Musical Theatre

Musical Theatre, though it has its roots in Italian opera and British operetta, is considered to be an original American art form. Since the dawn of the 20th century, musical theater has evolved into one of the most popular performing arts–seen not only on Broadway, but all across the country from professional theaters to high schools. With Broadway ticket sales rising and national touring companies playing to sold-out houses, musical theatre is experiencing a second golden age.

In 2006, The Phantom of the Opera became the longest running show in musical theatre history after a staggering 7,661 performances–well over a decade’s worth of shows–and it’s still going! Other record breaking shows that are still running strong include Rent, Mamma Mia!, Beauty and the Beast, Chicago, and The Lion King. Newer shows like The Producers and Monty Python’s Spamalot are likely to challenge these long running records.

Broadway isn’t the only place you can see great musical theatre. National tours of current and classic musicals come through large cities every year. A recent study showed that in 2004-2005, national musical theatre tours brought in $3.25 billion dollars in revenue. National tours usually feature very close reproductions of the original Broadway production. Hot shows that have recently toured the country include The Lion King, Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Rent, Hairspray, Sweet Charity, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and The Light in the Piazza.

The past few years have seen Las Vegas emerge as the West Coast’s home for musical theater. Major casinos have built or renovated their theater spaces to accommodate major Broadway musicals. Big musicals that have played or are playing in Vegas include Avenue Q, Hairspray, Monty Python’s Spamalot, and a specially re-staged production of The Phantom of the Opera. Tickets are priced comparably to those on Broadway.

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