Your first Broadway show
The questions every first-timer asks. Rules vary by theater and show, so check your ticket for anything that matters.
Getting there
- Arrive about 30 minutes early. There's a bag check at the door, and lines get long close to curtain.
- If you're late, an usher may hold you at the back until a suitable moment.
- Large bags and luggage usually aren't allowed, and most theaters have no coat check. Each show page says what people found about backpacks.
What to wear
- There's no dress code. Jeans are fine, and so is dressing up.
- Theaters are often chilly, so bring a layer.
Kids
- Everyone needs a ticket, whatever their age, and most shows don't admit children under 4.
- Many theaters have booster seats; ask an usher. Each show page has the youngest age people who went would bring.
During the show
- No photos, video or recording during the performance. Many shows don't mind a photo of the stage before it starts.
- Your Playbill is free; the usher hands it to you.
- Intermission is usually about 15 minutes and the restroom line is long, so go straight away. Some shows have no intermission at all; the show page says.
- The bars sell drinks and snacks, and many shows let you take them to your seat, often in a souvenir cup.
Tickets
- Buy from the show's official seller or the box office; resale sites can charge far over face value.
- The TKTS booth in Times Square sells discounted tickets for the same day.
- Rush and lottery tickets can be much cheaper. Broadway Cheap Seats keeps a list for every show.
After
- Some performers come out of the stage door to sign Playbills, but it's never guaranteed, and understudies and busy nights change it.
- Then somewhere to eat or drink nearby, and log it so you remember who you saw.