44 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 

ARTS&LIFE
MUSEUMS

M

useum of 
Broadway, the first 
new and permanent 
immersive, interactive 
museum celebrating Broad-
way and showcasing its rich 
history, recently opened in 
New York City. The three-
floor exhibit highlights 
legendary Broadway creators, 
musicians, composers, 
choreographers and artists, 
as well as some of the most 
notable musicals and plays 
performed on Broadway 
stages spanning centuries. 
The self-guided tour 
starts with a brief video of 
the history of Broadway, 
acknowledging the influ-
ence of theater owners 
Shubert and Detroit native 
Netherlander. The exhibits 
are arranged in chronological 
order of shows, from the 
beginning of Broadway to 
the present. On display is a 

treasure trove of elaborate 
seen-on-stage costumes, 
artifacts, playbills, famous 
stage sets, rare photos, 
original props and re-created 
set designs. Overall, the 
museum features more than 
500 individual productions 
and 1,000+ items, which 
includes both photos and 3D 
artifacts. 
One of the first exhibits 
visitors see along the time-
line of Broadway is the 
Ziegfeld Follies. Alongside 
the feathered powder-pink 
wallpaper sits a vanity, a 
mirror and photos of the 
showgirls. (The Ziegfeld 
Follies, inspired by the Follies 
Bergères of Paris, were 
spectacular stage revues that 
ran between 1907-1931.)
Throughout the museum, 
elaborate costumes can be 
viewed, including a Jets 
jacket worn in West Side 

Story, the little red dress 
from Annie, a red-and-
green military jacket from 
Hair, two costumes worn 
in Hamilton and evening 
attire from Cabaret. There’s 
also the Red Death costume 
and Christine’s dress from 
Phantom of the Opera, and 
Bernadette Peters’ dress from 
Hello, Dolly. 
An Oklahoma room is set 
up like a cornfield, with the 
music from the show playing 
in the background. Photos 
from the original 1943 
productions can be seen, 
as well as Richard Rodgers’ 
music manuscripts. 

THE JEWISH INFLUENCE
When journeying from 
room to room, what’s 
obvious is the enormous 
Jewish contribution to 
Broadway. Jewish directors, 
choreographers, producers 

and composers have left 
their mark on countless 
extraordinary and Tony 
Award-winning shows. 
 Jerome Robbins (born 
Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz) 
choreographed and directed 
West Side Story, Gypsy, 
Fiddler on the Roof and Peter 
Pan. Stephen Sondheim 
wrote the lyrics for West 
Side Story and Gypsy, and 
wrote the music and lyrics 
for Company, Into the Woods, 
Sweeney Todd, Follies, A 
Little Night Music and A 
Funny Thing Happened 
on the Way to the Forum. 
Richard Rodgers and Oscar 
Hammerstein II collaborated 
on Oklahoma, Carousel, 
South Pacific, The King and I 
and The Sound of Music. In 
recent years, Tony Kushner 
wrote Angels in America 
about the AIDS epidemic, 
and playwright Jonathan 

Next time you’re in the Big Apple, be sure to schedule a visit.

The Museum 
 of Broadway

ALICE BURDICK SCHWEIGER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

MONIQUE CARBONI

