On Broadway: A Theater District Tour of Hits, Flops, Stars and Stories

Look beyond the glitz and glam of Broadway and you’ll realize that the renowned theater district is filled with legendary stories as entertaining as the shows that fill its stages. From the bright lights of Times Square to Broadway’s hidden alleys, on this walking tour you’ll strut in the footsteps of the theater world’s icons.

Starting on Times Square’s big red steps, you’ll stroll past the George M Cohan statue and hear how a 14-year-old created a uniquely American art form – the Broadway Musical – at a time when entertainment was largely imported. As you walk, I’ll share the fascinating backstories of the musicals that changed everything, from Show Boat and Oklahoma! to Rent and Hamilton. You’ll learn how Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “British Invasion“ conquered Broadway with one mega-musical after another, from Jesus Christ Superstar and Cats to Phantom of the Opera. I’ll teach you how to speak fluent Broadway, giving you the lowdown on lingo like sung-thru, movicals, and jukebox musicals. I’ll also show you St Malachy’s, affectionately known as the Actor’s Chapel, where instead of praying to be healed, visitors pray to break a leg!

Along the way, you’ll:

• Visit the high school that inspired the movie and TV show called Fame, whose real-life students went on to actual fame on stage and screen
• Find out what defines a Broadway musical, and what separates Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-off-Broadway
• Get the lowdown on Broadway’s record-setting hits and most outrageous flops, from The Lion King to Spiderman: Turn off the Dark
• Understand why Steven Sondheim was simultaneously one of the most – and least – successful creators in Broadway history
• Hear how a jug of cheap wine and a reel-to-reel tape recorder saved Broadway, as working dancers poured out their painful life stories to create A Chorus Line
• Expose yourself to the tale of Oh, Calcutta, the totally nude musical, including a scene written by John Lennon
• Be scandalized by Mae West, who wrote a show so naughty that police arrested the entire cast during the third act
• Give your regards to Mr. Broadway himself, George M. Cohan, whose patriotic songs sent millions of boys marching off to war
• Meet the “Abominable Showman,” the producer who hired fake critics – with the same names as real ones – to praise his shows
• Learn how one theater went from the height of glamor to utter ruin, to the biggest success in Broadway history, with help from a mouse-eared savior
• Salute the Brill Building, the music factory where countless hits were churned out by Paul Simon, Carol King, Neil Diamond and dozens of other pop legends

Deeply researched, cleverly written, and professionally produced, this tour isn’t just a walk through a historic district, it’s a stroll through time, with fascinating stories at every turn. Even serious Broadway geeks and aficionados will learn new secrets and stories, putting faces and places together as we wind our way through these legendary streets to many notable theaters, ending at the Times Square Church.

Please note: This tour focuses on the theater district and history of the Broadway musical. There’s another TellBetter tour that focuses on the non-theatrical stories and sights of Times Square and legendary 42nd Street.