Stage Chronology
The 1980s
Compiled by John Kenrick
(Copyright 2002)
All dates are for Broadway openings unless otherwise noted.
KEY
Show Title (Genre/City), Opening Date, Number of Performances
1980
- Canterbury Tales (R), 2/12/1980, Rialto, 20
- West Side Story (R), 2/14/1980, Minskoff, 341
- On the 20th Century (London), 3/19/1980, Her Majesty's, 165
- Tintypes (Revue-Off), 4/17/1980, St. Peter s Church, 137
- Fortune (Revue-Off), 4/2/1980, Actors Playhouse, 242
- Happy New Year, 4/27/1980, Morosco, 17 perfs + 27 pvws
- Barnum, 4/30/1980, St. James, 854
- A Day in Hollywood/A Night In The Ukraine, 5/1/1980, John Golden, 597
- Black Broadway (Revue-Off), 5/4/1980, Town Hall, 27
- Musical Chairs, 5/14/1980, Rialto, 15 perfs + 6 pvws
- You're Arms Too Short To Box With God, 6/2/1980, Ambassador, 153
- It s So Nice to Be Civilized, 6/3/1980, Martin Beck, 8 perfs + 23 pvws
- The Music Man (R), 6/5/1980, NY City Center, 29
- Really Rosie (Off), 6/13/1980, Chelsea Theatre Center, 274
- Fearless Frank (Off), 6/15/1980, Princess, 12 perfs + 13 pvws
- Sweeney Todd (London), 7/2/1980, Theater Royal, 157
- Camelot (R), 7/9/1980, New York State, 62
- Pirates of Penzance (R-Off), 7/15/1980, Delacorte, 45 (see 1/8/1980)
- 42nd Street*, 8/25/1980, Winter Garden, 3486
- Charlie and Algernon, 9/14/1980, Helen Hayes, 17 perfs + 12 pvws
- Les Miserables (Paris), 9/17/1980, Palais des Sports, 105
- Pal Joey (London-R), 9/26/1980, Albery, 415
- They're Playing Our Song (London), 10/1/1980, Shaftsbury, 667
- Brigadoon (R), 10/16/1980, Majestic, 141
- Tintypes (Revue-Moved to Broadway), 10/23/1980, John Golden, 104
- Wish Me Mazel Tov (Off), 10/24/1980, Town Hall, 84
- Biograph Girl, The (London), Phoenix, ??
- Perfectly Frank, 11/30/1980, Helen Hayes, 16 perfs + 21 pvws
- Trixie True Teen Detective (Off), 12/7/1980, Theatre De Lys, 94
- Onward Victoria, 12/14/1980, Martin Beck, 1 perf + 23 pvws
1981
- Pirates of Penzance (R-Moved to Broadway), 1/8/1981, Uris, 787
- Shakespeare Cabaret (Revue-Off), 1/21/81, Bijou, 66
- Five O clock Girl (R), 1/28/81, Helen Hayes, 12 perfs + 7 pvws
- Floradora (R-Off), 2/20/1981, AMDA Studio, 20
- Sophisticated Ladies (Revue), 3/1/1981, Lunt-Fontanne, 767
- Bring Back Birdie, 3/5/1981, Martin Beck, 4 + 31 pvws
- Marry Me a Little (Revue-Off), 3/12/1981, Actors Playhouse, 102
- Broadway Follies (Revue), 3/15/1981, Nederlander, 1 perf + 14 pvws
- March of the Falsettoes (Off), 3/27/81, Playwrights Horizons, 170 (see 11/9/1981)
- Woman Of The Year, 3/29/1981, Palace, 770
- Copperfield, 4/16/1981, ANTA, 13 + 26 pvws
- Can-Can (R), 4/30/1981, Minskoff, 5 + 16 pvws
- The Moony Shapiro Songbook (Revue), 5/3/1981, Morosco, 1 perf + 15 pvws
- Cats, 5/11/1981, New London, 6,949 perfs
- Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music (Revue), 5/12/1981, Nederlander, 333
- This Was Burlesque (Revue-R), 6/23/1981, Princess, 36
- Fiddler On the Roof (R), 7/9/1981, New York State, 56
- My Fair Lady (R-Rex Harrison), 8/18/1981, Uris, 124
- Marlowe, 10/12/81, Rialto, 56
- March of the Falsettoes (Moved-Off), 11/9/1981, Westside Arts, 128
- Oh Brother, 11/10/1981, Virginia, 3 perfs + 13 pvws
- Camelot (R-Return), 11/15/1981, Winter Garden, 72
- Merrily We Roll Along, 11/16/1981, Alvin, 16 perfs + 52 pvws
- The First, 11/17/1981, Martin Beck, 37 perfs + 33 pvws
- Dreamgirls, 12/20/1981, Imperial, 1522
- Little Prince and the Aviator, 12/31/1981, Alvin, 20 pvws + NO perfs
1982
- Little Me (R), 1/21/1982, Eugene O Neill, 36 perfs + 30 pvws
- Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, 1/27/1982, Royale, 824
- Pump Boys & Dinettes, 2/4/1982, Princess, 132 Off + 573 Bway
- Little Johnny Jones (R), 3/21/1982, Alvin, 1 perf + 29 pvws
- Is There Life After High School? (Revue), 5/7/1982, Barrymore, 12 perfs + 41 pvws
- Nine*, 5/9/1982, 46th Street, 732
- Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?, 5/27/1982, Alvin, 5 perfs + 15 pvws
- Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Return), 5/31/1982, Eugene O Neil, 72
- Blues In The Night (Revue), 6/2/1982, Rialto, 66
- Cleavage (Revue-Off), 6/23/1982, Playhouse, 1 perf + 6 pvws
- Play Me a Country Song (Revue), 6/27/1982, Virginia, 1 perf + 14 pvws
- Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, 7/8/1982, Alvin, 5 perfs + 15 pvws
- Little Shop Of Horrors (Off), 7/27/1982, Orpheum, 2,209
- Charlotte Sweet (Off), 8/12/1982, Westside Arts Center, 110
- You're Arms Too Short to Box With God (R), 9/9/1982, Alvin, 80
- A Doll's Life, 9/23/1982, Mark Hellinger, 5 perfs + 18 pvws
- Cats* (Revue), 10/7/1982, Winter Garden, 7,485
- Rock N Roll! (Revue), 10/24/1982, St. James, 32
- Upstairs at O Neal s (Revue-Off), 10/28/1982, 322
1983
- Merlin, 2/13/1983, Mark Hellinger, 199 perfs + 69 pvws
- On Your Toes (R), 3/6/1983, Virginia, 505
- Porgy & Bess (Opera-R), 4/7/1983, Radio City Music Hall, 67
- Show Boat (R), 4/24/1983, Gershwin, 78
- My One And Only, 5/1/1983, St. James, 767
- Dance A Little Closer, 5/11/1983, Minskoff, 1 perfs + 27 pvws
- Taking My Turn (Off), 6/9/1983, Entermedia, 255
- Tallulah (Off), 6/13/1983, Tomi Terrace, 16 (see 10/20/1983)
- Singin' in the Rain (London), 6/30/1983, Palladium, 894
- Cradle Will Rock (R-Off), 7/12/83, Douglas Fairbanks, 40
- Mame (R), 7/24/1983, Uris, 48
- Preppies (Revue-Off), 8/18/1983, Promenade, 61
- La Cage Aux Folles*, 8/21/1983, Palace, 1761
- Niteclub Confidential (Off), 8/29/1983, Riverwest, 48 (see 5/10/84)
- Little Shop of Horrors (London), 10/12/1983, Comedy, 813
- Zorba (R), 10/16/1983, Broadway, 362
- Tallulah (Moved-Off), 10/30/1983, Westside Arts Center, 61
- Sunset (Off), 11/7/1983, Village Gate Downstairs, 1 perf + 13 pvws
- Amen Corner, 11/11/1983, Nederlander, 29
- Marilyn: An American Fable, 11/20/1983, Minskoff, 16 perfs + 35 pvws
- Doonesbury, 11/21/1983, Biltmore, 125
- Baby, 12/4/1983, Ethel Barrymore, 276
- Peg (Concert), 12/14/1983, Lunt-Fontanne, 5 perfs + 13 pvws
- The Tap Dance Kid, 12/21/1983, Minskoff, 669 perfs + 38 pvws
1984
- Blondel (London), 1/20/1984, Aldwych, 365
- Rink, The, 2/9/1984, Martin Beck, 204 perfs + 29 pvws
- Starlight Express (London), 3/27/1984, Apollo Victoria, 7406
- Human Comedy, The, 4/5/1984, Royale, 13 perfs + 19 pvws
- Shirley MacLaine On Broadway (Revue), 4/19/1984, Gershwin, 46 perfs + 1 pvw
- Oliver (R), 4/29/1984, Mark Hellinger, 17 perfs + 12 pvws
- Sunday in the Park With George, 5/2/1984, Booth, 604 perfs + 35 pvws
- Niteclub Confidential (Moved-Off), 5/10/1984, The Ballroom, 165
- Wiz, The (R), 5/24/1984, Lunt-Fontanne, 13 perfs + 7 pvws
- Little Me (London-R), 5/30/1984, Prince of Wales, 423
- Shades of Harlem (Revue), 8/21/84, Village Gate Downstairs, 226
- Boy Friend, The (London-R), 9/20/1984, Albery, 156
- Quilters, 9/25/1984, Jack Lawrence, 29
- Pacific Overtures (R), 10/12/1984, Promenade, 109
- Golden Land (Off), 10/27/1984, Norman Thomas, 70
- Three Musketeers, The (R), 11/4/1984, Broadway, 9 perfs + 14 pvws
- Haarlem Nocturne (Revue-Off), 11/18/1984, Latin Quarter, 64
- Diamonds (Revue-Off), 11/24/1984, Circle in the Square Downtown, 122
1985
- King & I, The (R), 1/7/1985, Broadway, 191
- Harrigan and Hart, 1/31/1985, Longacre, 5 perfs + 24 pvws
- Me and My Girl (London-R), 2/4/1985, Adelphi, 4,000+
- 3 Guys Naked From the Waist Down (Off), 2/5/1985, Minetta Lane, 180
- Have I Got a Girl For You (Off), 2/10/1985, Inroads, 16 (see 10/26/1986)
- Leader of the Pack (Revue), 4/8/1985, Ambassador, 172)
- Take Me Along (R), 4/14/1985, Martin Beck, 1 perfs + 7 pvws
- Grind, 4/16/1985, Mark Hellinger, 79 + 25 pvws
- Big River*, 4/25/1985, Eugene O Neill, 1005
- Mayor (Revue-Off), 5/13/1985 Top of the Village, 213
- Dames at Sea (R-Off), 6/12/1985, Lambs, 277
- Singin' In the Rain, 7/2/1985, Gershwin, 367 perfs + 38 pvws
- Mystery of Edwin Drood (Off), 8/4/1985, Delacorte, 27
- Gigi (London), 9/17/1985, Lyric, 242
- Song & Dance, 9/18/1985, Royale, 489
- Les Miserables (London - M), 10/8/1985, Barbican (7,500+, still running)
- Tango Argentino (Revue), 10/9/1985, Mark Hellinger, 200
- Goblin Market (Off), 10/17/1985, Vineyard, 58 (see 4/9/1986)
- Mayor (Revue-Moved-Off), 10/23/1985, Princess, 70
- News, 11/7/1985, Helen Hayes, 4 perfs + 20 pvws
- Personals (Revue-Off), 11/8/1985, Minetta Lane, 284
- Golden Land (Moved-Off), 11/11/1985, Second Avenue, 277
- Mystery of Edwin Drood* (Moved), 12/2/1985, Imperial, 608 perfs + 24 pvws
- Nunsense (R-Off), 12/3/1985, Cherry Lane Theatre , 3672
- Jerry's Girls (Revue), 12/18/1985, St. James, 153
- Peter Pan (London), 12/20/1985, Aldwych, 73
- Wind in the Willows, 12/21/1985, Nederlander, 4 perfs + 27 pvws
1986
- Jerome Kern Goes to Hollywood (Revue), 1/23/1986, Ritz, 13 perfs + 9 pvws
- Uptown . . . It's Hot! (Revue), 1/28/1986, Lunt-Fontanne, 24 perfs + 13 pvws
- Goblin Market (Moved), 4/9/1986, Circle in the Square Downtown, 95
- Big Deal, 4/10/1986, Broadway, 70 perfs + 7 pvws
- Sweet Charity (R), 4/27/1986, Minskoff, 368
- La Cage Aux Folles (London), 5/7/1986, Palladium, 301
- Chess (London), 5/14/1986, Prince Edward, 1209
- Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill (Off), 5/29/1986, Vineyard, 23 (see 9/3/1986)
- Charley Girl (London-R), 6/19/1986, Victoria Palace, 246
- Olympus On My Mind (Off), 7/15/1986, Lambs, 207
- Annie Get Your Gun (London-R), 6/29/191986, Aldwych, ??
- Honky Tonk Nights, 8/7/1986, Biltmore, 4 perfs + 16 pvws
- Me & My Girl, 8/10/1986, Marquis, 1420
- Rags, 8/21/1986, Mark Hellinger, 4 perfs + 18 pvws
- Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill (Moved-Off), 9/3/1986, Westside Arts, 290
- Angry Housewives (Off), 9/7/1986, Minetta Lane, 152
- Brownstone (Revue-Off), 10/8/1986, Roundabout, 69
- Phantom of the Opera, The (London), 10/9/1986, Her Majesty's, 10,000+ perfs (still running)
- Raggedy Ann, 10/16/1986, Nederlander, 5 perfs + 15 pvws
- Flamenco Puro (Revue), 10/19/1986, Mark Hellinger, 53
- Into The Light, 10/22/1986, Neil Simon, 6 perfs + 14 pvws
- Have I Got a Girl for You (Off), 10/26/1986, Entremedia, 86
- Stardust (Revue-Off), 10/29/1986, Theatre Off Park, 59 (see 2/19/1987)
- Pageant (Off), 11/1/86, Riverwest, 48
- Oh Coward! (Revue-R), 11/17/1986, Helen Hayes, 56
- Smile, 11/24/1986, Lunt-Fontanne, 59
- Rise of David Levinsky (Off), 12/25/1986, John Houseman, 47
1987
- Stardust (Revue-Moved to Broadway), 2/19/1987, Biltmore, 118
- Gay Divorce (R-Off), 2/24/1987, Kaufman, 39
- South Pacific (R), 2/27/1987, NY State Theatre (NY City Opera Co.), 68
- Les Miserables*, 3/12/1987, Broadway, 6,680
- Starlight Express, 3/15/1987, Gershwin, 761
- Staggerlee (Off), 3/18/1987, Second Ave., 118 perfs + 32 pvws
- The Mikado (R), 4/2/1987, Virginia, 40
- Barbara Cook: A Concert for the Theater (Concert), 4/15/1987, Ambassador, 26
- Dreamgirls (R), 6/28/1987, Ambassador, 184
- Follies (London), 7/21/1987, Shaftsbury, 522
- Desert Song (R), 8/25/1987, NY State Theatre (NY City Opera), 16
- Anything Goes (R), 9/11/1987, Vivian Beaumont, 848
- Roza, 10/1/1987, Royale, 12 perfs + 20 pvws
- Birds of Paradise (Off), 10/2/1987, Promenade Theatre , 29 pvws + 24 perfs
- Late Nite Comic, 10/15/1987, Ritz, 4 perfs + 16 pvws
- Cabaret (R), 10/23/1987, Minskoff, 281
- On Second Avenue (Revue-Off), 10/25/1987, Norman Thomas, 54
- Don t Get God Started, 10/29/87, Longacre, 86
- Romance/Romance (Off), 10/30/1987, Actors Outlet, 56
- Oil City Symphony, 11/3/1987, Circle in the Square Downtown, 637
- Into the Woods, 11/5/1987, Martin Beck, 769 perfs + 43 pvws
- Teddy & Alice, 11/12/1987, Minskoff, 88
- Chosen, The (Off), 11/15/1987, Second Avenue, 6 perfs + 52 pvws
- Flora the Red Menace (R-Off), 11/20/1987, Vineyard, 46
1988
- River (Off), 1/13/1988, Promenade, 22 perfs + 22 pvws
- Sally (Concert-R), 1/20/1988, Academy, 5
- Phantom of the Opera*, 1/26/1988, Majestic, 9100+, still running
- Sarafina, 1/28/1988, Cort, 608
- Rink, The (London), 2/17/1988, Cambridge, ??
- Music Man, The (R), 2/26/1988, NY State Theatre (NY City Opera), 51
- Gospel at Colonus, 3/24/1988, Lunt-Fontanne, 76
- Oba Oba (Revue), 3/29/1988, Ambassador, 64
- Ten Percent Revue (Revue-Off), 4/13/1988, 78 (see 6/7/1988)
- Mail, 4/14/1988, Music Box, 36 perfs + 20 pvws
- Michael Feinstein (Concert), 4/19/1988, Lyceum, 57
- Lucky Stiff (Off), 4/26/1988, Roundabout, 15 perfs + 27 pvws
- Chess, 4/28/1988, Imperial, 68 perfs + 17 pvws
- Romance/Romance (Moved), 5/1/1988, Helen Hayes, 307
- Carrie, 5/12/1988, Gershwin, 5 perfs + 16 pvws
- Ten Percent Revue (Revue-Moved-Off) 6/7/1988, Actors Playhouse, 192
- Ain't Misbehavin' (Revue-R), 8/15/1988, Ambassador, 184
- Michael Feinstein (Concert-Return), 10/5/1988, Booth, 39
- Blues in the Night (Revue-R-Off), 10/30/1988, Minetta Lane, 78
- Chu Chem (R-Off), 12/22/1988, Jewish Repertory, 20 (Moved to Broadway - see 4/7/1989)
- Legs Diamond, 12/26/1988, Mark Hellinger, 64
1989
- Black & Blue (Revue), 1/26/1989, Minskoff, 824
- Jerome Robbins' Broadway* (Revue), 2/26/1989, Imperial, 634 perfs + 55 pvws
- The Pajama Game (R), 3/3/1989, NY State Theatre (NY City Opera Co.), 51
- Sweeney Todd (R-Off), 3/31/1989, York Theatre Co., 24 (see 9/14/1989)
- Chu Chem (Moved), 4/7/1989, Ritz, 45 perfs + 24 pvws
- Welcome to the Club, 4/13/1989, Music Box, 12 perfs + 20 pvws
- Starmites (Off), 4/27/1989, Criterion Center, 60 perfs + 35 pvws
- Mandy Patinkin: Dress Casual (Concert), 7/25/1989, Helen Hayes, 62
- Shenandoah (R), 8/8/1989, Virginia, 48
- Sweeney Todd (R-Moved to Bway), 9/14/1989, Circle in the Square, 189 perfs + 46 pvws
- Miss Saigon (London), 9/20/1989, Theatre Royal, ??
- Takarazuka (Revue), 10/25/1989, Marquis, 6
- Meet Me In St. Louis, 11/2/1989, Gershwin, 269
- Threepenny Opera (R), 11/5/1989, Lunt-Fontanne, 85
- Prince of Central Park, 11/9/1989, Belasco, 4 perfs + 19 pvws
- Grand Hotel, 11/12/1989, Martin Beck and Gershwin Theatres, 1018 perfs + 31 pvws
- Gypsy (R), 11/16/1989, St. James, 477
- Victor Borge (Concert), 12/5/1989, Brooks Atkinson, 8
- City of Angels*, 12/12/1989, Virginia, 878 perfs + 24 pvws
Go to: 1990s
| R | Revival |
| Moved | A production that changed theatres. Moved to Broadway indicates an off-Broadway production that moved to Broadway. |
| Off | Off-Broadway NYC production |
| London | London production |
| * | Tony Award Winner for Best Musical -- Because the Tony cutoff date has varied widely over the years, it is not uncommon for shows that opened in the same year to qualify as part of different seasons. That is why some years have two winners listed while others list none at all. |