Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway plays or
musicals are performed in
New York City in smaller theatres than
Broadway, but larger than
Off-Off-Broadway, productions.
Off-Broadway theatres (venues) are those with 100 to 499 seats. The classification of theatres is governed by language in
Actors' Equity contracts, rather than by whether the theatre has a Broadway address.
Generally these productions housed in off-Broadway theatres are less expensive, less publicized, less well-known and feature less-famous performers. The smaller scale often allows more experimental, challenging work to be presented. Many groups which produce off-Broadway shows are non-profit rather than commercial producers, meaning they can more easily afford to take chances on plays which might not be commercial hits; however, they still have to ensure enough interest in their plays to have a large enough subscriber base to keep them financially sound. Some commercial productions have found a profitable niche in Off-Broadway venues which allows long runs in their original theatres.
It is not uncommon for shows staged successfully off-Broadway to later have a run on Broadway. For instance, the musicals
Godspell,
Avenue Q,
Rent,
Hair, and
Little Shop of Horrors, and the plays
Doubt and
I Am My Own Wife were initially shown in New York off-Broadway. However, some productions may run successfully for several years in off-Broadway venues; examples are
Stomp,
Blue Man Group,
Perfect Crime and
Naked Boys Singing.
The Fantasticks, the longest-running play in New York theatre history, spent its 40-year run off-Broadway.
*
Actor's Playhouse*
Astor Place Theatre*
Atlantic Theater Company*
Barrow Street Theatre*
Classic Stage Company*
Manhattan Theatre Club*
Minetta Lane Theatre*
Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre*
The New Group*
New York Theatre Workshop*
Playwrights Horizons*
The Public Theater*
Second Stage*
Signature Theatre*
Soho Playhouse*
Vineyard Theatre*
Official site*
NY Times listing*
Playbill listing* http://www.broadwaybox.com -- Off-Broadway discount codes distributed by the show producers for cheap tickets up to 50% off
