Important Information on Broadway
With more than a hundred curtains going up every night all over town, New York City presents audiences with a dizzying array of theatergoing experiences, from blockbuster musicals to intimate monologues. Navigating all the choices involved in putting together a night (or afternoon) at the theater can be a challenge even for seasoned locals. To help you make the most of your NYC theater experience, we’ve compiled this insider guide to ticket buying, preshow dining, theater etiquette and even postshow stargazing.
Be sure to see our
Times Square. Photo: David LaSpina
Broadway, Off-Broadway and Beyond
Broadway—officially, the 41 theaters with 500 or more seats in the Times Square area—has become the home of big, splashy musicals and star vehicles, with prices to match: $130 to $180 for orchestra seats, and twice that for “premium” tickets. Meanwhile, so-called straight plays (dramas without music) can mostly be found Off-Broadway, thriving under the auspices of various nonprofit theater companies. The setting is more intimate (100 to 499 seats) and the tickets less expensive ($40 to $120). While traditionally associated with downtown,
Photo: Joe Buglewicz
Ticket Timing
For long-running or über-hot shows that regularly sell out (
For many shows, the odds are good you won’t need to pay full price, especially during the winter months. During this slower period, producers offer discounts of 25 to 50 percent through a variety of sources. As with the hits, it’s best to buy in advance. And before buying, it’s worth it to check a star’s departure date.
On the day of the show, your options may actually improve. Shows that avoid offering long-range discounts often need to move tickets at the last minute via the
Student and Senior Specials
Senior citizens and students are among those eligible for a
Fueling Up
A host of Midtown restaurants serve traditional pre-theater meals at reasonable prices. A three-course prix-fixe menu usually runs $30 to $40 for dinner or around $25 for lunch. You’ll be in good hands and sure to make your show. Just let them know your curtain time; you can expect your reservation to be 90 minutes before that.
Courtesy, Joe Allen
Seeing Stars
Waiting by the stage door for a postshow autograph is another hallowed Broadway tradition. But if you want a star’s signature, be prepared: in addition to an autograph book or your Playbill, bring a good pen or Sharpie. Lately, taking a selfie with performers has become increasingly popular. If you want to get that starry shot for social media, it's key to ask the actor first before you start snapping away. On some shows, the stage door manager may announce a photo policy for big-name celebs before they make their exit. Just remember that some actors enjoy signing autographs and posing for pictures while others may be tired or late for an engagement. So have patience—and always be polite and gracious.
After work, actors have been known to knock back a few at
Etiquette
If you should see a boldface name, keep in mind that interrupting someone’s dinner is generally unwelcome—and at some postshow spots (famously,
Photo: Malcolm Brown
A final note: New Yorkers stand on line (not “in line”) to buy tickets, sure, but outside the theater, with tickets in hand, we just…congregate. Why? Nobody knows. But feel free to break ranks and just stand there, like the locals do. And—oh, yes—enjoy the show!