1980s Stage Chronology

Stage Chronology:
The 1980s
Compiled by John Kenrick

All shows listed are book musicals and 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)

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, 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 (Off), 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, 8300+, 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