nytheatre FactFile
WHAT'S HERE: This page contains information about attending theatre in New York City, including definitions of many of the terms that are unique to this experience and answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. We have tried to go to the most authoritative sources to answer these questions and the information is as accurate as possible.
CONTENTS: Broadway, Off-Broadway, Indie/Off-Off-Broadway, Glossary of Commonly Used Theatre Terms, Ticket Buying Terminology, Access For Disabled and Handicapped, Theatre Amenities, How to Go To The Theatre: Thoughts and Ideas by Michael Criscuolo
Broadway, Off-Broadway, Indie/Off-Off-Broadway
In New York City, live theatrical performances fall into one of three categories: Broadway, Off-Broadway, or Indie/Off-Off-Broadway. What distinguishes one from the other is the type of theatre a show plays in. The classification of New York theatres is governed by Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the trade union for actors and stage managers. Detailed explanations of these categories are as follows:
Broadway
The term “Broadway show,” refers to a play or musical staged in one of 39 specially designated theatre venues located in Manhattan. These venues have anywhere from 500 to 2,000 seats each and are mostly located within a 10-block area in Midtown Manhattan, in and around Times Square, known as “The Theatre District.” Even though the term “Broadway” is taken from the legendary street of the same name, Broadway is still best described as a theatre district (or even a state of mind), since not all of the designated Broadway theatres are located in Midtown (i.e., the Vivian Beaumont Theatre, located at Lincoln Center).
Broadway theatres are usually owned and operated by a producing organization or a not-for-profit theatre company. The Shubert Organization, The Walt Disney Company, The Nederlander Organization, and Dodger Theatricals are among the most prominent producing organizations on Broadway. Not-for-profit theatre companies owning current Broadway venues include Roundabout Theatre Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Lincoln Center Theater.
The length of a show’s run depends on ticket sales. Many Broadway shows play an “open-ended run,” meaning that there is no scheduled closing date. However, there is an increasing trend of shows opting for a “limited run,” meaning that a given show will run a certain amount of weeks and close on a particular date.
For the record: Broadway received its nickname—“The Great White Way”—because of all the electric signs and billboards that illuminate the street. Broadway’s first electric marquis appeared in 1891, at the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue (where the Flatiron Building now stands), and ushered in a new age of theatre marquees. By the turn of the 20th century, the theatre district—which, at that time, stretched from 13th Street all the way up to 45th Street—was ablaze with electric signs and lighted marquees. In 1904, the Times Building was built in Longacre Square, which was renamed Times Square in honor of the occasion. By then, Broadway had officially adopted its new nickname, and became known as “The Great White Way.”
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway shows are performed in smaller theatres than Broadway shows. Off-Broadway venues usually hold anywhere from 100 to 499 seats. Even though many Off-Broadway theatres are located in and around the Broadway theatre district, there is no single, centralized Off-Broadway theatre district. Rather, Off-Broadway shows are found all over the city.
According to AEA, the official definition of an Off-Broadway venue is “any theatre located in an area bounded by Fifth and Ninth Avenues from 34th Street to 56th Street and by Fifth Avenue and the Hudson River from 56th Street to 72nd Street” that does not have a seating capacity of more than 499 seats.
Such companies can afford to try artistically riskier projects because they often are, in part, funded by government grants, individual donors, and season ticket subscribers. But, they still have to ensure that their productions generate enough interest with their subscriber base to keep them financially healthy.
Indie/Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway, or Indie Theater, shows are performed in smaller theatres than both their Broadway and Off-Broadway counterparts—usually 99 seats or less—and can be found all over the city: in storefronts, office buildings, residential brownstones, lofts, basements, public schools, bars, nightclubs, community centers, churches, and a variety of converted industrial and commercial spaces such as banks, warehouses, factories, and libraries. Because of their intimacy and ubiquity, Off-Off-Broadway theatres constitute the majority of theatrical performance venues in New York City. As a result, there is no centralized Off-Off-Broadway theatre district. The flexibility of such venues allows them to flourish anywhere. Off-Off-Broadway shows are often presented on a small, informal scale, due to a variety of factors including cost and location. The production value of these shows can vary dramatically depending on those factors.
Off-Off-Broadway shows are largely governed by AEA’s Basic Showcase Code. The union recognizes Showcase productions as “a New York City mounted production in which AEA members may participate, without benefit of salary, for the purpose of presenting plays and/or scenes in limited performance for the benefit of participating members.” Furthermore, AEA states that Showcase productions “may be mounted by individuals, groups of individuals, and/or not-for-profit institutional theatres who have not been prohibited from doing so by contract or prior agreement.”
Because Off-Off-Broadway shows make up the majority of New York theatre offerings every day of every year, nytheatre.com lists these productions in both the “Now Playing” and “Coming Attractions” sections in the same manner it lists Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. In addition, Off-Off-Broadway shows are reviewed by nytheatre.com in the same manner as their Broadway and Off-Broadway counterparts are. nytheatre.com does not differentiate between any of the three types of New York productions. As far as the website is concerned they all fall under the same umbrella category: The New York Theatre Experience.
Glossary of Commonly Used Theatre Terms
Backstage – The area of the theatre reserved solely for the actors and the crew. The backstage areas usually include dressing rooms, a Green Room, fly and wing space for moveable set pieces, and storage for props and costumes.
Balcony – Seats in the theatre that are located on the floor above the mezzanine level. It can also refer to seats that are located in the back rows of the mezzanine, as well. These seats are usually fair-to-good. Because they are further back in the house, they are not always in such high demand and are priced lower than orchestra and mezzanine seats.
Black Box – A type of theatre that has no fixed stage or seating area and can be configured as needed for each performance.
Blocking – The movement that the director gives the actors, telling them where and when to move during the performance.
Box Seats – The seats in the theatre that are located on either side of the proscenium, elevated slightly from orchestra level in a box. Boxes usually hold four to six people. Even though they are sometimes highly prized seats (as well as highly priced and highly visible), they are often some of the worst ones in the theatre. Boxes are often positioned in such a way that only two-thirds of the stage is visible, making those seats partial view seats at best.
Dark – This term has two meanings: 1) it is used to describe when a theatre venue is vacant, or 2) it is used to describe the off night in a show’s weekly performance schedule. If a show has a dark night that means there is no performance that evening. If a theatre is currently dark that means there is no show currently running there.
Downstage – The section of the stage area that is closest to the audience.
Fourth Wall – The invisible barrier between the audience and the actors. If the set of a given show is three walls of a room then the audience is "The Fourth Wall," and therefore ignored by the actors. When an actor addresses the audience directly—thereby acknowledging their presence—it is known as "Breaking the Fourth Wall."
Ghost Light – A common theatre practice of leaving a single bare-bulb lamp burning in the middle of the stage all night. In theatre lore, most venues are believed to be haunted; therefore the “Ghost Light” is left on overnight so that the ghosts can see in the dark.
House – The sections of the theatre reserved for the audience. These include the lobby and all front-of-house seating areas.
House Left/Right – The terms used to delineate the left and right sections of the theatre from the audience point of view facing stage.
House Manager – The person who oversees all aspects of the audience during a performance. The House Manager oversees the ushers and is in contact with the Stage Manager to let him/her know about any audience delays for starting the show or ending intermission.
Mezzanine – Seats that are located in the theatre on the floor above the orchestra level. These are usually good-to-excellent seats—sometimes even the best seats in the house—because the entire stage can be looked down upon from on high. Consequently, mezzanine tickets are usually priced the same as orchestra tickets. Regardless of price, these seats are always in high demand.
On Stage – Any part of the stage or the theatre where the actors can be seen by the audience during a performance.
Opening Night – In years gone by, this was the performance to which the press were invited. Critics would then rush out of the theatre, hit the typewriters and reviews would be published in the follow day's paper. Today it is the performance after which reviews may be published. Public performances held before the opening are called previews.
Orchestra – Seats that are located on the ground floor of the theatre (or, the same level as the orchestra pit). They are usually good-to-excellent seats, as the stage is in full view and all of the action can be seen. Because of their location, orchestra seats are usually the most popular—and the most expensive—seats in the house.
Previews – Public performances of a show that are held before the official opening night. The preview period is generally used by the creative team to rewrite, tinker with, and improve a show before it opens.
Proscenium Stage – The most typical stage configuration for theatres. The audience only sits in front of the stage, and the stage is framed on the sides and the top like a picture. Most Broadway theatres are set up this way.
Stage Left/Right – The left or right sections of a theatre from the point of view of an actor onstage facing the audience.
Stage Manager – The director’s right-hand (wo)man prior to the beginning of performances. He/she keeps track of rehearsal schedules, scripts, props, and actors during the rehearsal process. Once the run of the show has started, the stage manager is in control of everything that happens backstage or onstage. The stage manager (or “SM” for short) "conducts" each performance by calling cues. This means the SM follows the show in a prompt book (which is the SM’s comprehensive copy of the rehearsal script, complete with all blocking and technical cues) and tells the light board operator and the sound board operator when to execute their cues.
Thrust Stage – A stage configuration where the audience is seated on three sides of the acting area.
Upstage – The section of the stage area that is farthest away from the audience.
Wings – The backstage areas on the side directly adjacent to the stage. An actor will most often wait in the wings right before his cue to go on. Actors often enter the stage from the wings.
Ticket Buying Terminology
The intricacies of purchasing tickets is detailed elsewhere on nytheatre.com (How To Buy Tickets). However, there is a great deal of jargon you might encounter when purchasing tickets. Below you will find the most common terms and their explanations.
Will Call
“Will Call” is a commonly used term indicating that your ticket order will be held at the box office for you to pick up on the day you attend the performance. Every phone and internet ticket provider offers this option, but some may have different names for it. (For example: on Telecharge this feature is called “Box Office Hold.”)
If you choose “Will Call,” your tickets will be available for pickup 30 to 60 minutes before curtain time, depending on which provider you use to buy them. Be sure to bring your order confirmation number (or your order confirmation email), the credit card you used to purchase the tickets with, and a photo ID. “Will Call” tickets are typically held under the last name of the credit card holder, and can only be picked up by that person.
Ticket Ordering Methods
Almost all of the major ticket providers offer the option of ordering your tickets either online or by phone. They all charge various fees for their services. For instance, Smarttix charges a per ticket service fee; Telecharge charges a flat $6.00 service fee; Ticketmaster is loaded with service fees. Check each provider’s website for more detailed information. Ticket orders are not usually accepted via email.
Ticket Delivery Methods
Delivery methods vary among ticket providers, but the three standard options they all offer are Will Call, US Mail, and Overnight Delivery (usually either by FedEx or UPS). When ordering tickets, regardless of which provider you use, you will always be able to pick one of these three options. Ticketmaster, in addition to offering the Standard Three, also offers several delivery methods for Canadian customers (check their website for more information).
Confirmation Numbers
You will receive a confirmation number for your ticket order either by phone or online (depending on which method you choose to buy them). If you choose to pick your tickets up at the Will Call window, you will have to provide your confirmation number at the box office in order to do so. (If your tickets were ordered online, bring a printed copy of your confirmation email with you.)
Refunds and Cancellations
Ticket refunds or exchanges are generally not granted under any circumstances. Ticket providers are very adamant about this rule. So make sure you have the correct date and time when you order—if you make a mistake while ordering your tickets, you will not be granted a refund or an exchange. However, if a show is cancelled or postponed by the producer, ticket providers will grant a ticket refund. (Individual policies for cancellation refunds may vary by provider. Some will only refund the price of the tickets, while others will refund both the ticket price and all applicable service charges.)
Access for the Handicapped and Disabled
For disabled access to a given theatre check in person at the theatre’s box office, or order special disabled seats on either Ticketmaster or Telecharge. Both websites also provide information about assisted listening devices, and special performances for the hearing impaired. For more information about either of those, inquire in person at the theatre. If you need to make special arrangements for a disabled patron, it is also best to do so at the theatre’s box office.
Information about handicapped accessibility and disabled amenities for many theatres can be found on nytheatre.com by looking up a particular venue.
Open Captioning
Open Captioning is a general term used to describe text displayed simultaneous to live speech, dialogue or performance. This method is often used to translate operas into English during performance, but is now beginning to appear in Broadway and Off-Broadway shows for the benefit of the deaf and the hearing impaired. A calendar of open captioned performances for the coming season can be found online at http://www.c2net.org/List.htm. It is updated constantly, so check back regularly. Also, for more general information about programs for the deaf and hearing impaired, check with The League for the Hard of Hearing at http://www.lhh.org/.
Theatre Development Fund’s TAP Project
Designed to give access to New York City’s performing arts to people with physical disabilities, TAP currently serves over 7,600 theatregoers who are blind or have low vision; deaf or hard of hearing; and physically disabled. TAP distributes over 20,000 tickets to an estimated 75 productions citywide, including Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre, music, and dance. Approximately 25% of TAP’s ticket sales are for sign language interpreted and open captioned performances for people with hearing loss. To be added to the TAP Mailing List, click on the following link: http://home.tdf.org/TAP/Email/index.html.
Interpreting for the Theatre
TDF and the Juilliard School are co-sponsors of “Interpreting for the Theatre,” a program established to increase the number of available interpreters for the theatre. The program offers a one-week intensive institute for qualified interpreters from regional theatres throughout the country. The program is open to all Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) certified sign language interpreters by audition. All classes are conducted in sign language.
Theatre Amenities
Lost and Found - If you accidentally leave something behind at the theatre, or think you may have lost something while you were there, your best bet would be to contact the theatre directly and ask if they have a “Lost and Found.” Drop by the theatre box office and ask to speak to the House Manager. If the House Manager is not available when you visit, the box office staff can pass along a message or tell you how to contact the HM.
Changing Your Seats at the Theatre - If you decide, once you arrive at the theatre, that you would like to change your seats for any reason, you must speak to the House Manager. Seat changes are made at the discretion of theatre management, and are not automatically guaranteed. Under certain circumstances—such as in the event of a sold-out performance—it may not even be possible.
Coat/Bag Check - Some theatres have a coat/bag check, while others do not. This information is always difficult to get in advance, so it’s always best to travel as light as possible when going to see a show. Free lockers are available at Lincoln Center theatres.
How To Go To the Theatre: Thoughts and Ideas by Michael Criscuolo
[Michael Criscuolo has been involved in and attended live theatre as both man and boy and shares his tips and thoughts here.]
Etiquette
Rules of proper conduct and etiquette have been developed over the years by theatre professionals and regular theatregoers. These rules are commonly observed and new theatregoers are expected to follow them.
- Please arrive at the theatre early. Give yourself plenty of time to use the restroom and find your seat without rushing. Getting to the theatre on time is of crucial importance to having an enjoyable theatregoing experience. Having to slide past people to reach your seats once the show has started can be highly disruptive to both the audience and the actors. For this reason many theatres will not seat latecomers until there is a reasonable break in the action, which sometimes is not until intermission.
- Check your program before the show. Sometimes there will be an insert stating that an actor’s understudy will be going on in his/her place. There may also be program notes that provide helpful background information about the show you are seeing.
- Photographic and video recording of every kind is prohibited during a performance. Camera flashes are a dangerous distraction to the actors onstage—they can break their concentration and momentarily impair their vision—while camera phones, digital cameras, and camcorders can be a supreme annoyance to other audience members. Plus, AEA rules stipulate that any unauthorized videotaping is against the law. Anyone who violates those rules may be removed from the theatre (in the best case scenario), or, perhaps, have their recording equipment confiscated (in the absolute worst case scenario).
- There is no outside food or drink allowed in the theatre. Concessions are usually available at the theatre before the show or at intermission for those who would like some. As a rule, eating during a performance is heavily frowned upon and discouraged: rustling food wrappers, crunchy candy, and beverages slurped through a straw can also be very distracting to the actors and to those around you. In case of illness, unwrap your cough drops or other such items before the show starts. (But, if you are sick, then you really shouldn’t be out, should you?)
- If you’re seeing a revival of your favorite musical, please don’t sing along. Yes, it’s fun to experience those songs in person, but keep in mind that the other audience members paid to hear the actors sing those songs, not you. If you want to sing along with the show, please wait until you get home.
- Please turn off your cell phone or beeper before the show begins. If it rings during a performance, it can be especially distracting (and irritating) to both the cast and the audience. If you need to keep it on in case of emergency, switch it to “silent” or “vibrate.” That way you can still monitor any incoming calls without disturbing anyone. Under no circumstances should any phone calls be answered during a performance. There is no better way to start an audience uprising. If you need to take or make a call, it’s best to remove yourself to the lobby in order to do so. Cell phone etiquette is of utmost importance to today’s theatregoers and breaches of it are not tolerated.
- If you are not enjoying the show, you are under no obligation to stay. Feel free to leave quietly during an acceptable break in the action, like a scene change, when it will cause the least interruption. Please do not stay and complain to those sitting around you. Remember: just because you aren’t enjoying the show doesn’t mean that they aren’t. Theatre is subjective.
Children
Bringing children to the theatre can be one of the most exciting moments of their young lives. Children love getting caught up in and entranced by the magic of theatre. Just as there are commonly observed rules of conduct for adult theatergoers, there are similar rules for children coming to the theatre.
- Get your child involved right off the bat. Let them help you pick which show you all go see. Allowing them to put their two cents in will increase their interest level immediately. Make sure it’s a show that you’re interested in seeing, too, as your enthusiasm will be contagious.
- Check and make sure that the show is appropriate for your child. If you’re not sure, call the theatre and ask: the staff will be more than glad to help you. This is a purely subjective decision, since every child is different. Just make sure to match your child with subject matter you know they can handle. (FYI: just because there’s a child actor in the show doesn’t mean that the show is for children.)
- Talk to your child beforehand about being a good audience member. Acquaint them with the Rules of Theatregoing Etiquette. And remember: YOU set the example for them.
- When the play is over, talk with your child about it. Find out what they liked and didn’t like. Encourage them to ask questions. The more they talk, the more it’ll help you figure out what kind of shows to take them to in the future.
Most important: have fun!
Attire
Knowing what to wear to a show can be stressful and confusing. New York’s theatre dress code runs the gamut from formal to extremely casual. The key to figuring it out is knowing what kind of show you’re seeing.
First of all: people still dress up for Broadway shows. It’s not uncommon to see men in a jacket and tie and women in fancy dresses. However, neither is necessary any longer. Business casual is an equally acceptable form of dress for Broadway shows now. Even jeans and sneakers have become acceptable, especially at matinees!
The same dress code applies to many Off-Broadway shows as well. However, the dress code Off-Broadway is also more casual than it is on Broadway. Casual wear is more acceptable Off-Broadway because the shows and the venues are more casual.
The Off-Off-Broadway dress code is even looser: anything goes, dress-wise. Sometimes, the lack of formality Off-Off-Broadway almost demands t-shirts and jeans—both of which are seen frequently adorning its patrons. But, formal wear is still more than acceptable Off-Off-Broadway: people often come to the theatre straight from work or dinner or some other engagement.
One thing that all New York theatres have in common, despite their classification, is a proliferation of cramped seating. Many venues have a stingy amount of leg room or walk space between rows of seats, making large coats, big bags, and packages difficult to handle.
