How to See a Show on Broadway

New York City is home to so many famous attractions, but its also the show theatre capital of the world (possibly along with London’s West End). When you think of theatre, naturally you think of Broadway. While its technically the name of the 13 mile street that runs the length of Manhattan Island, for all intents and purposes, when we say Broadway we mean New York’s theatre district.

Home to 41 theatres, this area of Midtown Manhattan is based around the diagonal street that sits between West 40th and West 54th Street, and Sixth and Eighth Avenues. The origins of this entertainment hub can be traced back to 1750, as Thomas Kean and Walter Murray established the first theatre company on Broadway. When the Park Theatre was constructed in 1798, a range of others followed suit, with musical theatre in particular becoming popular in the 20th century.

Nowadays there’s no limit to the shows you can see on Broadway. I make sure I see a show on Broadway every time I go to New York. if you’re a fan of musical theatre (or theatre in general) I suggest you do the same on your next trip to the city. With so many choices, I wanted to give you a few Broadway tips in this post.

• There’s a lot to do in New York. Check out my summary post to learn about it all HERE.

Planning to See a Broadway Show

There’s a few things to know when you’re planning to see a Broadway show. First of all, if you’re wanting to see one of the more popular plays, you should book your tickets as soon as you make plans to be in New York. Tickets do sell out frequently, and its highly unlikely you’ll get good seats (or even any seats) by just rocking up on the day at the theatre. You can purchase tickets on the website of the actual play you are seeing, or on the Broadway Tickets website. The latter may also help you decide what to see.

If you’re not fussed what you see, you can save money by getting last minute tickets at the TKTS Booth in Times Square (underneath the famous red steps). Each day, participating shows set aside discounted tickets here which can be up to 50% off their normal price! If you rock up, you’ll be able to see whats available, though like I said, don’t expect to catch a headline performance. The tickets are normally for older or off-Broadway (less famous) shows. Availability is limited and you can only pay at the window, often after a lengthy queue (no online booking). One lesser known fact is that if you do buy a ticket from TKTS, if you want to buy another show within the next 7 days, you can show your stub to cut the queue.

Most Broadway shows run 6 days a week. Generally speaking Monday is the off day, and there’s two performances on both Wednesdays and Saturdays (though this depends on the show). Aim to get to the theatre at least 20-30 minutes before showtime. Performances start promptly and you may be denied entry until a pause in the action if you’re late.

Where to Sit for a Broadway Show

When selecting your tickets, keep in mind that Broadway theatres are designed specifically for these kinds of shows. While there’s definitely premium seats that are better than others, in my experience there’s no such thing as a bad seat in a Broadway theatre. Prices do vary significantly though (both in terms of seating and across different shows), so set yourself a budget before you dive in. When looking at the seating chart, it may help to understand the following terms:

• Orchestra: this is the seating area right in front of the stage. These are invariably the best (and most expensive) seats in the theatre.
• Mezzanine: this is the second level of the theatre and generally protrudes over the Orchestra area. This is my favourite place to sit if I’m not wanting to splurge on the Orchestra seats.
• Balcony: this is the seating area furthest away from the stage and is generally the most affordable option. Only the larger venues tend to have a balcony section.

Some Shows to See on Broadway

There’s so many shows on Broadway (not to mention off-Broadway). It would be impossible to see them all. I have seen quite a few though (both in New York itself, and on tour) so I want to give you a quick overview of some of my favourites. When you do arrive at the show, you’ll be given a Playbill booklet. This is a great souvenir (you can get it signed by the cast at the stage door after the show) and also gives you a rundown of the performers. You should spend a few minutes flicking through it before the show begins to set the scene for what you’re going to watch.

Hamilton

• Where: Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 W 46th Street, New York)
• Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes (plus intermission)
• Website: https://hamiltonmusical.com/new-york/home/

Starting out with the best of the bunch, Hamilton is my favourite Broadway show that I’ve seen. Chances are you’ve heard about it – its kind of a big deal. It was released in 2015 and has received multiple Tony Awards. But what’s the hype all about? This brilliantly written show basically tells the story of one the founding fathers of the United States – Alexander Hamilton, but it tells that story through the clever use of a contemporary hip hop soundtrack. Fair warning – you will leave the theatre with tunes such as “The Schuyler Sisters” stuck in your head. They’re that good. Overall the cast is incredible. If you’re not familiar with Hamilton’s story, you may want to read up on the history beforehand so you can get the most out of the performance though.

If you plan on seeing Hamilton, get in early (ideally several months in advance). This is the hottest ticket on Broadway. Its also the most expensive show in the city.

Book of Mormon

• Where: Eugene O’Neill Theatre (230 W 49th Street, New York)
• Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (plus intermission)
• Website: https://bookofmormonbroadway.com/

Looking for an (extremely irreverent) comedy? The Book of Mormon has you covered. When I tell you that this play was written by the minds behind South Park, that should tell you all you need to know about what you’re getting into with this one. It was first released back in 2011, but its still one of the most popular shows in New York. Plan to be in stitches for most of the show – though you might want to give it a miss if you’re easily offended. All things religion are up for ridicule here as the play depicts the adventure of two naive Mormon missionaries sent to a village in Uganda. As for the rest? You’ll have to watch it for yourself and find out.

The Lion King

• Where: Minskoff Theatre (200 W 40th Street, New York)
• Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (plus intermission)
• Website: https://lionking.com/

I haven’t actually seen the Lion King on Broadway, but I’ve seen this show when it has been on tour in Australia. Its a great choice if you’re travelling with children, though if you’re like me and love all things Disney, you’ll enjoy it as well. Chances are you know the story of Simba, who grows up to claim his place in the great Circle of Life. All the tunes from the classic film are here (along with a few bonus numbers), though the highlight is seeing the amazing puppetry used to depict the various characters.

Aladdin

• Where: New Amsterdam Theatre (214 W 42nd Street, New York)
• Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (plus intermission)
• Website: https://aladdinthemusical.com/

Another Disney classic. The Broadway version of this classic tale isn’t as sought out as the Lion King, but its still a lot of fun if you’re a Disney fan. The story closely follows the plot of the original movie (with a few deviations – Aladdin has a group of friends rather than a pet monkey for example) and again it has all the musical numbers. The magic carpet scene is a classic and the Genie steals the show as expected. This is another show that younger viewers will also enjoy.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

• Where: Lyric Theatre (214 W 43rd Street, New York)
• Duration: The full show is made of two performances – each runs for 2 hours and 40 minutes (plus intermission).
• Website: https://broadway.harrypottertheplay.com/

Okay technically I’m cheating here, because I haven’t seen Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (yet). Look, a total of more than 5 hours viewing time is a huge commitment. I would however be remiss as a Harry Potter fan to not include it on the list. If you follow the Wizarding World, chances are you’ve read the script of this one. I’ve heard the special effects are magical (pun absolutely intended). I wouldn’t recommend this as your first Broadway show though – the show is actually split into two different performances (and you need to buy each part separately as well, meaning its double the cost). You can split it over two different days though – just make sure you’re picking one screening of Part 1 and 2 respectively when you get your tickets.

Whatever you decide to see on Broadway, it will be a memorable highlight of your trip to New York City. As an institution of Manhattan, seeing a show is a must. Tell me some of your favourite stage shows that you’ve watched. Let me know what I’m seeing on my next trip to New York!