SEPT. 11: The events of Sept. 11 had an impact on every New Yorker, every American, every business and profession, and the theatre was no exception. Indeed, if anything, the New York theatre community was more acutely affected than most. The fallout began simply, with a two-day shuttering of Broadway. Then the shows reopened, shakily, uncertain of their mission in a post-Sept. 11 world, with casts making curtain speeches and singing God Bless America." But they sang to empty seats; much of their audience, now clinging to a bunker mentality, had stayed home. Airports were closed, airlines grounded, and the tourist trade quickly evaporated. Manhattan was sealed off below 14th Street, crippling many Off-Broadway shows and theatres. Suddenly, a terrorist apocalypse, which seemed to have nothing to do with the theatre, was killing the theatre. Broadway faced the biggest financial crisis in its history. Several shows closed. Powerhouse musicals teetered in the balance. A planned revival of Assassins was perceived as striking the wrong note and postponed.
Producers appealed to the unions and won a month of salary cuts for five long-running musicals, eventually bringing the struggling Kiss Me, Kate and The Music Man into the fold when it looked like those shows would die. Box office soon rebounded, but not to 2000 levels, and Off-Broadway continued to suffer severely, with several shows eventually folding and others opting to take weeks-long hiatuses. Meanwhile, new marketing campaigns saw the Broadway community singing "New York, New York" in Times Square and the Off Broadway world belting "Downtown" in Washington Square Park. By November, theatre companies like the Public and Brooklyn Academy of Music were forced to lay off staff. Shows across the nation, such as Richard Nelson's The Vienna Notes at the McCarter, were found newly insensitive to the emotional climate and were canceled. Other shows benefitted, such as Tony Kushner's Kabul/Homebody, which proved timely in ways the playwright couldn't have predicted; and Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses, an interpretation of Ovid's myths which provided a balm to battered New Yorkers. By year's end, the city had stepped up and bought $25 million in Broadway tickets to fend off a feared winter slump. And, in the saddest stroke of all, the community mourned Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9, known as Broadway's firehouse, which lost 15 firefighters in the attack on the World Trade Center.

SEPT. 11: The events of Sept. 11 had an impact on every New Yorker, every American, every business and profession, and the theatre was no exception. Indeed, if anything, the New York theatre community was more acutely affected than most. The fallout began simply, with a two-day shuttering of Broadway. Then the shows reopened, shakily, uncertain of their mission in a post-Sept. 11 world, with casts making curtain speeches and singing God Bless America." But they sang to empty seats; much of their audience, now clinging to a bunker mentality, had stayed home. Airports were closed, airlines grounded, and the tourist trade quickly evaporated. Manhattan was sealed off below 14th Street, crippling many Off-Broadway shows and theatres. Suddenly, a terrorist apocalypse, which seemed to have nothing to do with the theatre, was killing the theatre. Broadway faced the biggest financial crisis in its history. Several shows closed. Powerhouse musicals teetered in the balance. A planned revival of Assassins was perceived as striking the wrong note and postponed.
Producers appealed to the unions and won a month of salary cuts for five long-running musicals, eventually bringing the struggling Kiss Me, Kate and The Music Man into the fold when it looked like those shows would die. Box office soon rebounded, but not to 2000 levels, and Off-Broadway continued to suffer severely, with several shows eventually folding and others opting to take weeks-long hiatuses. Meanwhile, new marketing campaigns saw the Broadway community singing "New York, New York" in Times Square and the Off Broadway world belting "Downtown" in Washington Square Park. By November, theatre companies like the Public and Brooklyn Academy of Music were forced to lay off staff. Shows across the nation, such as Richard Nelson's The Vienna Notes at the McCarter, were found newly insensitive to the emotional climate and were canceled. Other shows benefitted, such as Tony Kushner's Kabul/Homebody, which proved timely in ways the playwright couldn't have predicted; and Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses, an interpretation of Ovid's myths which provided a balm to battered New Yorkers. By year's end, the city had stepped up and bought $25 million in Broadway tickets to fend off a feared winter slump. And, in the saddest stroke of all, the community mourned Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9, known as Broadway's firehouse, which lost 15 firefighters in the attack on the World Trade Center.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Playbill.com reached out to members of the New York theatre community, including actors, musicians, writers, producers, ushers, front of house and backstage crew, to share with us what they are most grateful for this holiday season.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Playbill.com reached out to members of the New York theatre community, including actors, musicians, writers, producers, ushers, front of house and backstage crew, to share with us what they are most grateful for this holiday season.

This month we talk to James Lipton, the host-writer-executive producer of "Inside the Actors Studio" (which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary) and the lyricist-librettist of Sherry (the 1967 Broadway musical, based on the Moss Hart-George S. Kaufman classic comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner).

This month we talk to James Lipton, the host-writer-executive producer of "Inside the Actors Studio" (which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary) and the lyricist-librettist of Sherry (the 1967 Broadway musical, based on the Moss Hart-George S. Kaufman classic comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner).

Playbill remembers the actors, directors, playwrights, and other familiar faces of the stage who died this year.

No one could accuse this month’s "Leading Men" of being "corny as Kansas in August," and they are Brent Barrett (Chicago), Daniel Letterle ("Camp"), Larry Ching ("Forbidden City") and Rod (Avenue Q).

No one could accuse this month’s "Leading Men" of being "corny as Kansas in August," and they are Brent Barrett (Chicago), Daniel Letterle ("Camp"), Larry Ching ("Forbidden City") and Rod (Avenue Q).

News, views and reviews about the multi-talented women of the musical theatre and the concert/cabaret stage.

News, views and reviews about the multi-talented women of the musical theatre and the concert/cabaret stage.

The NEA played a crucial role in bringing works like The Great Comet, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, and Nine to the stage.