An American cultural institution and the heart of New York City’s theater scene, Broadway has delivered a range of iconic shows and moments in its 100-plus year history. Hundreds of original and revival productions have become acclaimed smash hits, with many being shown for more than 10 years. The Phantom of the Opera, the longest-running show in Broadway history, closed in April 2023 after 13,981 performances over the course of 35 years. The magic of Disney has also been brought to Broadway, with award-winning shows like The Lion King and Aladdin, while other shows have reflected or brought light to important societal or cultural issues in the United States.
Many of these shows, while controversial at the time, have since become remembered as groundbreaking productions that broached taboo or unacceptable topics and laid the groundwork for a cultural shift in society. Others, like Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark were controversial for different reasons.
Here’s a look at some of the most controversial plays and musicals shown in Broadway theaters.
Mrs. Warren’s Profession (1905)
Shown at the Garrick Theatre in October 1905, Mrs. Warren’s Profession was shut down by police after its debut performance, and the cast and crew were arrested for violating the Comstock Act, federal legislation passed in 1873 that made it illegal to write or deliver “obscene, lewd, or lascivious” materials. Written by George Bernard Shaw, the play centered around a proud brothel owner, Mrs. Warren.
Shaw, an Irish playwright whose work usually involved satire and historical allegory, wrote the play in 1893, but it was banned in Britain until 1925. Anthony Comstock, concerned that the US was rapidly moving away from Victorian values, tried to suppress the play before it debuted at the Garrick. Shaw, in response to the arrest of the cast and crew, came up with the term “comstockery” to define Comstock’s pursuit of censorship in violation of First Amendment freedoms.
While Comstock was successful in shutting down the play, Mrs. Warren’s Profession and its laissez-faire look at prostitution became more accepted in mainstream popular culture over the years, with revivals being shown at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in 1976 and American Airlines Theatre in 2010.
The Captive and The Drag (1926-27)
Although Comstock passed away in 1915, the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, which he founded, continued to have an impact on morality in Broadway productions. The Society, along with multiple religious organizations, campaigned for obscenity charges against Edouard Bourdet’s The Captive and The Drag and Sex, both written by Mae West, in 1927. This came after the Citizens’ Play Jury acquitted The Captive of all charges following its 160-performance run at the Empire Theatre.
Each of the three aforementioned productions dealt with themes of sexuality, with The Captive focusing on lesbianism. The Drag, meanwhile, focused on gender representation and homosexuality. It had a successful opening in January 1927, but public outcry, including from New York City Mayor Beau James, prompted New York County District Attorney Joab H. Banton to arrest the cast—as well as the cast of West’s Sex—in February. West spent 10 days in jail and was fined $500 which, she reportedly noted, “ain’t too bad a deal.”
In response to the plays, New York implemented the Wales Padlock Act, which banned shows “depicting or dealing with the subject of sex degeneracy or sex perversion.”
Victor/Victoria (1995)
Broadway writers and directors continued to push the boundaries over the next several decades, with productions like Hair (1968) and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) covering controversial themes and motifs. Like many of the other most controversial shows in Broadway history, Victor/Victoria, written by Blake Edwards with music and lyrics by Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse, explores sexual identity and the idea of accepting people as they are.
Victor/Victoria, based on a 1982 film of the same name, debuted at the Marquis Theater on October 25, 1995. The complex story involves a female singer named Victoria disguised as a man named Victor, who then poses as a female impersonator for a cabaret show. Unlike the aforementioned plays, it was a critical success, running for more than 730 performances before closing in July 1997. However, Julie Andrews, who played the lead, believed the musical and cast was overlooked by the industry, as she received its sole Tony nomination. She boycotted the ceremony, which ultimately helped increase ticket sales for the show.
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (2011)
Instead of broaching taboo topics, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is considered one of Broadway’s most controversial plays due to its delays, budget overruns, and massive financial losses. With an investment of $75 million, it was the most expensive and ambitious Broadway show to date. It opened at Foxwoods Theatre in June 2011, four years after readings were first held, and had a record-setting opening week, but closed in January 2014 with reported losses of about $60 million.
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark also received multiple workplace safety violations and several cast members and stunt doubles were injured while working on the show. Glen Berger, who helped write the book for the musical, later wrote a tell-all about the production, titled Song of Spider-Man: The Inside Story of the Most Controversial Musical in Broadway History.