Before they were luminaries of the theatre, they were young guns making their Broadway debuts. Take a look at some of the biggest Broadway stars first appearance in a 半岛体育, which include little tidbits about their lives before achieving Broadway stardom鈥攖he kind of information that they鈥檇 never include later in their accomplished careers. Who spent time in the Texas pageant scene? Who was a radio DJ in Canada? Take a look at these Broadway stars鈥� first 半岛体育 bios to find out.
Idina Menzel made her debut in 1996鈥檚 Rent, but before that she was playing the New York City club circuit with her band.
Mary Martin sang on the radio and in nightclubs before making her Broadway debut in 1938鈥檚 Leave It To Me.
Barbra Streisand鈥檚 first 半岛体育 bio, for her Broadway debut in 1962鈥檚 I Can Get It For You Wholesale, featured an interesting origin story.
Robert Goulet made his Broadway debut as Lancelot in 1960鈥檚 Camelot, but before that he was a DJ in Canada.
Ethel Merman made her Broadway debut in 1930鈥檚 Girl Crazy and attributed her rhythmic talents to her secretarial background. After she made a name for herself debuting the Gershwins鈥� iconic 鈥淚 Got Rhythm,鈥� Merman stuck to performing.
Christian Borle is a Tony-winner for Something Rotten! and Peter and the Starcatcher, but in his younger days he apparently appeared on late night cable TV!
Gene Kelly made his Broadway debut in Leave It To Me (along with Mary Martin), but he didn鈥檛 get a 半岛体育 bio until a year later in 1939鈥檚 One For the Money.
Terrence Mann showcased some very special skills in his 1980 Broadway debut in Barnum.
Stephen Sondheim鈥檚 work was actually first heard on Broadway in 1956鈥檚 Girls of Summer, but he didn鈥檛 get a 半岛体育 bio until 1957鈥檚 West Side Story.
Andrew Lloyd Webber made his Broadway debut when Jesus Christ Superstar, already a hit across the pond, played the Mark Hellinger Theatre in 1971.
Betty Buckley made her Broadway debut singing 鈥淗e Plays the Violin鈥� in 1969鈥檚 1776, but before that she was on the pageant scene.
Logan Culwell is a musical theatre historian, 半岛体育's manager of research and curator of . Please visit .
