VIBE

New York’s theater scene started out way downtown in the 1700s, creeping progressively uptown until it hit Broadway at the turn of the 20th century. By the time its iconic bright (electric) lights were fully blazing in the 1920s, Broadway had already become a world-class performing arts destination, and that tradition has roared on though the decades with long-running hits like Rent, Les Miserables, and Cats. For those looking for less razzle dazzle, Off Broadway (which is an umbrella term for the hundreds of 99- to 500-seat theaters across the city) offers more intimate performances. And, for those looking to really head off the beaten path, “Off Off Broadway” (any theater with less than 100 seats) is the place to look for experimental performances by up-and-coming actors.

GO HERE WITH

Theater fanatics; a date; friends; family

WHY WE LIKE IT

It’s a classic New York experience–you can’t visit the Big Apple without taking in at least one show. When we're feeling like over-the-top fun, we head for a rambunctious Broadway musical like Wicked, The Lion King, or Chicago, and when we’re in a more grown-up mood, we go Off Broadway for hits like Avenue Q, Million Dollar Quartet, and Richard II. (On that note, a good pick for quality Off Broadway shows is the Public Theater in the East Village–stars like Meryl Streep have performed here, and this is also the theater that puts on the summertime Shakespeare in the Park series in Central Park.)

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

Too hard to decide what to see! And tickets for hot shows can be difficult to score although TKTS has helped with that problem!

GOOD TO KNOW

TKTS offers reduced price tickets (up to 50% off) for same-day shows both on and off Broadway from booths in Times Square, South Street Seaport, and Downtown Brooklyn. More information about the hours and ticket offerings at each location is available at www.tdf.org. (Note that the Times Square location only sells day-of tickets, while the South Street Seaport and Brooklyn booths both sell next-day matinee tickets.) If you’re willing to forego bargains, the Broadway Ticket Center (located inside the Times Square Visitor Center on Seventh Avenue between 46th and 47th Streets) can get you tickets to just about any show in town (sometimes at exorbitant prices, though). Keep in mind that most Broadway theaters are closed on Mondays; many Tuesday and Sunday evening performances start at 7:00pm instead of 8:00pm; and matinees tend to be on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.

CLOSEST COMPS

West End/Theatre District (London); Sadler’s Wells (London); Kodak Theatre (Los Angeles)

Click here for our full-form mobile travel guide, The Purple Passport to New York City.