New York Broadway Shows Tickets
New York Broadway Shows Tickets
Planning a first trip to Broadway can be an intimidating prospect, especially for those of us who didn’t grow up in Manhattan, with its distinctive theatre culture permeating everyday life. The lingo itself can make Broadway seem like a treacherous maze. But really, it isn’t that complicated. Like any highly-specialized area, most of what seems like complexity is just smoke and mirrors.
The first question most people have is, what exactly is Broadway? And what’s Off-Broadway, or even Off-Off-Broadway? At its broadest, Broadway is simply a street in Manhattan that runs the length of the Theatre District, and contains any number of theatres, small and large.
More precisely, Broadway refers to any of the 39 professional theatres which seat more than 500 people and are found in the Theatre District. These theatres tend to show fairly mainstream performances, often musicals, feature exclusively unionized actors, and run every evening Tuesday through Saturday, with matinees Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Broadway theatre, along with London’s West End, is generally considered to be the most professional in the world.
Off-Broadway theatre is not, confusingly enough, always found off of Broadway street. The term is used to refer to shows in theatres that seat between 100 and 499 people – still not tiny performances, but not equaling the massive extravaganzas of Broadway itself. Off-Broadway is known for often being more cutting-edge than Broadway shows, as Off-Broadway shows need not cater to massive audiences. Off-Broadway often features some of the most critically acclaimed performances in Manhattan, and consists primarily of plays, as opposed to the musicals that dominate Broadway itself.
Off-Off-Broadway is the term reserved for performances even smaller than those of Off-Broadway. This means any venue that holds less than 100 people, which may include small professional theatres such as The Flea Theatre in TriBeCa, or simple performance spaces owned and operated by amateurs. Off-Off-Broadway productions may be found anywhere throughout the boroughs of New York, and were originally conceived of in the 1950s as a total rejection of the perceived mass-appeal theatre of Broadway and Off-Broadway.
With this understanding of terminology, we can easily decide where to focus our search when we’re looking for a show to see. If we’re looking for a large production, with stunning props and costumes, or a musical, or simply a show we can brag to our friends about, then Broadway is the place to go. If we’re looking for something a bit more cerebral, likely a play, with a bit more grit to it, then Off-Broadway is our most likely bet. And if what we’re after is something truly avant-garde, breaking all molds, which might be excellent, or might be a total flop, then Off-Off-Broadway offers thousands of choices.
Finding lists of Broadway productions is about as simple as it gets. Most sites that touch on theatre have an up-to-date listing of Broadway shows, and as they tend to roll over fairly slowly, you can plan your trips well in advance. Most reviewers will regularly look at Broadway shows, and even post updates if the cast should change. And to find the best of the best, every year the Tony Awards are held exclusively to honor Broadway productions.
Finding Off-Broadway productions becomes slightly more problematic. The most reliable method of finding good Off-Broadway shows is simply to read a regular theatre guide, such as that found in the New York Times, or to follow any number of critical awards, such as the Outer Circle Critics Award, the Obie Award, the Drama Desk Award, of the NY Drama Critics’ Circle Award.
Off-Off-Broadway is by its very nature distrustful of the establishment, and therefore establishment reviews and awards are often greeted by disdain by those operating in this sphere. This can make finding exceptional Off-Off-Broadway shows – of which there are always many – a bit of a challenge. With so many performances happening all around New York City, it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. For many, this is one of the things that makes Off-Off-Broadway so exciting: the prospect of finding a diamond no one else has yet discovered. Tracking all Off-Off-Broadway shows would be impossible, so hunting them down usually involves either word-of-mouth, or frequenting a number of respected Off-Off-Broadway venues, such as HERE or St. Ann’s Warehouse.
No matter what your tastes, what your budget, and what your time frame, New York City’s vibrant theatre scene has something perfect for you. With just a little bit of research, your next weekend vacation could involve a performance you’ll never forget.
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