Historic Photos Show Original Casts of Broadway Revivals
The article presents archival photographs from original Broadway productions of shows being revived in the 2026-2027 season, including 'Awake and Sing,' 'The Sound of Music,' 'Evita,' and 'A Few Good Men.' It also includes a bonus photo of the original 1960 cast of 'The Fantasticks,' which is making its Broadway debut. Some early productions lack available photos.
The archival images span nearly a century of Broadway history, from Stella Adler's 1935 performance in Awake and Sing to the 2011 production of Other Desert Cities. Several featured performers became defining interpreters of their roles, including Mary Martin in The Sound of Music and Patti LuPone's portrayal of Eva Perón in Evita.
The Fantasticks photograph documents the show's original 1960 staging at the Sullivan Street Playhouse, where Jerry Orbach played El Gallo. The production's upcoming Broadway debut marks a significant transition for a show that spent decades in its intimate off-Broadway home. Two revivals, Much Ado About Nothing and The Imaginary Invalid, lack surviving production photographs, leaving their early histories visually undocumented.
These photographs offer theatergoers a tangible link to performance history, potentially deepening appreciation for how revivals reinterpret classic material. For audiences unfamiliar with earlier productions, the images may frame expectations about casting and staging choices. The Fantasticks' Broadway arrival could introduce the long-running show to new generations, while the absence of photos for older works highlights how much theatrical heritage remains undocumented.