Need to locate low prices on New York stays? Learn how to snatch up the best information on Big Apple hotels

The Statistics of Broadway.

In the tradition of its drama and musicals, Broadway continues to be spectacular in its statistics. During the 2007-2008 theatrical season, funds to the tune of $940 million flowed into Broadway’s 40 theatres. Just in ticket sales. For every ticket sold, a hotel room is occupied and many wonderful meals are consumed and paid for. And the numbers for 2009 are looking very similar. Today, the Broadway theater district stretches from 41st street to 53rd street between 6th Avenue and 9th Avenue. Only 4 of the 500 seat Broadway theatres (of which there are 40) can be found on Broadway itself. There’s no shortage of live theatre to see, including Off-Broadway there are 1500 shows produced annually, to which 7 million tickets are sold. If you want to get lost in a crowd, go to a show!And, as a result of the opportunities that abound for performers in New York; talented actors, singers and dancers flock here. With the plethora of talent available to casting directors, audiences are ensured of the highest quality performers and ground-breaking performances.

The Impresarios with Their Names in Lights on Broadway.

40 venues have the distinction of being known as official Broadway theatres. Some of these venues have been named after people who were heavily involved in creating the Broadway we know today. For most visitors to New York the majority of these names elicit a momentary, Who is that? before being distracted by the many lighted marquees and the dazzling larger than life advertising. So here is a guide to impress your friends and traveling companions. A number of theatres on Broadway are named for the impresarios of the theatre; the founders of modern Broadway who put the money and creative talent forward in writing, producing, designing and building theatres. The Belasco theatre is named for David Belasco who had it built in 1907. It is rumored that Belasco was the first to use the infamous “casting couch” and there have been many reports that his ghost haunts his theatre to this day. The Broadhurst Theatre opened in 1917 and was named after George Howells Broadhurst; a theatre manager and dramatist. The Broadhurst is still going strong today, and has hosted many successful plays in its 90 year history. The Cort Theatre has been on 48th Street since 1912. A successful theatre manager form Seattle named John Cort commissioned the building. The Golden Theatre gets its name from John Golden. After a brief period as a movie theatre in the mid-20th century, The Golden has since been converted into a legitimate theatre space once again. It was at the Golden Theatre that thousands of people saw the award winning Avenue Q from 2003-2009.

The Actors on Broadway Are Stars You’ve Never Heard Of.

We all know Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, but how about Boyd Gaines and Elaine Stritch?The latter pair are hugely talented and award-winning actors, but without the national celebrity of the former. The latter two have made their name not in Hollywood, but on Broadway, and maybe that explains their comparative anonymity. Most of the stars of Broadway aren’t as well known as their Hollywood colleagues. In an effort to bring in more revenue, Broadway shows do sometimes call in the movie stars with well-oiled publicity machines, but for the most part it is the regularly working actors of Broadway who “tread the boards”. However, they are just as talented as their friends in Hollywood. On Broadway there is no opportunity to yell “cut” if you forget your line, your shoe breaks, an actor forgets to come onstage, or you lose your wig. The show goes on no matter what. There are no body or stunt doubles on Broadway either. To make it on Broadway, an actor must be talented in all ways; as a singer, actor and dancer. They may need to be able to make an audience feel sadness, and also make them feel joy. So, next time you are in New York try to see a show starring one of the legends of Broadway theatre. Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch, Joel Grey, Julie Harris and Boyd Gaines are some of the names to look for.

That Great Little Hole-In-The-Wall. The Best Off-Broadway Theatres

Broadway is not the only place to see great live theatre in New York. A vast number of Off-Broadway theatres are producing work that really deserves to be seen. Here are a couple of the well-respected and attended theatres that seat 99-500 people. The New York Theatre Workshop is known for its focus on new works. This is the theatre where Rent debuted in 1994. The New York Theatre Workshop has played host to an illustrious group of creative artists since opening in 1982. Playwrights include Caryl Churchill, Tony Kushner and Alan Ball to name a few. Opening night for the NYWT's next production is November 13th 2009, when they will be stage The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Another respected Off-Broadway theatre is the Public Theatre which opened in 1967. Housed at 425 Lafayette, the Public Theatre opened with the world-premiere of Hair, and followed that success up years later with the smash hit world-premiere of A Chorus Line. This first run of A Chorus Line sold out before opening night. Since then the Public Theatre has gone on to win hundreds of awards for outstanding theatre. It is now home to five separate performance spaces and a cabaret pub. For more information about the current season, visit the Public Theatre's website.

Article Source: http://www.articles-unlimited.com

Manhattan or The Bronx? Stay in affordable New York City hotels wherever your Big Apple adventure takes you. Find out how to get the best rates on New York City luxury hotels.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated