Theater Venues & Contracts Flashcards
What is the Highest Level of American Theater?
Broadway
What contract does Broadway fall under?
A Production Contract negotiated by the Broadway League
Broadway
- Defined by how many seats it has – 500+
- There are about 40 Broadway theaters
- Only theaters eligible for Tony Awards (except for the Regional Theater award)
- Is professional theater at its best: Distinguished stars, Elaborate sets and costumes, Sophisticated musicals and plays
- Expensive! (costs a lot to produce, ticket prices average: $189)
- Only found in NYC
- Broadway Tours
What is TKTS known for?
- Half-priced tickets for Broadway shows on the day of the performance
- Producers use this to fill seats for performances that are not sold out
What is the purpose of Broadway tours?
- Helps recoup losses from Broadway flops
- Brings Broadway to people that might not ever see it
- Seldom use original stars
Examples of most expensive plays
Music Man and Hamilton
Off Broadway
- Originally named so because of the actual theater’s location, on a street just off of Broadway
- Now defined by number of seats - 100-499
- Some shows “transfer” to Broadway
- Serves as a showcase for new talent
- Average ticket price: $80
- 1,200 per week
Shows that transferred from Off Broadway to Broadway
- Rent - New York Theater Workshop 1993 & 1996
- Avenue Q - Vineyard Theatre 2003
- Hamilton - The Public Theater 2015
Off-Off Broadway
- Started in late 1950’s as a place for experimental, anti-commercial theater
- Defined by 99 seats or less
- Performed in various spaces: Coffee houses, Cellars, Churches, etc.
- Often socially, politically, or artistically alien to current
American ideals - Average ticket price: around $30
What play started at the Off-Off Broadway theater Ars Nova?
NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
Regional Theaters
- Usually not-for-profit
- Can be more adventurous with
- Play selection
- Production style
- Personnel decisions
5 Major Benefits that Regional Theaters Offer:
- Provide a place where new and classic plays can coexist
- Developing new audiences for live theater
- Training ground for theater artists
- Help to stretch an actor’s craft
- Provide more jobs
Regional Theaters can fall under different kinds of contracts such as:
- LORT - League of Resident Theatres
- SPT - Small Professional Theatre
- LOA - Letter of Agreement
Define LORT
League of Resident Theatres
- A consortium of 70+ non-profit regional theaters
- Has 5 categories: A+, A, B, C, D based on weekly box office gross which
dictate salaries and ratio of Equity and Non-Equity actors
Define SPT
Small Professional Theatre
- Commercial or non-profit theaters smaller than 350 seats outside of NY
or Chicago