Broadway Theatre Info

The 40 venues designated as "Broadway Theatres" are all 500+ seat venues located in New York City's Theatre District and one in Lincoln Center. Broadway theatre is one of the most popular attractions in New York City, generating over 900 million dollars in ticket sales during the 2007-08 season.

From humble beginnings in the mid 18th century, where Shakespeare was a staple, to the current slate of multi-million dollar musical productions, Broadway has come a long way.

Schedules

Broadway shows generally operate on the same schedule, totaling 8 shows a week. Mondays are usually "dark", while the remainder of the week, Tuesday through Saturday, shows occur at 8pm with an afternoon matinee at 2pm, 3pm on Sunday.

Runs

The shows running on Broadway change from season to season. Most shows have an open-ended run, though the length of that run will vary. Much depends on how profitable the show is. Even shows with limited engagements may change to a more open-ended run in the event of critical acclaim, notoriety or sustained high ticket sales.

"Off Broadway"

This term denotes theatres in Manhattan's Theatre District with a capacity between 99 and 500. The term originally was geographical in nature, denoting theatres outside the "Broadway Box" - streets that intersected Broadway. Many shows that eventually had Broadway runs began in Off Broadway Theatre.

"Off-Off Broadway"

As you may imagine, this denotes theatres with less than 100 seats. With origins in the rejection commercial theatre, Off-Off Broadway venues began as coffeehouses and other ersatz theatrical entities.

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Broadway Links

Internet Broadway Database - Offical database for Broadway theatre information, including shows, actors, and theatres.

The Broadway League - National trade associate for the Broadway industry.

Tony Awards - Founded by the American Theatre Wing and produced with the Broadway League, the Tony's honor the best Broadway has to offer.

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