About the work
42nd Street is a musical with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin, with a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, premiered on Broadway in 1980. Based on the 1933 Warner film musical of the same name and the novel by Bradford Ropes, it pays homage to the golden era of Broadway tap dance.
Plot
In Depression-era New York, the young dancer Peggy Sawyer arrives from the provinces and lands a place in the ensemble of the big new show Pretty Lady, directed by the famous Julian Marsh. When the temperamental star Dorothy Brock breaks her ankle just before the premiere, the unknown Peggy is given the lead overnight and with it the chance of a lifetime. Through talent, hard work, and the famous exhortation "You're going out a youngster, but you've got to come back a star!" she becomes a celebrated star.
Cultural significance
42nd Street is the ultimate homage to tap dance and the "backstage musical"—a celebration of show business itself. With more than 3,400 performances it was one of the longest-running Broadway hits of its time and won the Tony Award for Best Musical, as did its 2001 revival. The title number and We're in the Money, with their spectacular dance formations, are among the most iconic images of the genre.