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Off-Broadway plays or musicals are performed in New York City in smaller theatres than Broadway, but larger than Off-Off-Broadway, productions. Off-Broadway theatres (venues) are those with 100 to 499 seats. The classification of theatres is governed by language in Actors' Equity contracts, rather than by whether the theatre has a Broadway address. Generally these productions housed in off-Broadway theatres are less expensive, less publicized, less well-known and feature less-famous performers. The smaller scale often allows more experimental, challenging work to be presented. Many groups which produce off-Broadway shows are non-profit rather than commercial producers, meaning they can more easily afford to take chances on plays which might not be commercial hits; however, they still have to ensure enough interest in their plays to have a large enough subscriber base to keep them financially sound. Some commercial productions have found a profitable niche in Off-Broadway venues which allows long runs in their original theatres. It is not uncommon for shows staged successfully off-Broadway to later have a run on Broadway. For instance, the musicals Godspell, Avenue Q, Rent, Hair, and Little Shop of Horrors, and the plays Doubt and I Am My Own Wife were initially shown in New York off-Broadway. However, some productions may run successfully for several years in off-Broadway venues; examples are Stomp, Blue Man Group, Altar Boyz, The Awesome 80s Prom, Perfect Crime and Naked Boys Singing. The Fantasticks, the longest-running play in New York theatre history, spent its 40-year run off-Broadway.
Notable off-Broadway theatre companies and venues | ||||||||
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