What Is Broadway? Everything You Need to Know About Broadway Theatre

Broadway is known around the world as the home of American theatre. Every year, millions of theatergoers head to New York City to see Broadway musicals, plays, stars, and some of the biggest productions in the world.

But what exactly makes a show "Broadway"? Why is it called Broadway? How many Broadway theaters are there? And do Broadway theaters actually have to be located on Broadway?

Whether you're planning your first Broadway show or just want to brush up on your theatre knowledge, we're answering some of the most common questions about Broadway and its history.

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What Is Broadway?

Broadway, or Broadway theatre, refers to the group of professional theaters in New York City that make up what is widely considered the highest level of commercial theatre in the United States. Broadway productions can be musicals, plays, concerts, or other special theatrical events. While "Broadway" is often associated with huge musicals, Broadway theaters regularly host everything from intimate dramas to one-person shows.

Broadway has also played an enormous role in American popular culture. Shows that begin on Broadway frequently go on to tour the country and the world, while Broadway musicals have been adapted into movies, television programs, books, and more.

And despite its name, a Broadway show does not have to play in a theater located on Broadway.

Why Is It Called Broadway?

Broadway theatre gets its name from Broadway, the famous street that runs through Manhattan. Long before Broadway became synonymous with theatre, it was one of Manhattan's most important thoroughfares. Its history stretches back centuries, predating the street grid that defines much of modern Manhattan. The road was used by Indigenous people before the arrival of European colonists. Under Dutch rule, portions of it became known as the Heeren Wegh, or Gentlemen's Way. After the English took control of New Amsterdam in the 17th century, the name Broadway eventually came into use.

As New York City's theater industry gradually moved uptown during the 19th and early 20th centuries, many theaters clustered around Broadway and Times Square. Eventually, "Broadway" became shorthand not simply for the street, but for the entire theatrical industry surrounding it.

Are All Broadway Theaters Actually on Broadway?

No! This is one of the biggest misconceptions about Broadway. Only a handful of Broadway theaters have entrances located directly on Broadway itself. Most can be found on the side streets surrounding Times Square, particularly between Sixth and Eighth Avenues. That means you can see a Broadway show without ever technically setting foot inside a theater located on Broadway.

"Broadway" refers to the theatrical classification and industry—not simply the theater's street address.

What Makes a Theater a Broadway Theater?

A Broadway theater isn't simply any large theater in New York City. Broadway houses are a specific group of professional theaters designated as Broadway venues. They generally have 500 or more seats and are concentrated in Manhattan's Theatre District, with one Broadway house—Lincoln Center Theater's Vivian Beaumont Theater—located farther uptown at Lincoln Center. A production playing one of these designated venues is considered a Broadway production.

The distinction matters because New York theatre is also made up of Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway.

How Many Broadway Theaters Are There?

There are 41 Broadway theaters in New York City. While Broadway theaters vary considerably in size, design, and age, together they make up the collection of venues commonly referred to as "Broadway." Some are enormous houses built for large-scale musicals, while others provide a much more intimate experience. Many are also historic landmarks in their own right. Broadway's oldest surviving theaters date back to the early 20th century and have hosted generations of legendary shows and performers. Learn more about each and every one of them.

Where Are the Broadway Theaters?

Most Broadway theaters are located in Manhattan's Theatre District, clustered around Times Square. The majority can be found between 41st and 54th Streets and between Sixth and Eighth Avenues, making it possible to walk from one Broadway theater to another in just a few minutes.

The Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center is the major exception. Located on West 65th Street, it is geographically separated from the other Broadway houses.

What Is the Broadway Theatre District?

The Theatre District is the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood where most Broadway theaters are located. Today, the neighborhood is closely associated with Times Square, but New York's theater scene wasn't always centered there. During the 19th century, many of the city's theaters were located much farther downtown. As Manhattan developed and transportation improved, the theater business gradually moved north. By the beginning of the 20th century, numerous new theaters were being constructed in and around Times Square, helping transform the neighborhood into the center of American commercial theatre.

When Did Broadway Begin?

Broadway doesn't have one official birthday.

Theatre had been presented in New York City long before the modern Broadway industry developed. During the 18th and 19th centuries, theaters operated in several different parts of Manhattan. As New York expanded northward during the late 19th century, its theater district moved with it. By the early 20th century, the area around Times Square was becoming the theatrical hub that audiences recognize today. Several Broadway theaters still operating today opened during this period, including the Lyceum, Hudson, and New Amsterdam theatres.

What Was the First Broadway Musical?

There is some debate over what should be considered the first modern musical, because musical theatre developed gradually from earlier forms including opera, operetta, vaudeville, burlesque, and musical comedy. One landmark production was The Black Crook, which opened in New York in 1866 and combined drama with music and elaborate dance.

As the form continued to evolve around the turn of the century, song, dance, dialogue, and storytelling became increasingly integrated. By the early decades of the 20th century, Broadway musical comedy was developing into the form that would eventually produce the modern musical.

Why Is Broadway Called the Great White Way?

You might have heard Broadway referred to as "the Great White Way." The nickname dates back to the early 20th century, when electric lights and illuminated advertising transformed the Broadway and Times Square area. At a time when electric lighting was still a relatively new spectacle, Broadway's brilliant signs made the neighborhood stand out dramatically after dark. The nickname stuck, and "the Great White Way" remains a familiar term for Broadway more than a century later.

What's the Difference Between Broadway and Off-Broadway?

Despite what their names might suggest, Broadway and Off-Broadway aren't simply descriptions of location. The terms primarily distinguish different categories of New York theaters. Broadway theaters generally have 500 or more seats, while Off-Broadway theaters generally have between 100 and 499 seats.

An Off-Broadway theater can therefore be located very close to Broadway. Likewise, a Broadway theater doesn't necessarily have to be located directly on Broadway. Many major shows have also begun Off-Broadway before transferring to Broadway.

What Is Off-Off-Broadway?

Off-Off-Broadway generally refers to smaller New York theatrical productions and venues, typically with fewer than 100 seats. The Off-Off-Broadway movement became particularly important during the mid-20th century as artists sought smaller, less commercially driven spaces in which to experiment with new theatrical work. Today, Off-Off-Broadway remains an important part of New York's theatre ecosystem and a place where emerging playwrights, directors, actors, and other artists can develop new work.

What's the Difference Between Broadway and the West End?

Broadway is centered in New York City, while the West End is London's major commercial theatre district. The two are often compared because both are home to major plays and musicals, historic theaters, international stars, and long-running productions. Shows frequently move between Broadway and the West End. A production might originate in London before transferring to New York—or begin on Broadway before making its way across the Atlantic.

Though the industries have different traditions, organizations, awards, and labor structures, "Broadway" and "the West End" are commonly used as shorthand for the major commercial theatre industries of New York and London. Learn more about their differences.

Can You See Broadway Outside of New York City?

Technically, a production must play in a Broadway theater in New York City to be "on Broadway." But Broadway shows certainly don't disappear when they leave New York.

Many successful productions launch national tours that visit theaters across the United States. Broadway musicals and plays can also be licensed to regional theaters, schools, community theaters, and other organizations. Broadway productions regularly transfer internationally as well.

So while you can't technically see "Broadway" outside New York, you can see Broadway shows—and productions based on them—almost anywhere.

What Is a Broadway National Tour?

A Broadway national tour is a traveling production of a show that visits cities around the United States and sometimes Canada. Tours often play major performing arts centers for anywhere from a few days to several weeks before moving on to the next city. Some tours closely reproduce the staging, costumes, choreography, and design of a Broadway production, while others are newly created versions of the same show. National tours make Broadway musicals and plays accessible to audiences who can't travel to New York City and are an enormous part of the American theatre industry.

How Long Do Broadway Shows Run?

There is no set length for a Broadway run. Some shows are announced as limited engagements and are scheduled to play for only a few weeks or months. Others have open-ended runs and continue selling tickets for as long as audiences keep coming. A Broadway production can close after only a handful of performances—or continue for decades. Shows like Chicago, The Lion King, and Wicked have demonstrated just how long a successful Broadway production can remain part of New York City.

Why Are Broadway Shows Closed on Mondays?

They're not always! Broadway traditionally operates on an eight-performance-per-week schedule, but individual productions determine exactly when those performances take place. Monday has historically been a popular dark day—the theater term for a day when no performance is scheduled—but not every Broadway production follows the same calendar. Some shows perform on Mondays and take another day of the week off instead.

That's why it's always important to check the performance schedule for the specific Broadway show you want to see.

What Are Broadway Matinees?

A matinee is simply a performance that takes place during the day rather than at night. Broadway matinees are commonly scheduled on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, although schedules vary from show to show. Matinees are the same full production audiences see in the evening and can be especially convenient for families, tourists, or anyone who would rather not leave the theater late at night.

What Are the Tony Awards?

The Tony Awards are Broadway's most prominent annual awards, recognizing achievements in Broadway plays and musicals. Categories honor performers, directors, writers, composers, designers, choreographers, orchestrators, and productions, among others. The awards are named in honor of Antoinette Perry, an actress, director, producer, and co-founder of the American Theatre Wing. For Broadway fans, the Tony Awards are one of the biggest nights of the year. Learn more about the Tony Awards.

Is Broadway Only Musicals?

No. Broadway is famous for musicals, but plays are an equally important part of Broadway. Every season brings new plays, revivals of classics, comedies, dramas, and limited engagements alongside new and returning musicals. Broadway theaters can also host concerts, solo performances, dance productions, magic shows, and other special events. A show doesn't have to feature singing and dancing to be Broadway.

Why Is Broadway So Famous?

Broadway's reputation comes from more than a century of theatrical history. The neighborhood has been home to many of America's most influential playwrights, composers, actors, directors, choreographers, designers, and producers. Shows created there have influenced music, film, television, fashion, and popular culture around the world.

Broadway has also helped establish New York City as one of the world's great theater destinations. For generations of performers and theatergoers alike, seeing those lights go up remains synonymous with putting on a show.