43rd Street is a musical parody that pays homage to many classic Broadway and Hollywood musicals, and pokes fun at the persona of screen legend Joan Crawford. Utilizing updated and re-worked songs from some of Tin Pan Alley’s greatest composers, it’s the ultimate backstage musical. 

43rd Street draws a lot of energy from the staples of the traditional drag show: mockery of “traditional” values, camp humor, references to popular culture, and winks and nods at the audience. There is also an attitude of fringe in the script, but where many fringe shows seek to alienate older adults, it still reaches out to fans of classic cinema and early jazz music. 

For the person with a keen knowledge of the genre, there are over seventy five different musicals referenced in the script, and a large portion of the dialogue is composed of show-tune lyrics. 

43rd Street is a two act musical that requires a minimum of thirteen actors, has minimal set requirements, and has been described as “An odd cross between a John Waters film and the Carol Burnett show.”