BROADWAY: THEATER TOURS

By Broadway, we can mean several things. Broadway consists of a very long street, one of the oldest in New York, which extends from the business district of Manhattan to the small town of Sleepy Hollow21 kilometers further north.

Broadway Street gets especially lively around Times Square in Midtown. Then you enter the most touristic and lively area of ​​New York, where most of the city’s theaters and performance halls are located. Although all of these places are not necessarily on Broadway street but in the surrounding streets, by extension we call this whole area Broadway (or Theater District).

Also, sometimes we talk about Broadway, sometimes about Off-Broadway. In fact, it refers to the size of the performance halls. Those with more than 500 seats are considered “Broadway theaters” (41 in total), while the smaller ones are Off-Broadway. There is even talk of Off-Off-Broadway for theaters with fewer than 100 seats.

To really measure what Broadway stands for, it’s interesting to know a few figures:

The average production budget for a Broadway musical it is 9.6 million dollars, but some productions far exceed this figure: this is the case of the Spider-Man musicals. Turn Off The Dark was the most expensive film ever made, with a total budget of over $75 million.

Why are such sums being spent? Simply because it pays off: In 2019, nearly 15 million moviegoers attended a show at one of Broadway’s theatres, raising more than $1.8 billion in revenue.

Depending on where you buy your tickets, prices can vary up to double.

It’s the most convenient way, especially for a foreigner. For popular musicals, like Hamilton, it is necessary book at least a few weeks in advance to make sure you find a good seat. Prices can also vary depending on how full the room is, both upwards and downwards. Note that some musicals, including those of Disney, give the possibility to book online without supplement.

You have two options. In fact, you can buy the ticket directly at the theater where the musical you want to see takes place. In this case, you will not have to pay brokerage fees. This is an ideal solution for those who have time and/or are flexible with dates and choice of show.

Another way to get cheap tickets is to go to one of the 2 TKTS kiosks in NYC. There’s one in Times Square and another in Lincoln Center. At these places, same-day tickets can be purchased at discounts of 20% to 50% off the regular price.

Often, however, unsold tickets are found here, so it is useless to hope to find those for the most popular musicals. For a first Broadway experience, however, it’s really great. Finally, for some years there has been a TKTS app to download on iOS and Android that indicates the tickets available for sale.

A musical is above all songs, music, choreography… An authentic visual and auditory show that you can enjoy even if you don’t understand all the dialogues.

That said, if you don’t speak English very well, it’s good to prefer musicals based on movies or books that you already know and whose story is easy to follow.

Top billing since 1997, this musical is undoubtedly the star of Broadway. The adaptation is faithful to the film apart from some minor changes (scenes and new songs have been added).

Another adaptation of a Disney film, itself inspired by the tales of the Arabian Nights. Set in an imaginary Arab city, it is a love story between a princess and a young man on the street, aided by a genie hidden in an oil lamp.

A recent production (2021), based on the 1993 film of the same name. If you were born in the 80s, you certainly know the story: a man separated from his wife pretends to be a cleaning lady to spend more time with her children.

This time it is a comedy (not a musical) that takes up the adventures of Harry Potter, 19 years after Voldemort’s death. Many special effects that give the impression at times of attending a real magic show. The show runs for a total of three and a half hours, including the 15-minute intermission.

Wicked is one of Broadway’s most popular comedies. Staged since 2003, it still arouses great interest today. It is undoubtedly one of the best musicals to watch. This comedy is a true work of art as a whole.

The story plays out the unlikely friendship between two all-opposing teenage witches during the run-up to the Wizard of Oz story. The path of these two apprentices separates and their destinies come to light.

The staging and costumes are sublime. Without a doubt, the viewer is enraptured and fascinated by this show, which has already received a Grammy and 3 Tony Awards. The performance is open to all and will appeal to young and old.

A great show, ideal for jazz lovers. You can prepare yourself by watching the 2002 film of the same name (winner of 6 Oscars including Best Picture in 2003) with Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere.

Visually perfect, the great advantage of this musical is that the songs are almost all very well known: Chandelier by Sia, Your Song by Elton John, Firework by Katy Perry or even Sympathy For the Devil by the Rolling Stones.

The Phantom of the Opera is Broadway’s longest running show. Since 1988, it has been performed at the Majestic Theater, one of New York’s finest performance halls. This musical is an adaptation of the famous French novel of the same name, written by Gaston Leroux and first published in 1910.

The action takes place in Paris, at the Palais Garnier, and tells the tragic story of the talented actress Christine Daaé and the two men who fell in love with her, the aristocrat Raoul de Chagny and the mysterious Phantom of the Opera, a masked man who lives in the basement of the building.

It was a real novelty for the 2021-2022 season: it is a musical inspired by the life of Michael Jackson. It’s a chance to hear 25 of his greatest hits, from the Jackson 5 to This Is It, his latest album.

If you can understand the dialogues/songs in English and are looking for something more sophisticated then you might want to check out Hamilton (the hugely successful, really crazy musical with some great rap, hip-hop and Rn ‘B), The Book of Mormons (written by the creators of South Park), or To Kill a Mockingbird (play adapted from Harper Lee’s novel, written by Aaron Sorkin, the screenwriter of The Social Network and The West Wing).

Officially in Broadway theaters it is allowed to dress as one wishes, possibly avoiding shorts and sandals. That said, it is good practice to wear at least closed shoes and pants (at least for a man). It’s a way to add a little solemnity to the event, to make a better impression, and also to prevent it from getting too cold in the room (due to the air conditioning).

Shows always start on time and if you are even 10 minutes late, you may be denied entry. It is therefore better to calculate the times exactly and arrive at least 20 minutes in advance.

It is absolutely imperative to respect the actors and the audience by putting your cell phone on silent mode. It is equally strictly forbidden, even if it could be tempting, to take photos or shoot videos during the performance. In fact, if you are caught in the act, you will probably be removed from the room immediately.