new show, The Great Gatsby, starring Broadway legends Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada was just announced as moving to Broadway this spring! Some other majors they produced were Newsies, Bandstand, and A Bronx Tale.
When produced in a major theatre city (not NYC), some would argue that this is "making it" as these shows are often put up in venues the same size as a Broadway venue. A show that has been confirmed going to Broadway may even have a pre-Broadway run in one of these locales as a form of testing the material with general audiences. Cities such as Boston, Chicago, LA, or Philadelphia are all typical locations for a new work that might be picked up by Broadway. Shows like Kinky Boots and Rocky followed this path. Also, you'll sometimes actually hear of shows transferring from Broadway to these venues following and/or during their NYC run, due to popularity and audience demand. Ever hear of "the West End", for example? That's in reference to London's theatre district, which is comparable to NY's theatre scene.
When produced Off-Broadway or Off-Off-Broadway, that means the show was picked up by a NYC-based theatre. The difference between Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway is simply the seat capacity of the venue -- Off-Off seats 99 or less people, Off seats 100-499 people, and Broadway is 500+, that's it. As is true for the other categories of production, going to Off-Broadway or Off-Off-Broadway might be as far as a production goes, but that doesn't mean they don't get the respect and love they deserve. There are dozens of beloved, MAJOR shows that never made it to the Broadway stage; musical theatre titans like The Last Five Years, Heathers, Dogfight, Daddy Long Legs, Tick, Tick...BOOM!, Ruthless, and The Fantasticks are just the tip of the iceberg. But those lucky productions that do move to Broadway?...
Step 4: The Broadway Bow
The path was long and arduous, but we made it to Broadway! At this point, the final casting is solidified, there is a short rehearsal process to get it ready for a big boy stage, and the show will put on what's called "previews" before it officially opens. During previews, those few weeks are the last chance for the creative team to make changes to the script and score before it is finalized for opening night. If a joke doesn't land the way they're anticipating or a song doesn't get the reaction they'd like, preview performances are the "soft launch" of a show where you might see a slightly different version than the final draft (or even than the previous night!).
But that's it, that's the path to Broadway! Again, I have to reiterate that there are so many exceptions to this structure, but now you know just how much time, effort, energy, blood, sweat, and tears often goes into a production making a Broadway curtain call.
What other questions can I answer for you, about the industry, about me, about acting? Reach out -- you may find your question answered on a future post.
Thanks for reading, #DreamTeamHLJ, and be persistent!
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