Happy trails, 2024!

This year has been a season of triumphs, surprises, and, sadly, losses. 

We saw the triumphant return of a Sondheim classic, a fresh and unexpected take on a historical figure, and a record-breaking number of female directors taking the helm. 

We witnessed the magic of live theater unfold both on and off the stage, from a breathtaking performance in the streets of Shubert Alley to the resounding success of Broadway during the Thanksgiving season. 

And while we celebrate these victories, we also remember and honor the legacy of a beloved member of our Broadway family, Gavin Creel.

This year, more than ever, reminded us of the power of theater to move, inspire, and bring us together.

 1 – Merrily We Roll Along’s Comeback

After its original Broadway debut in 1981, Merrily We Roll Along returned to Broadway in the 2023-2024 season and was welcomed with open arms. 

The revival is actually considered a triumph due to the incredible cast (looking at you Lindsay Mendez, Jonathan Groff, and Daniel Radcliffe, nuanced direction by Maria Friedman which brought depth to the characters, and a renewed appreciation for Stephen Sondheim’s score. 

2 – The Year of Mary Todd Lincoln

2024 was Mary’s year. Cole Escola’s show, Oh, Mary!, is about Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of President Abraham Lincoln, but with a twist (and I won’t spoil the twist for you – go see it for yourself!)

3 – Female Directors for the win!

This season also saw the most female directors on Broadway ever, with 16 of the 39 plays and musicals featuring a woman at the helm. The 77th Tony Awards also broke records for female directors with a record-breaking number of nominations and wins.

For the first time, 3 female directors were nominated for Best Direction of a Play: Anne Kauffman for Mary Jane, Lila Neugebauer for Appropriate, and Whitney White for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.

Danya Taymor won for directing The Outsiders, becoming the 6th woman to win a Tony Award for directing a musical. 

4 – Sunset Blvd Taking Over Shubert Alley

If you’ve been in Shubert Alley while performances are underway – or if you’ve been chronically online like my team – you may have seen the phenomenon that is Sunset Blvd. 

If you haven’t seen the Broadway revival yet, there’s a moment in the show where the character Joe Gillis (played by Tom Francis) walks through Shubert Alley while singing the titular song on camera – RAIN (OR SNOW) OR SHINE. There were plenty of naysayers but bravo to the producers and creative team for making it work and keeping it in the show!

Watch: Tom Francis and the cast of Sunset Blvd perform in the streets.

5 – Thankful for the People Who Attended Broadway Shows During Thanksgiving Week

During the week of Thanksgiving 2024, Broadway’s grosses were $46 million. My favorite stat here? This was a 33% increase from the previous year’s Thanksgiving week, which had brought in $34.5 million. The week of Thanksgiving 2024 was also the best-attended and highest-grossing Thanksgiving week in Broadway history. 

If you were one of the 312,143 people who attended a Broadway show that week, as a Broadway producer, all I have to say is . . . THANK YOU.

6 – It’s Good To See Them, Isn’t It?

After decades of waiting patiently for the Wicked film to reach the big screen, we finally got it (well, half of it technically). The film adaptation of Wicked Part 1 made many historic box office records including being the highest-grossing Broadway musical adaptation of all time at the domestic box office. In its opening weekend, the film earned $112.5 million making it the third-best debut in 2024. 

Part 2, which we just learned is called Wicked: For Good, will air November 21, 2025. So if you were holding space for “Defying Gravity”, just get ready for “For Good”.

7 – Honoring Broadway’s Beloved Friend

This year, the industry got struck with the news of Gavin Creel’s passing and it hit us all pretty hard. When I first learned of his passing, I was walking through Times Square and just happened to stop near the Marriott Marquis where I worked with him in Thoroughly Modern Millie. I remember being in awe of his talent . . . and in awe of HIM. He seemed to float around the theater on a little cloud of joy. That smile, that voice, that everything. And every time I’ve seen him since . . . including onstage in Into The Woods, he just seemed to be having the best time, living his best love, and loving everything and everybody. Now he is in those clouds. My heart breaks for everyone who knew him . . . and everyone who didn’t. Because he was one of the great ones.

Watch: Joshua Henry and Gavin Creel sing a Sondheim/Sam Smith mashup of “Stay With Me”.