Show broadways Broad waya theatricals had origin in jamaica broadway or at least the broadway of the american theater had many of its roots in colonial jamaica where as early as 1862 a theater entertained the great planters and their families playbills Play bills in john street new york cedar street philadelphia or duke of gloucester street in williamsburg liams burg prior to the revolution frequently advertised players from the theater in jamaica prior to the revolution when wars and rumors of wars began to stultify theatrical activity in the colonies along the atlantic seaboard many of the actors migrated to jamaica where they found a pleasant haven until the peace of 1783 made possible a resumption of theatrical fare in america plays were presented in three centers in jamaica according to richardson wright in his book revels in jamaica these were kingston spanish town and mont ego bay kingston had the first regular theater and it drew the largest audiences |