New York City Broadway Experience

To be able to see your first Broadway play when in New York City is one of those events that folks will rightfully so, wait their entire lives for. A Broadway show is a true bucket list item. From the act of buying tickets to the actual part when you get settled in after you've made it to the theater to see the Broadway show, there are numerous rules you need to remember to ensure that your Broadway experience is not only memorably enjoyable for you but also for anyone else who you're sharing space with at the show. 

Research Your Ticket Options

You should note that a Broadway theater is designed to feature three seating areas. These seating areas include the Orchestra, Mezzanine, and Balcony. The Orchestra seating is set up to be closest to the stage and is ultimately where a performance's live orchestra will be set up. The ticket prices for these seats are often the priciest option available to you. The balcony is significantly higher up in the theater and is a great option for less-priced tickets. Online ticketing sites are set up to make it as easy as possible for you to view a virtual seating chart which will show you both what's available and what the seats cost. Last, accessibility seats are also available for purchase at Broadway shows. As always, if you have additional questions regarding tickets/seating it's best to reach out to the theater directly. 

Give Yourself A Time Cushion To Get There Comfortably

As a result of travel time, and how long it can take for a subway to arrive at the theater due to unforeseen circumstances like being temporarily back up on the tracks, it's always a good idea to give yourself a calming grace period for actually getting to the theater. Make sure to check out the start time that's been listed for your Broadway show on your ticket beforehand. You can most often expect a Matinee show to start up around 2 pm, while the weeknight shows will usually kick off at 7 pm with the Friday and Saturday shows being around 8 pm. It is best to make sure you arrive between 30-40 minutes before the start of the show. Security checks before anyone can enter the building will expectedly slow the whole process down. You can print out your e-tickets for your Broadway show to ensure that you have as easy of a check-in as possible, and then once you're inside of the theater you'll be provided easily understandable directions from the ushers that are there to guide you to your seats. 

Maintain Mindfulness Of Space Around You

Your seat location will be marked by row, as each row that has been marked is alphabetized and then broken out into segments. The seats will be marked off with specific numbers as well. All of the info is listed on a ticket, and then ushers can provide extra help if you're unsure about finding it. Make sure that you work to avoid using the sides of your chair as an armrest, and also that you don't hang your coat too far off the back of yours as this can cut down on the space that the person has behind you. You should also make sure to avoid bringing any big bags with you to the theater as these can take up precious space as well. 

Read The Playbill

The Playbill that will be provided to you when you attend your Broadway show is far more than a piece of memorabilia. This Playbill will inform you about the production, providing a comprehensive breakdown of the performance by the allotted acts and intermission, and also the cast and crew. The Playbill will list out the performers' acting credits and include helpful professional headshots for each performer as well.