One of the few things that New York City is almost synonymous is with, that is Broadway. Broadway is the name given to the theatrical and musical performances that are presented in a group of theaters along the theatre district of New York City in Manhattan. Most of the shows that are presented across almost 40 theaters of the Broadway Street are musicals and their history goes back to the year 1750.

The first ever Theatre Company was established by two brothers by the names Walter Murray and Thomas Keane in the same year. Plays and ballads by William Shakespeare were presented in the theater. Shows on Broadway attract huge national and international audiences annually and most of the Broadway performances rope in famous actors which bring in more number of spectators. However, some actors chose to affiliate themselves exclusively with Broadway and consider movies and television to be just a secondary option.

The shows of the Broadway are not only meant for entertainment but also intended to generate profits for the producers and the investors. But almost all Broadway plays and musicals do not have a fixed run schedule. They have what is known in the theatrical world as ‘open-ended runs’. It means that their total runtime is not fixed and is dependent upon various factors like the response of the audience, promotional and advertising strategies and their effect and the promotion of the play through word of mouth. All these factors play a very crucial role in the success of the Broadway show as they determine the sale of the Broadway tickets. All producers who invest in a commercial production understand and even have some acceptable limits for the losses also. Sometimes the Broadway ticket sales for a particular production may not be as expected; however, if the production is generating a certain amount of money on a weekly basis the producers may choose to let it continue to run. Sometimes, in cases where the shows fail to bring any profits even after a long run, the producers may ask that the actors take lesser salaries or reduce the royalties on the show.

Though most of the production houses on the Broadway are the profit-making entities, three theatre companies by the name Roundabout theatre, Lincoln Center theatre and Manhattan theatre club are non-profit theatre organizations. The musicals, that Broadway is famous for all over the world, are more popular and generate much more revenue than the non-musical plays.

Since most tourists who come to New York City attend Broadway musicals, the Broadway tickets availability is also a concern for many of them. The Broadway tickets are sold at TKTS booths which are located at three different locations all over New York City in Brooklyn, Times Square, and Duffy square. The Broadway tickets can be bought at discounts ranging from 20%-50% and can be bought for the shows which are being performed on the same day or the next day also, which you can choose depending upon your schedule. If you are planning to watch a Broadway show in New York you can get Broadway tickets at more discounts or at cheaper prices by availing different types of discounts such as the student discount or you can buy a ‘standing-room’ ticket with which you can watch a show at much lesser prices. Sometimes heavy discounts are offered by various theatre companies to ensure that their shows are packed and maximum profit is extracted out of a single screening. The Broadway shows are mostly watched by the tourists. It is estimated that almost 2/3 ^rd of the audience in any Broadway show at any given time is comprised of the tourists.

Every year, best performers and people involved in technical aspects are felicitated at the Tony awards which are given by Broadway league and the American Theatre Wing. Only a production house which has more than 500 seats is considered to be eligible for a Tony. The Tony awards are comparable to Oscars which are given for motion pictures. If a show is successful, then the producers may choose to perform it all over the country with a change in the cast and the crew.

A trip to New York City is considered to be incomplete if you do not watch a musical at the Broadway. But just to ensure that you get the worth out of your money, keep an eye on all the ‘rush- ticket’ options that you can get which will not only save you the hassle but also guarantee you the best seats in the house. Broadway has all the glitter and glamour of the contemporary world combined with the old world charm of the world of theater which entices the audiences and transports them to another world for few hours. It is an experience that should not be missed.