42nd Street is a 1980 stage musical with a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, lyrics by Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer and music by Harry Warren. The 1980 Broadway production won the Tony Awards for Best Musical and Best Choreography and it became a long-running hit. The show was also produced in London in 1984 (winning the Olivier Award for Best Musical) and its 2001 Broadway revival won the Tony Award for Best Revival.
Based on the 1932 novel by Bradford Ropes and the subsequent 1933 Hollywood film adaptation, this backstage musical follows the rehearsal process of a Broadway show staged during the height of the Great Depression.
The show is a jukebox musical of sorts, in that, in addition to songs from the 1933 film 42nd Street, it includes songs that Dubin and Warren wrote for many other films at around the same time, including Gold Diggers of 1933, Roman Scandals, Dames, Gold Diggers of 1935, Go into Your Dance, Gold Diggers of 1937 and The Singing Marine. It also includes "There's a Sunny Side to Every Situation", written by Warren and Johnny Mercer for Hard to Get. A 2017 revival added the song "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", written by Warren and Dubin for Moulin Rouge.
Background Producer David Merrick "took a huge gamble with his $3 million production based on the 1933 Warner Brothers film musical", as "only one other show had made the transfer from original movie musical to the stage — Gigi, a flop in 1974." He felt audiences once again were ready to embrace the nostalgia craze started by the successful revivals of No, No, Nanette, Irene, and his own Very Good Eddie several years earlier, and augmented the familiar songs from the film's soundtrack with a liberal dose of popular tunes from the Dubin-Warren catalog. According to theater historian John Kenrick, "When the curtain slowly rose to reveal forty pairs of tap-dancing feet, the star-studded opening night audience at the Winter Garden cheered...Champion followed this number with a series of tap-infused extravaganzas larger and more polished than anything Broadway really had in the 1930s."
Productions Original Broadway production (1980–1989) In June 1980, the musical premiered in out-of-town tryouts at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which is located in Washington, D.C.Lardner, James (June 25, 1980). "Familiar 'Street'; Hokey Tune of the '30s". The Washington Post. p. B1. The musical opened on Broadway on August 25, 1980, at the Winter Garden Theatre, and then moved to the Majestic and finally to the St. James, closing on January 8, 1989, after 3,486 performances and 6 previews. The production was directed and choreographed by Gower Champion. It was produced by David Merrick and featured orchestrations by Philip J. Lang."'42nd Street'" . Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 9, 2011. The original cast included Jerry Orbach as Julian Marsh, Tammy Grimes as Dorothy Brock, Wanda Richert as Peggy Sawyer, and Lee Roy Reams as Billy Lawlor. Notable replacements included Barry Nelson and Don Chastain and Jamie Ross who played Julian for the last three years of its Broadway run,"Who Played Julian Marsh in '42nd Street'" . BroadwayWorld. Retrieved April 8, 2011. Elizabeth Allen, Dolores Gray and Millicent Martin as Dorothy, and Lisa Brown, Mary Cadorette and Karen Ziemba as Peggy. (Karen Prunzik, who originated the role of Anytime Annie, briefly played the role of Peggy when Wanda Richert became ill and her understudy abruptly quit the show.)"Ziemba credits" . Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 8, 2011. The show's designers, Robin Wagner (sets), Theoni V. Aldredge (costumes), and Tharon Musser (lights) were the same team who had designed the original Broadway production of A Chorus Line."'A Chorus Line' listing, 1975" . Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 8, 2011 The original Broadway production is the 17th longest running show in Broadway history, as of July 6, 2025.Miller, James (July 1, 2025). "Longest-Running Shows on Broadway". Playbill.
However, the opening night triumph was overshadowed by tragedy. Following a lengthy standing ovation, Merrick went onstage and stated, "This is a very tragic moment... I'm sorry to have to report that today, Gower Champion died.""42nd STREET opening night announcement (1980, Broadway)" . YouTube. According to The Washington Post, the first part of his announcement was met with a few laughs from the audience, who thought this was another example of Merrick's publicity stunts. But as soon as he said that Champion had died, there were "gasps and screams." He then embraced a crying Richert, who was making her Broadway debut at the time.Weil, Martin; Lardner, James; Coe, Richard L. (August 26, 1980). "Gower Champion Dies as Show Opens; Champion Dies As '42nd Street' Opens in N.Y" . The Washington Post. p. A1. The producer had told only Bramble of Champion's death and they managed to withhold the news from the cast (including Richert, who was the director's girlfriend), the crew, and the public prior to the curtain call. 42nd Street proved to be not only Champion's last show but Merrick's final success. Merrick lived until April 25, 2000, but, as described by Anthony Bianco, 42nd Street "was his last big hit, his swan song".
This Tony Award–nominated wardrobe, designed by Theoni V. Aldredge, is on rotating display at the Wick Theatre and Costume Museum in Boca Raton, Florida.
West End (1984–1989) The West End production opened at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on August 8, 1984, starring James Laurenson as Julian Marsh, Georgia Brown as Dorothy Brock, Clare Leach as Peggy Sawyer, Michael Howe as Billy Lawler and Margaret Courtenay as Maggie Jones. Frankie Vaughn later took over as Julian Marsh, with Shani Wallis as Dorothy Brock and Maxine Audley as Maggie Jones. The career of teenaged Catherine Zeta-Jones, a chorus member in the 1984 West End production, was launched when a vacation and an illness felled both the actress portraying Peggy Sawyer and her understudy when one of the producers happened to be in the audience. Zeta-Jones filled-in and was impressive enough to be cast permanently in the role shortly afterward. The Production closed on January 7, 1989 after nearly 5 years, one day before the original Broadway production closed.
International productions A San Francisco production opened at the Golden Gate Theatre on February 19, 1985, and ran through July 20, concurrently with the original Broadway production.
The Sydney production of 42nd Street opened on June 2, 1989, at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney. It closed July 28, 1990. The show starred Barry Quin as Julian Marsh, Nancye Hayes as Dorothy Brock, Leonie Page as Peggy Sawyer, Todd McKenney as Billy Lawler and Toni Lamond as Maggie Jones, with Dein Perry as Andy Lee.
After the closure of the resident Theatre Royal Drury Lane production, the show would see a return engagement at the Dominion Theatre for a limited run between February 27 to April 20, 1991. Most notably the production featured Richard Armitage who was a part of the chorus.
A new production was staged for the Chichester Festival at the Chichester Festival Theatre in summer 2011. It was directed by Paul Kerryson with new choreography by Andrew Wright and starred Kathryn Evans as Dorothy and Tim Flavin as Julian. This production transferred to Curve in Leicester for the Christmas 2011 season (breaking all previous box office records for the theatre). Tim Flavin reprised his role, Ria Jones played Dorothy and Daisy Maywood portrayed Peggy.
UK tours The limited-run production at the Dominion Theatre toured the UK starring Bonnie Langford as Peggy. Three more UK Touring productions were produced by UK Productions in 1997, 1999 and 2000. Gemma Craven starred as Dorothy in the 1997 tour, Ruth Madoc starred as Dorothy in the 1999 and 2000 productions and James Smillie starred as Julian Marsh in all three productions. The 2001 production, by UK Productions, toured the UK in 2007. The cast included Paul Nicholas as Julian for the first part of the tour, later replaced by Dave Willetts, Julia J. Nagle as Dorothy, Jessica Punch as Peggy, Graham Hoadly as Bert Barry, Shirley Jameson as Maggie Jones and Ashley Nottingham as Billy. UK Productions mounted a second UK tour of the show in 2012 with Dave Willetts reprising the role of Julian, Marti Webb playing Dorothy, Graham Hoadly as Bert Barry, Carol Ball as Maggie Jones and Mark Bramble directing.Rickwald, Bethany (May 15, 2012). "Dave Willetts, Marti Webb Set for UK Tour of '42nd Street'" . TheaterMania. A 2023 production run began in May 2023, which starred Ruthie Henshall as Dorothy Brock, Adam Garcia as Julian Marsh, Josefina Gabrielle as Maggie Jones and Les Dennis as Bert Barry, which later concluded in January 2024 when the tour transferred to Toronto.
Broadway revival (2001–2005) Bramble revised the book for and directed the Broadway revival, with choreography by Randy Skinner (dance assistant for the original production). It opened, after 31 previews starting April 4, on May 2, 2001, at the Lyric Theatre (formerly the Ford Center for the Performing Arts),Brantley, Ben (May 3, 2001). "Theater Review:You've Got to Come Back a . . . You Know" . The New York Times. where it ran for 1,524 performances and closed January 2, 2005. The cast included Michael Cumpsty as Julian Marsh, Christine Ebersole as Dorothy Brock, Kate Levering as Peggy Sawyer, and David Elder as Billy Lawlor. Meredith Patterson, who made her Broadway musical debut in the chorus and was the understudy for the role of Peggy Sawyer, took over the role in August 2001.Jones, Kenneth (August 19, 2001). "Meredith Patterson is New Peggy in Bway's 42nd Street Aug. 19". . Playbill. Todd Lattimore, who had been a swing and understudy, took the role of Billy. Other notable replacements included Patrick CassidyJones, Kenneth (March 23, 2004). "Shirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy Announced for Bway's '42nd Street', Starting May 7". . Playbill. and Tom Wopat as JulianJones, Kenneth (June 12, 2002). "Tom Wopat Is the Duke of 42nd Street, Playing Julian Marsh Beginning June 21". . Playbill. and Shirley Jones and Beth Leavel as Dorothy.
Stuttgart revival Mark Bramble's Broadway Revival was reproduced in Stuttgart at the Stage Apollo Theater by Stage Entertainment. Performances began November 21, 2003, before closing December 31, 2004. The cast included Kevin Tarte as Julian Marsh, Isabel Dörfler as Dorothy Brock, Karin Seyfried as Peggy Sawyer, Jens Janke as Billy Lawlor, and Daniel Coninx as Abner Dillon.
Asia tour An Asia tour of the Broadway revival played major venues throughout China and South Korea, with an English–speaking company directed by Mark Bramble."Nederlander New Century Announces Tour of Tony Award-Winning Musical '42nd Street' Beginning September 2007". . Broadway China Network. Retrieved April 8, 2011. The cast included Paul Gregory Nelson as Julian, Natalie Buster as Dorothy, Kristen Martin as Peggy, and Charles MacEachern as Billy.
US tours A slightly updated version of the 2001 revival, revised and directed by Mark Bramble and choreographed by Randy Skinner, began a United States tour in September 2015, opening in Salt Lake City, Utah on 22 September 2015. Matthew J. Taylor played Julian Marsh, Caitlin Ehlinger played Peggy Sawyer, and Blake Standik played Billy Lawlor.Haddock, Sharon (September 18, 2015). National Tour of '42nd Street' is set to launch at Capitol Theatre Tuesday Deseret News. Salt Lake City. p. C13. This production with a new cast, would tour the US again, from 2016 to 2017.
West End revival