Broadway Museum?

hannhannham

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Swing
joined:2/5/16

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Broadway Museum?#1
Posted: 1/15/17 at 12:44pm

Sorry if this has been posted before. I did a search and found a few sparse threads on it. Any info on why there is not a large space broadway museum yet ? I think it would be a great addition to the theatre district, and it certainly can't be hard to get artifacts and mementos for it. The ideas for exhibits are endless and could change frequently enough that people would be repeat visitors. It seems like the perfect way to kill a few hours in the area while you're waiting to head to a show.

Why hasnt this happened? Lack of space? Surely investors would be interested.

If there was a Broadway museum, what are some exhibits you'd love to see?

MarkBearSF

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Broadway Museum?#2
Posted: 1/15/17 at 4:24pm

If you've seen "Bright Lights" the Debbie Reynolds & Carrie Fisher documentary, recall that Debbie spent decades trying to get a Hollywood museum established to no success. I'd think that Broadway might be even more difficult.

I'm planning on seeing the exhibit at the NY Public Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center on our next visit. I don't know how large it is. https://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/curtainup

Updated On: 1/15/17 at 04:24 PM

TimesSquareRegular

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Broadway Museum?#3
Posted: 1/16/17 at 10:05am

,,,, and then there's the small but impressive collection in the upper lobby areas of the Gershwin Theater

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Theater_Hall_of_Fame

2016 These Paper Bullets (1/02) Our Mother's Brief Affair (1/06), Dragon Boat Racing (1/08), Howard - reading (1/28), Shear Madness (2/10), Fun Home (2/17), Women Without Men (2/18), Trip Of Love (2/21), The First Gentleman -reading (2/22), Southern Comfort (2/23), The Robber Bridegroom (2/24), She Loves Me (3/11), Shuffle Along (4/12), Shear Madness (4/14), Dear Evan Hansen (4/16), American Psycho (4/23), Tuck Everlasting (5/10), Indian Summer (5/15), Peer Gynt (5/18), Broadway's Rising Stars (7/11), Trip of Love (7/27), CATS (7/31), The Layover (8/17), An Act Of God (8/31), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (8/24), Heisenberg (10/12), Fiddler On The Roof (11/02), Othello (11/23), Dear Evan Hansen (11/26), Les Liaisons Dangereuses (12/21) 2017 In Transit (2/01), Groundhog Day (4/04), Ring Twice For Miranda (4/07), Church And State (4/10), The Lucky One (4/19), Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (5/16), Building The Wall (5/19), Indecent (6/01), Six Degrees of Separation (6/09), Marvin's Room (6/28), A Doll's House Pt 2 (7/25) Curvy Widow (8/01)

PatrickDC

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Broadway Museum?#4
Posted: 1/16/17 at 10:43am

I think a museum would be fantastic. Think of the exhibits incorporating actual set pieces and costumes. For us Broadway geeks it would be like a pilgrimage to Mecca, though I don't know how much interest there would be beyond that, or at least enough to make it profitable. With so many shows either not recouping or barely breaking even, it's not like a bunch of producers would get together and start this.

dramamama611

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Broadway Museum?#5
Posted: 1/16/17 at 11:14am

And set pieces are not something that they just keep hanging around. Same with props and such...for the most part. Stuff from years gone by is not readily around.

Would anyone really care to see Mark's scarf from Rent? Who hasn't seen it... and how would you even know if it was IT? Pictures tell so much more then an exhibit could.

I don't really see a huge interest in this. Any space would be limiting as to what could be displayed, and the rent would be insane.

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

Call_me_jorge

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Broadway Museum?#6
Posted: 1/16/17 at 11:18am

Isn't there that group who want to turn the Times Square Theatre into a museum dedicated to broadway?

And I remember this musical I remember their brilliance And I might never sleep again...

BroadwayConcierge

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Broadway Museum?#7
Posted: 1/16/17 at 11:18am

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History down in D.C. rotates its exhibits and presentations over time. It would be amazing if they had a limited exhibition of thoroughly researched and archived Broadway and/or American musical theatre (or drama) history. It's just as tantamount to American cultural history as film, food, and other works I've seen there. That would be sensational.

usn120 said: "Really... REALLY...? It's been 8 years and you thought it was worth bumping to share that you THINK Broadway "Star" Alex Wyse is Jewish?"