Broadway Bound: What Makes a Broadway Show a Broadway Show

New York City has a rich history of theater, with local playwrights and composers creating such esteemed works as "Oklahoma!" "West Side Story," "A Streetcar Named Desire," and "Hamilton." Home to the hallowed strip called Broadway, The City That Never Sleeps was ranked the country's No. 1 location for live theater by USA Today. But Broadway plays, and musicals aren't the only New York productions making waves in the United States and around the world. The infographic below will help you understand what makes a Broadway show a Broadway show!

Broadway and its shows claim the largest share of New York City's theater dollars, with more than 13 million theatergoers helping Broadway gross nearly $1.45 billion in the 2016–2017 season. As the name suggests, Broadway productions take place in Broadway's large theaters such as the Vivian Beaumont Theater and Hudson Theatre. They're the only performances eligible for the prestigious Tony Awards. Off-Broadway shows also originate in New York, but they perform in smaller theaters anywhere in the Big Apple. 

Like off-Broadway shows, off-off-Broadway shows can come from anywhere in New York and they're not eligible for Tonys. They play to smaller theaters of 99 or less. Explore the following infographic and the one linked here to learn more about Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off-Broadway shows--and compare them to the offerings in London's West End.  Remember that, at the end of the day, these distinctions make little real difference. While Broadway is America's cultural capital with the largest theaters and award-winning productions, creatives around New York City are bringing exemplary plays and musicals to Big Apple audiences. 

Ready to venture out to a Broadway show?  What makes a Broadway Show a...Broadway show?