BWW FAQ (Please read before posting a new thread) New? Read this.

[Aigoo]

Taken from the Student Board:

Let me be one of the first to welcome you if you're a newcomer.

Due to the length of the FAQ, I've made an index of things that are covered. Use CTRL+F and put in the number next to the section to hope straight to the section (I think that's only for Windows users...not sure about Apple...sorry! ). However, although it's lengthy, I suggest reading the entire thing. I promise you it's not all that boring.

1-4. Common Etiquette.
5. Please...search. Please?
6. Swing, Chorus Member, Star, Legend...etc.
7. Avatars
8. Making your text pretty
9-13. Sending fan-mail
14. Eden VS Idina
15. Audition help
16-18. ARE THERE CELEBRITIES HERE?!
19. Hey? What the eff dude? Where's my thread?
20. Oh my gahhhhhhhhh...why is my signature thing in one big block when yours is in pretty lines?
21. Is there a video of (enter show name here) anywhere?
22. I want to be a famous Broadway stah! Where should I go to college?
23-24. And I think (insert mispelled show here) is the best show EVAR!
25. I'm going to New York, but I have no idea what to watch...help please?
26. Where can I find pictures of Blankblankblank as Elphaba?
27. Standby? Understudy? What the h-?
28. What are those things? That are by the thread name? [Envelope question]
29-30. First stages of the Wicked craze...
31. -------blahblahblah-----blahblah----blahblah--- Wicked?
32. Who/what is your favorite character/performer/Broadway recording/musical/play/book/food/person in the world?
33. You keep talking about this bump? What is it, like bumper cars?
34. YadayadayadaBobyadayadayadaCHOCOLATE!yadayadayada. Isn't that ironic! LOLLERSKATES!
35. OH MY GOD. You'll never believe this: my friend has NEVER heard of Eye-deena or Wickud!
36. HOLY CRACKERJACKS! I LOVE THIS SOUNDTRACK OF Blahblahblahblahablhkdlanfalsm,a.rmketrailsoff!!!!
37. Why are Broadway tickets so expensive?! (Discount/rush/TKTS stuff and more info...)
38. Are these good seats?
39. OMFG. I LOVE CATS. Was ----- --------- ever in this show?
40. HOLY CRAP! I JU-JU-I just saw Wilson Jermaine Heredia in Law and Order! I think...I've never seen him as a man before... a.k.a. Was ----- ---- ever on Law and Order?
41. Okkkaay...So I'm in New York..but I have no idea how to get to the Shubert.
42. Where can I find lyrics to this song?
43. How do I get a picture in my post?
44. This has nothing to do with Broadway, but...
45. Does This Person come out to sign autographs/take pictures/give hugs/chat with the people?
46.Oghmwft#84-03! I'm so angry! So-and-so did not go on! I got his/her lousy understudy!
47.How do I make a link?



Broadway World (commonly refered to as BWW) is a community where theatre-lovers alike can gather and virtually mingle. This recently added Student Board is created so that the main board isn't cluttered with those pesky audition threads. Like all members, they're willing to help you out, but people get tired of the same old thing.

Just some pointers as you start out:

1. Be courteous and respectful to the board members. Exercise your right to sarcasm, but don't overdo it.

2. Don't type LyKe ThIZ. I'm sorry if you can't help it, but it's nearly impossible to read and even more difficult to try and figure out what you're saying.

3. In addition to the above "rule", try to use proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar as much as possible. We can't help you unless you get your message across. Look! You can even edit your message after you post it, rather than posting twice again and apologizing for your mistake, etcetera, etcetera. Even if you're not asking for help and simply expressing a thought and/or an opinion, it most likely won't be taken seriously due to lack of communication.

4. Yes, you're allowed to swear on these boards. But keep in mind, we have many young members on this board. Again, be courteous, and prove your intelligence that you can find a better adjective/interjection than %)*#@&$(#&*$ or *********.

5. SEARCH for topics that are similar to yours. Hopefully, these FAQ's will reduce the amount of new threads that are created, but please at least pose an attempt. The Search feature can be accessed at the link above the boards, near Guidelines, Report Abuse, Post Message, etc. If you STILL can't find it, here's the link. Just...click.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/boardsearch.cfm?boardname=bway
That is the link to search the Broadway message board. If you would like to search ALL boards, check the box that says "Search All Boards." You can also make it so that results are displayed in threads, and if you put quotations around your search terms, it will narrow your results to show JUST those words in that EXACT sequence.

6. The little title that says "Swing" under your username signifies the number of posts you have. The number of hours/days/months/decades you have been here does not affect this title. This is how the titles are classified:

Member Levels:

* Swing = 0-25
* Chorus Member = 25-50
* Stand-by = 100-200
* Featured Actor = 200-300
* Leading Actor = 300-400
* Broadway Star = 400-999
* Broadway Legend = 1000+

This was found in Guidelines, whose link is next to the aformentioned Search feature.

Please don't rush to become a Broadway Legend. First of all, 1001 posts in less than a week isn't exactly something to be proud of. Also, the quality of your posts is what matters, not the quantity. Don't litter the boards with useless messages that contain just a period or something. Take your time, and just enjoy being here. You'll be a Legend twice over in no time. Lastly, no one really CARES anyway...as long as you have a hot avatar, you're pretty much set.

7. That picture that you see next to a lot of users is called an "avatar". For example, mine is of Catherine Zeta-Jones, my own tribute to this woman's beauty. This is completely optional, but if you'd like, you can change it like so:

Go to "Your Settings", which is located under SITE on the left-hand side of the webpage.
Go down to "Upload New Photo", and choose a picture from your computer. If it's too big, it will be automatically sized down, however, you can click on it and it will lead to a page where the picture is displayed as its original size.

8. <- See that? See how it's bold? Make it bold by inserting text in between < b> and < /b >, without the spaces.
So...bold would look like this

< b >bold< /b > WITHOUT THE SPACES.

Italics, would be < i > < /i >
Underline, would be < u > < /u >
You can also combine the tags, like so

Hello. would look like

< b >< i >< u >Hello.< /b >< /i >< /u >

9. How come "So-and-so" did not respond to my e-mail? I am very angry and distraught!

They probably did not answer because their lives are quite busy. Another way of contacting them is through regular mail via the USPS.

10. How the heck do I do that?

Send your letter to the care of the theatre that the actor/ress is currently performing at followed by the address of the theatre. It's common courtesy to include a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope for the performer to put their reply in. If you requested a sign headshot, include a bigger envelope, around 9x11 and include some cardboard backing as well and a fair amount of stamps. The cardboard backing is optional, but it really helps from wrinkles and folds.

11. Okay. I wrote my letter, but I don't know where to send it to! Where is the Gerswhin, dammit!?

I assume you're writing to Shoshana or Megan.

This is an example of how it should be addressed.

Shoshana Bean
C/O The Gershwin Theatre Stage Door
222 West 51st Street
New York, NY 10019

12. NO! I'm not writing to Shoshana! And I lied, I'm REALLY writing to Sara Ramirez.

Okay. Then replace "Shoshana Bean" with "Sara Ramirez", and "Gershwin" with "Shubert" and the address of the Gershwin theatre with the address of the Shubert.

13. But I don't know where that is.

http://www.playbill.com/events/event_detail/5263.html

It is under "Theatre Information".

And in case you decide to change your mind AGAIN:

http://www.playbill.com/events/listing/1.html
There are all the addresses to the theatres. Happy writing.

http://www.playbill.com/events/listing/2.html
Off-Broadway

14. OMGWTFBBQJKLOL?!?!shift+1!? Who is better? Edena or Eden Epsienioskmlisa?? R thye lyke the same purson?

No, they are two separate beings. The correct way to spell it is Idina and Eden Espinosa. Idina Menzel is the originator of the role of Elphaba on Broadway. Eden was her standby but eventually left Wicked to do another show, Brooklyn. Both women are extremely talented and both have a different portrayal to the role of Elphaba. You will hear mixed reviews of both of them, but the performance that appeals to you more is something only you can decide based off of personal experience, reviews from others, etc.

15. Help me! I need audition songs!

Okay. Calm down and take a breather. Or two. First of all, audition threads are look down upon by many, but most people are willing to help and you'll find their words of wisdom quite beneficial. Let us know as much information as you're willing to give: your age, your range, the show you're auditioning for, gender, etc. And don't expect your answer within 5 minutes. Be a bit patient.

Also, if you need more information about the actual SHOW you're doing (plot, roles, etc..) check these websites.

http://www.stageagent.com
http://www.mtimusicalworlds.com

Also, in the meantime (or even BEFORE YOU POST YOUR THREAD! ::GASPOFSHOCKANDDISBELIEF!::), I know it might take a while, but to conserve the sanity of those that browse the board, search for audition threads that might be similar to yours. It's a rare case, but it's quite worth it because the replies that it might've gotten will prove useful.

16. So, are there like, celebrities here?

Yes, and no. And no again. They are considered gods by us, but sadly, to the rest of America, Broadway performers are hardly well-known. However, many "famous people" read these boards. For a fact, both Anthony Rapp (Original Mark in RENT) and Marc Shaiman (Hairspray) are registered users. Although BWW isn't a Broadway performer "hang out" site, many performers have been known to pop in from time to time, so be careful what you post if you're criticizing a performance. But please don't post a thread saying CHEYNNEJAXON!! PLIZ HAVE MY BABIEZ! all in caps. He might see it and be fairly amused, but chances are, he won't and you'll just be ticking off the rest of the board.

17. Are YOU famous?

Not. Yet.

18. But your picture is of Catherine Zeta-Jones! CANI PLEASE HAVEUR AUTOGRAPH!?

See point 7....which you should've read already....ARE YOU SKIPPING THINGS?!

19. Hey? What the eff dude? Where's my thread?

Rob and Craig are the moderators of the boards at BWW and they exercise the right to remove offensive posts/threads. You can PM them and inquire why, but I suggest you just move on. There are better things in the future.

20. Oh my gahhhhhhhhh...why is my signature thing in one big block when yours is in pretty lines?

< br > (without the spaces) is the command for a line break in html. Insert it after the word as you would press the "Enter" key for a new line. Insert two < br >'s for a blank line.

21. Is there a video of (enter show name here) anywhere?

That video is called a "bootleg". I know, it sounds illegal, it looks illegal, it MUST be illegal. And it is. Bootlegs shouldn't be discussed openly on the boards, but if you would like to private message a user that has hinted that they have access to such videos, you are welcome to contact them.

Message from Rob:

"Just a reminder, as myself and the other moderators have had to delete multiple discussions on the subject over the past few weeks.

Linking to bootlegs, discussing bootlegs, discussing where to find bootlegs, and asking for bootlegs are all against our board guidelines. Please keep them off of the message board, bootlegs are illegal.

We've been faily lenient in terms of suspending members who continually post about them, but if it keeps up, we're not going to have a choice."

22. I want to be a famous Broadway stah! Where should I go to college?

http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/index.cfm?boardname=student

That is the link to the student board, which has MORE links to various topics that will get you started in your search for good training.

Be aware however, that theatre is an EXTREMELY competitive business, and if you're in it for fame or money, you're in the wrong field. The salaries of a performer range from $1,400 - $10,000 a week. Although the second salary is nothing to sneeze at (neither is the first, actually), only a select few make that grandpoint4 a week and even fewer make the 10K. And I mean VERY few. Maybe three. Or two.

And being on Broadway gives you a false sense of fame. Theatre-goers may recognize you on 53rd, but once you're out of Times Square, almost no one knows who you are.

Go into this career if it is something you are SURE about. You have the drive and the passion to make it work and you're willing to work to the point of exhaustion. If you want money, go be a doctor, or lawyer. If you want fame, go develop the cure for the common cold. This is an extremely unpractical and volatile field that deals with 90% rejection.

When your friends have large houses in great suburban neighborhoods, you'll be living in a 2 x 1 for about $1000/month with your toilet right next to your stove and an alleyway that smells like urine. When your friends are all getting married or building big families, you'll probably still be temping and waiting for that big break. And that may or may not come. But you'll just never know unless you try, will you? And whether that break will come or not, whether you will truly be happy, you will not know until it actually happens. Let me drill this once more: IT MAY NOT HAPPEN.

This is not to be discouraging, but I would rather be discouraging than misleading. However, if you do so choose to have this kind of lifestyle, then you must be relentless in your pursuit. Never stop learning and never stop improving your craft. If you call yourself an "artist", chances are, you'll most likely become a perfectionist. Perfect yourself as much as you can, and continue doing so when that job comes by.

I also recommend the book Making It on Broadway: Actors' Tales of Climbing to the Top by David Wienir, Jodie Langel and Acting Professionally by Robert Cohen. The first includes many stories of successful performers. Some say it's depressing, some say it's great, but it's the truth and it gives you an idea of what you're getting yourself into.

"WHAT DRAWS PEOPLE TO BECOME ACTORS?"

I've asked several people this question over the years. They fib. But here are some of the replies, followed by my own observations.

1. "I thought it would be fun."
Fun? Let's see. Work all day, beg for time off to run out and sign up for an open call. Or instead, get up at six AM and stand in a line outside the Equity building in every kind of weather.

Fun? Tech and dress night that goes on until one AM. A long subway trip home. Up at seven to be to work at eight. In the theatre at seven. Curtain at eight. Hours and hours and hours of rehearsal. There are twelve people in the opening night audience.

Fun? Four months of open calls nearly every day and not one callback. The air is heavy with depression, rejection, doubt, loneliness. Suddenly a small house and a family in Nebraska sound like Eden.

Fun? After an audition, being told by the director you are better than the "star name" they cast, but golly gee you know the business! Gotta fill those seats! Subtext: You're a nobody. "How dreary to be somebody! How public, like a frog." This is one mini example why I've pushed for actors to read poetry. Nobody sums up being a nobody better than Emily Dickinson.

Fun? You have the female lead in a 35 minute short film, opposite a huge name actor who won't even speak to you because you are not also a "name." ["I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?"]

Fun? Five years later you still have the scar on your arm from the nail some indifferent carpenter did not hammer in properly and you, rushing off stage, slashed your arm on it. Then the wardrobe mistress blasts loose language you never heard even in triple XXX rated because you got blood on the costume. Excuse me!

Endless examples. If you're in it for "fun," go dance on the rim of Etna or Vesuvius when they next sizzle. Now that's fun!

Reason # 2 "I thought I'd give it a try."

Don't bother. Fire eating would be easier. Try it.

Reason # 3. "I was in a play in high school and it is a good memory."

Don't ruin a perfectly lovely memory by going professional.

Reason # 4. "I just have to. It's like breathing. It's something I have to do."

Oops. Hope they're talented. Their answer is impeccable.


Here's also a thread that lists off a number of colleges for BFA/BM.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?boardname=student&thread=854618

23. And I think (insert mispelled show here) is the best show EVAR!

Learn to spell it correctly first. Then we'll discuss. See point 3 ...which you should've read alr-YOU ARE SKIPPING THINGS!

24. I think (insert correctly spelled show here) is the best show EVAR!

Me too, buddy. Me too.

25. I'm going to New York, but I have no idea what to watch...help please?

If you can be more specific, it'd be great, but I'll try to help out as much as I can.

Right now, The Light in the Piazza is a stealer for me. A) Everything's GREAT about it, the cast, costumes, lighting, scenery, music, lyrics, the like.

A warning about Light, however. It's quite classical, and if you're more into rockish, poppy stuff, you might be better off seeing RENT. But you never know...just give it a try.

If you're looking for something comedic, try Dirty Rotten Scoundrels or Avenue Q. Both are extremely clever and witty, but they're sort of...raunchy. Not something you'd take your young 11-year-old daughter to. If you're a Monty Python fan, check out Spamalot, but like Wicked, it's very hard to land tickets. The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee is also great for laughs and the family. Check out The Producers as well.

If you're normally a non-theatre goer, definitely consider both Disney musicals, The Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. Both are great for children, as well. Or perhaps The Phantom of the Opera or Hairspray, both of which are highly-appealing shows to non-theatre goers. Or the current smash Wicked. Undoubtedly, you've heard of this one.

If you're into rockish things or maybe more "popular" music, try RENT. The late composer, Jonathan Larson, passed away before seeing his show in action, but obviously, it was a great success. Some issues that are discussed in the plot may be iffy (another show you don't want to take your 11-year-old daughter to) but nothing that you don't see on MTV nowadays. Also check out Mamma Mia! whose music comes from ABBA. It's a good example of a "jukebox" musical that incorporates music originally sung by a band or person.

For children, I would recommend the aformentioned Disney musicals, maybe Wicked (for that 11-year-old daughter that keeps popping up), Sweet Charity, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Hairspray may also be a winner.

If you want something dramatic, definitely consider the straight plays, and perhaps a touch of Chicago? As for plays, any one of the productions are good choices. It's not on Broadway if people don't like it.

26. Where can I find pictures of Blankblankblank as Elphaba?



From top left to right: Ana Gasteyer (Chicago), Idina Menzel (Original Broadway), Maria Eberline (Tour Understudy)
From bottom left to right: Eden Espinosa (Former Standby, Special performer for Tour company in San Francisco), Saycon Sengbloh (Broadway Standby), Brandi Chavonne Massey (Broadway Understudy).



From top left to right: Kristy Cates (Chicago Standby and Aigoo's favorite), Stephanie J. Block (Tour and ORIGINAL Elphaba AND Aigoo's second favorite), Shoshana Bean (Broadway)
From bottom left to right: Lea Salonga (due to popular demand...), Jenna Leigh Green (Tour Standby), Courtney Corey (Chicago Understudy)

27. Standby? Understudy? What the h-?

This can be quite confusing, but easy to understand once you sort of grasp it.

The STANDBY is the first to cover the role when the main performer is out. The standby doesn't perform every night in the ensemble. They're only assigned to the role they're performing. They are required to stay within a close proximity of the theatre, in case of emergencies. Standbys are paid their weekly dues as well as "extra" for performances, but obviously, not as much as the main performer.

If the standby isn't able to make it, the UNDERSTUDY (who normally performs in the ensemble) covers the role.

The SWING covers the UNDERSTUDY's role while they're covering the main role. A swing is a sort of understudy for the all the members of the ensemble. They have to know all of the "tracks" in the ensemble (separated by gender -- there are usually separate male and female swings) and will go on when an individual chorus member is out for whatever reason.

For example, look at a show like Chicago. In the opening "All That Jazz", Velma sings the number surrounded by a dozen chorus members. Each chorus member has his/her own individual steps and movements and blocking to do in that number (that's different from the other members of the ensemble) -- this is called a "track." If a male member of the ensemble is out sick, a male swing will step in to that "track" for him, doing all of his specific blocking and dancing in that number. That swing will know all of the individual choreography for every male dancer in the show (and know exactly where on stage an individual dancer is at all times), so he can step in for any male dancer at any time. The female swings know the individual choreography of all of the female chorus members.

Swing can also refer to understudies for multiple roles in dance heavy shows where the ensemble members also have lines and songs. In "A Chorus Line" a single male understudy/swing would cover the parts of Al, Don, Mike, and Mark and a female swing would cover Val, Bebe, Judy et al......
Thanks Margo!

So. Let's put it into example.
Shoshana Bean is sick, and cannot perform as Elphaba.
Her standby, Saycon Sengbloh, is called in, however, she is unable to perform as well. So the role goes to Shoshana's understudy: Brandi. Brandi is normally in the ensemble, so a swing is called in to cover her role in the ensemble.

28. What are those things? That are by the thread name?

Strange as it may seem, but they are envelopes. They tell you the popularity of a thread and if you've recently viewed it or not.

If there are new messages since you've last viewed the thread, the envelope will be open, if not, the envelope will be closed. Also, the subject lines will now rebold themselves if new messages have been posted as well...The color (red or blue) signifies the popularity of the thread, or how many views it's recieved.

A red envelope is defined as a thread with at least 500 views and/or 30 replies.

29. WICKEDDDD WICKEDWICKEDWIKIDWIKEDWEKIDWICKED!!!!!

Chillax.

30. OHEMGEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stop it! You are wasting virtual trees and depleting our source of black pixels! Don't believe me? http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?boardname=off&thread=852113#1148906

31. -------blahblahblah-----blahblah----blahblah--- Wicked?

Honestly. Do a search. I don't even NEED to put in your question. If you wanna go backstage, put "backstage" and "Wicked" in the search box. THEN, if you can't find any, put up a new thread.

32. Who/what is your favorite character/performer/Broadway recording/musical/play/book/food/person in the world?

Survey threads are often look down upon, as well. Even moreso than audition threads because they are quite pointless. Most users even have their responses saved in Microsoft Word or Appleworks so they can just open it up and copy/paste. I find it interesting to read some answers, especially if the topic is interesting, but that's usually not the case. Once again, do a search and just bump one of the many threads that probably have the same topic as the survey you are about the create.

33. You keep talking about this bump? What is it, like bumper cars?

When you post a new message on a thread, it goes to the top of the "list" of all threads on the board. So BUMP sort of stands for Bring Up My Post or something like that. I don't know. You could think of it as "bumping" the thread to the top.

And it doesn't matter where it is. You could go to the very last page of the Broadway message board and post in the last thread that's there and it would automatically be the first thread on the board. However, please don't bump topics that are over a year old (unless it's for a specific purpose). We had a "I Think Brooklyn is going to be the biggest show of the year..." thread bumped up not too long ago..and I went in to point and laugh at the poster, but alas, it was a fairly old topic. And most people forget to check the date it was originally posted.

34. YadayadayadaBobyadayadayadaCHOCOLATE!yadayadayada. Isn't that ironic! LOLLERSKATES!

Usually, every post that contains the word "ironic" is used incorrectly, because "irony" and "coincidence" are often confused.

It would be ironic, if Bob LOVED chocolate, but wasn't able to have it due to allergies. Or, it is also ironic that Brooklyn is a sucky show, but with enormous amounts of talent. Another example of this "irony" concept is that although Idina played Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, one of her first roles was as Dorothy.

What is coicidence is that Bob LOVES chocolate and so does Mary. What a coincidence!
A coincidence is that Eden Espinosa, in the show Brooklyn, was ALSO in the same show as Idina, Wicked. It is ALSO coincidence that their names sound vaguely alike.

35. OH MY GOD. You'll never believe this: my friend has NEVER heard of Eye-deena or Wickud!

Yes, unfortunately, not everybody in the world are theatre fanatics. Handle this situation very calmly...if introduced to the shattering voice of Idina or Wicked itself too quickly, your friend's brain might just explode. Proceed with caution.

36. HOLY CRACKERJACKS! I LOVE THIS SOUNDTRACK OF Blahblahblahblahablhkdlanfalsm,a.rmketrailsoff (psst...Thanks Nard!)!!!!

Most people will stop listening when you say "soundtrack". A soundtrack is a CD made from movies...perhaps a TV series. It's a compilation of music that is used within said movie/TV series.

What's used in musical theatre, however, is a RECORDING...because the artists haul butt to that RECORDING studio and RECORD their voices alongside with the orchestra that's (you guessed it!) RECORDED. There are several types of RECORDINGS, but usually, people refer to the Original Broadway Cast (OBC), Original London Cast (OLC), the Revival, or the Tour (if a touring show is lucky enough to have made one).

37. Why are Broadway tickets so expensive?!

This is unfortunate drag to theatre...it's very costly. Some tickets are even as much as $240 per. Meh, we gotta feed our performers, ya know...

Here are some of your options:

A) The most obvious one is lottery. Most shows hold a "lottery" in which you enter your name. The names are randomly selected and you have the option of buying up to 2 tickets at around $25 (they're usually very good tickets. Most commonly front row.) If you're alone at a show, you best find some stranger who is alone there as well..and enter both of your names in the lottery as preferring to buy two tickets and agree to give the other the extra ticket if one of you wins. If both of you win, then just sell off the extra tickets. Everyone wins yay. Be sure to bring along a photo ID in order to claim your tickets. Lottery tickets can only be paid by cash.

B ) Your second option is a discount code that can be used when purchasing through telecharge.com or ticketmaster.com, or some other online box office. Go to http://www.broadwaybox.com and you'll find a plethora of discount codes there. If it's not available, you're better off going with another option. If a show is EXTREMELY popular (Spamalot, Wicked), worry about getting TICKETS rather than discounted tickets.

C) Your third option is the TKTS booth in the middle of Times Square. It's quite big, and not very hard to miss (it's near the McDonald's and the Lunt-Fontanne theatre.) However, you'll have to wait quite a while for tickets, and although they're cheap, you have no way of determining where your seats will be located. But they offer tickets to several shows.

If you don't have an utter desire to see a show, you can maybe pop in TKTS around 7:30 PM (or around 1:30-2:00 PM for matinees) and avoid the big, long line. You also have a chance of getting the good tickets that were just released.

http://www.tdf.org/index_default.html
http://www.entertainment-link.com/tkts.asp Thank you Blucat!

D) Some shows offer student rush. As long as you carry your ID with you, you can usually score some cheap tickets at shows at their ticket booth. I recently nabbed a pair of tickets for $45 at Rent, normally $85 or $95. BRING YOUR STUDENT ID!

E) Don't really like sitting? Standing room patrons stand in numbered spaces that are the width of a regular seat. They are usually located at the back of the orchestra. SRO tickets are trickier to get because they are only available if the show is sold out. There’s no definite way to predict in advance whether a performance will sell out, without actually calling the box office a few hours before curtain time.

F) Regular old boring rush is for those of you that are out of school (good for you...). It all started with RENT, which at the peak of its run started selling $20 tickets for the first 2 front rows. Predictably, lines started forming at ungodly hours and thus Broadway theatres started to offer rushes, student rushes, SRO's to encourage cheap theatre viewing. Check the show's website to see if they offer rush or not.

Now that you know, here is a great link to the current prices of standing room only (SRO), rushes, discounts, rushes...etc.
http://www.nytix.com/Links/Broadway/listofcurrentshows.html
Thanks to musicandmath

38. Are these good seats?

Honestly, no one has sat in every single seat at every single theatre. So we really can't say. However, some theatres are quite intimate and offer a great view from any seat in the house, such as Circle in the Square (Spelling Bee) and the Vivian Beaumont (Light in the Piazza). Some theatres are really big. Like the Gerswhin, and some of the orchestra seats are partial view, which sorta sucks. Look at the seating chart of the theatre, and you should get a general idea of where you're sitting. Although it might look far from the stage, you'll usually have a great view. You'll see the show fine, but you probably won't be able to count the hairs on Greg Jbara's head or something. Don't freak out and go and enjoy the show. You already paid for them anyway.

What else was I going to say...? Oh, yes. Although "front row seats" sounds absolutely amazing, sometimes...it's not. Often, it is..and it's probably considered the greatest thing in the world. However, some people prefer the smack-dab middle of the orchestra section. Usually Rows H-Gish area. But that's all to your preference. Either way, good luck and happy ticket-hunting.

39. OMFG. I LOVE CATS. Was ----- --------- ever in this show?

http://www.ibdb.com

40. HOLY CRAP! I JU-JU-I just saw Wilson Jermaine Heredia in Law and Order! I think...I've never seen him as a man before... a.k.a. Was ----- ---- ever on Law and Order?

Yes, Wilson Jermaine Heredia made a guest star appearance in Law and Order: SVU. Broadway perfomers often appear on shows like Law and Order as sort of a rite of passage, some might say.

Here is the entire guest star list for Law and Order:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098844/guests
(You'll find Tonya Pinkins, Cynthia Nixon....)

Here is the entire guest star list for Law and Order: Special Victims Unit:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203259/
(You'll find Jennifer Laura Thompson, Norbert Leo Butz, Wilson Jermaine Heredia...)

41. Okkkaay...So I'm in New York..but I have no idea how to get to the Shubert.

You'll find a handy feature on BWW called "Theatre Maps". It's on the left-side under Shows. It'll show you where a theatre is by name or by show (Broadway and Off-Broadway). However, it doesn't offer directions FROM a location. If you click on the name (after clicking on the dot) of the show, it will lead you to a place with the seating chart of the theatre as well as the address.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/broadwaytheatermap.cfm

42. Where can I find lyrics to this song?

Go to Google. Type in your song title and put lyrics right after (with a space in between, please). It should be within the first few results. If not, put in the musical name in the search box as well.

43. How do I get a picture in my post?

Get the picture you want. (WINDOWS)
Right-click on it, and click Properties...
In that window, you'll see Location: h.ttp://www.whatever.com/blablabla.jpg (without the period)

or .gif, .bmp, you get the idea.
Copy that address and paste it into the textbox where you normally type messages.

If you want your own picture up here, go to http://www.photobucket.com and get an account. It's free, I promise. Upload as many photos as you want and smack it up here.

44. This has nothing to do with Broadway, but...

Let me tell you something, dear. There are three separate boards for three separate topics. A Broadway board (I'll give you one guess for the subject of that one), a Student board (college things, auditions, advice for students, things that are student-related), and the Off-Topic board for everything in between. The Off-Topic board seems to be the most "laid-back" but keep in mind that board rules still apply. So please try to keep appropriate subjects on the appropriate boards. The moderators will toss around threads as they see it fit, but save them the trouble, yeah?

You can GET to the separate boards by two ways:

The toolbar to the left. There are links under "FEATURES" to each of the three boards.

The links at the top of the boards. Where the Search, Guidelines, link to the FAQ, etc. are all located.

45. Does This Person come out to sign autographs/take pictures/give hugs/chat with the people?

That's the performer's own personal choice. MOST of them do, and you really should be grateful to them. This issue has been discussed NUMEROUS times, but in general, the majority of the performers DO come out to mingle with the crowd.

There's no use in asking for a specific performer, because there will always be a different schedule that they follow each night. So if an actor is the nicest guy in the world to the crowd, one person might have caught them on a busy night, thus assuming that the actor was ignorant, or simply did not want to contact his fans.

Also, be advised that "stage dooring" is completely optional for performers. It is not stated in their contract that they are required to go out and spend an alloted amount of time with their fans. However, many performers also understand how important it is to you as someone who looks up to them and they try to make their best effort to spend some time with you.

There have been SEVERAL threads on this issue, but this post seems to sum it up quite well.

"I agree in theory. However, what actors have to understand is that these "stage door" fans come with the job. Some actors may view it as a bother or an inconvenience. Others may love it and revel in it, but everyone needs to accept it as a reality. What bothers me are actors who act surprised and annoyed that this has happened, as if they expected to never come into contact with fans - highly unrealistic, especially for stage actors. TV/Film is a little more understandable.

Being a star means that thousands of people are going to know who you are. Your voice is going to reach for hundreds, even thousands of miles away from the stage where you perform. And if you are particularly good, you are going to touch the lives of people you haven't even met. Because of this, you're going to get all kinds of feedback - people who are "in love" with you, or think you'd be the best of friends. People who are "convinced" that they know you simply because they've heard you sing, seen you act, read an interview, or even possibly met you briefly.

Of course these are very misguided feelings, but the power of a performance is stronger than a lot of people understand. People will relate to plots or stories personally and feel a real and deep connection with a character. Oftentimes, this feeling will translate over to the particular actor, who may or may not be anything like the character in question. But what many actors don't realize is that coming out the stage door, saying hi, signing a playbill, anything - gives the fan some form of validation and fulfills (to a point) the sense of connection they developed after seeing/hearing the show.

Now before you yell at me for claiming it's the actor's responsibility to handle the emotional issues of their fans (broadway fans? emotional? issues? never!), I'm not saying that at all. Like OntheAisle said, their job is to give a good performance. That's why they went into the business (hopefully). I'm just saying that to one person, what seems like a fleeting, inconvenient moment consisting of coming out the stage door and greeting some people, to another is a heartfelt, meaningful experience that they will always remember. Hell, look at half the signatures of BWW users - quotes from actors spoken directly to them. Do you think any of these actors remember saying these things to the fans? Maybe, but probably not. But it meant enough to those fans for them to display it as their signature - something they're proud of.

Ok, so I rambled a bit. I suppose I could have left all this out and just said "true, but they have to realize it comes with the job." But I think most of you will agree with me regarding how much an experience like that can mean to a lot of fans. "
- JACXR71


Go to the stage door, but don't EXPECT something out of the performers. Treat them with the UTMOST respect (as you should with other human beings) and if they're busy or tired, leave them alone and be glad you got to see them in a performance.

46.Oghmwft#84-03! I'm so angry! So-and-so did not go on! I got his/her lousy understudy!

Anger management classes for you. First off, know that the job of an understudy is INCREDIBLY difficult and not always rewarding. Second, performers are not superhuman. Third, I'm sure there will be OTHER opportunities to see this performer.

To elaborate on my points:

1) An understudy must know all the lines, cues, and in most cases, notes that the role they're covering has. And this may all be for nothing. They may never go on! But when they do, imagine the pressure of knowing that the audience is wondering who you are when they were expecting the star of the show.

And if not for understudies, most known Broadway stars would not be where they are now. I'm not to put words in someone's mouth, but I'm sure they're somewhat grateful for that position in theatre. A job is a job.

2) Performers are not robots. They are humans, just like you and me. Insanely talented humans, perhaps, but they are living, breathing humans just like you and me.

To paraphrase one user's perspective (thanks to andrew):

It's incredibly upsetting to a performer if they have to call out. Why would someone want to avoid doing something they love and something they've worked so hard to achieve? And even if they do have an obligation to show up, rain, sleet, snow, or hail, performers also have an obligation to the audience. It is to the performer's discretion whether or not they are up to par to perform for an audience. If they don't feel that they are able to offer what the audience is expecting, the understudy/standby will perform in place of them. I will say that Broadway is an extremely professional place and no role is not cast unless deserved to be so. It's incredibly stressful physically, mentally, and socially to perform 8 times a week. I should suppose that if an actor is hacking up loogies, they should be able to call in sick. After all, there is life after not being able to see that person perform for you.

3) No matter how much you paid, or the distance you travelled, although regrettable, you will be mad that you weren't able to s










Bells and Whistles

1. If you click on the "last comment" column in the row that a link to a thread is in, you can go straight to the last comment. Thanks to Stagewhore for the suggestion.

[MyNameInLights]

Amazing. VERY NEEDED.

[Tiny-Toon]

Thank You Aigoo!

[Aigoo]

ugh. I'm tired. And done for tonight. I truly hope this is helpful.

[zoran912]

Damn girl! YoU iS A GoDeSEs!!!!

OMG!!! AIGOO!!! HAVE ME BABIEZZESA!!!!! I LOVEUE YOU!!!E!OMOGMOOMG!!!!@

[Aigoo]

Ha. You spelled "moo". ::falls asleep on her keyboard::

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Gee, if I had known all of this when I joined this board centuries ago .

Thanx Aigoo, I am a little more convinced we will have a more civilized world ... eh meaning board, now.

[stage_door76]

excellent, excellent, excellent

and very funny

[orangeskittles]

Aigoo, at first I was so confused when I saw that you had posted this and wondered if maybe it was an ancient thread that was bumped up or something.

But good job, it's informative, yet funny. And definitely needed, because the constant repeats of these questions drive me up the wall. I wish it could be posted at the top or something, because pages of bumps to keep this accessable to those who obviously need it will get old.

[Aigoo]

Maybe Rob or Craig will sticky it.

[Therese]

Brilliant! I think it should be stickied. (And I did not know about the line break code before this.)

One teensy-eensy thing, and I hope it's not "bad form" to mention it: On #1, I think you mean "courteous and respectful" to the other board members. "Respective" has to do with things in relation to other things: "Spamalot and Avenue Q won Tonys in their respective years," or "Ethel Merman and Mary Martin were the original stars of Gypsy and South Pacific, respectively."

[Aigoo]

Ah! Thank you! No, it's fine. Zoran pointed out earlier I had spelled punctuation wrong, I was missing a "t". Don't be sorry, it would drive ME nuts. I honestly don't know what I was thinking...

[apdarcey]

thank you aigoo. we should put this on the left under bww faq.

[Madame X]

The 'pics' of soandso as Elphaba cracked me up.

[Aigoo]

Yes, they're quite good aren't they? I sort of got lazy near the end so it looks like something just puked on Eden...

[musicnmath]

I love the Elphaba pics. How often is that question asked?!

question: can you add what the little blue and red envelopes mean? I've been around more than 6 months and still don't quite get it.

:)

[Aigoo]

I know how to explain it but I'll try and dig up a more specific answer.


And the question is asked...not as often as "frequently"...but I thought I'd put it in there with all those Wicked questions ANYWAY. And I'll admit a was a little bored...

[ikmbway]

Very well done Aigoo. We needed this on the board. Sorry guys for my bad grammar. Glad you put this together!!

[MargoChanning]

Just a point of clarification:

A "swing" is a sort of understudy for the all the members of the ensemble. They have to know all of the "tracks" in the ensemble (separated by gender -- there are usually separate male and female swings) and will go on when an individual chorus member is out for whatever reason.

[SorryGrateful]

Oh, Aigoo, that is a thing of beauty. I'm impressed with what you're saying, of course, but the sheer breadth of it made me gasp. Bravo!

[WickedCatsontheRoof]

That was great. I especially enjoyed the photos. Thanks Aigoo.

[Aigoo]

El bump.

[Michael Bennett]

I love it, though I wish you would add pictures of Meredith Viera and Ann Margret as Elphaba, since, as we've discussed many times, they will be playing the roles.

[shira467]

Fantastic Aigoo!

[Thenardier]

I suggest everyone bookmark it...whenever a newbie comes and says hello, we post a link to here.

Maybe you will want to add in this for Saycon:

[Thenardier]

And, umm...