What makes a Theater company to be Broadway or off-Broadway or even Off-Off-Broadway ?

Answer 1

“Broadway theaters must have 500 or more seats.
An Off-Broadway theater must have 100 to 499 seats.
An Off-Off-Broadway theater has 99 seats or less.”

It has nothing to do with the quality of the production. I

Answer 2

Yea, as others have mentioned it has to do with the location of a theatre in Manhattan and the size of the theatre. Also, it has nothing to do with the company that is producting the show, but the theatre in which the show is running.

There are many categories that have nothing to do with New York. I'm a Chicago lighting designer, so I have to mention that theatre is not exclusive to New York. I classify theatre theatre as:

Local: Community, High School, or Not for Profit Theatres

Educational: Collegiate Theatre

Regional: Theatre done by professionals in the field. Some unionization. Some of the "off Broadway" shows fall into this category.

Professional: Theatres in which the work is done by the top professionals in the field. Some LORT ("League of Resident Theatres"), West End (London's Broadway), or Broadway. Very nearly all professional theatres hire exclusively from the 3 unions (AEA, USA 829, & IATSE)

Answer 3

Those are designations for the AEA (Actor's Equity) to ascertain how much to pay union actors. Theaters in the 'Broadway' area have to pay more for actors, etc. The next step down is Off Broadway (lower budget but more cutting edge) and then comes Off-Off ... and I think that's as far as it goes. Off-Off, as people have answered, can be very limited capacity. I remember going to an Off-Off show that took place in the living room of somebody's apartment. It was cabaret style with about 10 chairs and 5 small tables and they gave the audience snacks and watermelon, which I still think was sort of odd, but that's Off-Off.

Answer 4

that's a great challenge. And having performed it (in Florida for the duration of the early Eighteen Nineties) i'm able to inform you that's profitable and laborious. at the beginning you may discover a set of human beings to paintings with you. The needful skills are: producing, directing, advertising, set layout, technical supervision. you p.c. a problematical working individual in each and each of those positions. And, as properly, they're going to each and each in all probability finally end up wanting assistants. I ran a newborn's theatre with six different human beings. because of the fact we labored with babies, we discovered we p.c. a newborn herder besides, geared up with a automobile and countless endurance to handle prima donna mothers and fathers. then you could locate some form of doable area. that's often high priced; even a cost effectively gotten area will require a great deal of paintings and cost to equip. To this end, you will could locate some funders. according to the place you're working, that's often the main daunting element of the technique. If there is an modern-day college or community theatre point on your section you could often link up with them and use their abode whilst they're darkish. yet finally, in case you're growing to be the real freedom to offer shows, your very own area is what you will need. based on the situations there, you will be able to could build a point... even with the incontrovertible fact that that's no longer continually mandatory. Thatre interior the around may well be very efficient. Do your self a desire and circulate to productions around the place you reside. Introduce your self to the present community communities. become in touch with certainly one of their initiatives, so which you would be able to get a style for it. I choose you a international of success.

Answer 5

It's mainly the size of the house and the amount of seating. There are some other rules with Equity, but it's mainly about capacity.

Answer 6

The location of the theatre in NYC!

Answer 7

Forget about all that. Concentrate on quality. Then they, come looking, for you!