Off Broadway

Off Broadway

Off-Broadway plays or musicals are performed in New York City. "Off Broadway" originally referred to the location of a venue (and its productions) on a street in Manhattan's Theater District that intersected the street called Broadway—the long-time hub of the theater industry in the United States. Now, generally speaking, the term refers to a venue within the Theater District whose seating capacity is less than 500, or to a specific production that first appeared in such a venue.cite web|url=http://www.offbroadway.org/OB_MBA_2001a.pdf |title=Off-Broadway Minimum Basic Agreement|author=League of Off-Broadway Theatres and Producers. Inc. & TheAssociation of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers|accessdate=2007-12-14]

The rationale behind the designation is based on the implication that an Off-Broadway production is smaller and less fancy—in terms of venue size, star billing, writers'/choreographers' credentials, production cost, etc.—than a "Broadway" production.

There was a time when, regardless of the size of the venue, a theatre could not be considered Off Broadway if it were within the "Broadway Box (the traditional Broadway Theatre District)." This is no longer the case as evidenced by a number of theatres in that area, including (but not limited to) New World Stages, The Little Shubert Theatre and The Snapple Center. However, if an Off-Broadway theatre is located within the "Broadway Box," then there is a slightly higher minimum salary requirement for actors, according to Actors' Equity (labor union for live-theater performers) rules. cite web|url=http://www.actorsequity.org/ |title= Actors' Equity |accessdate=2008-09-16]

A number of successful Off-Broadway shows have had subsequent runs on Broadway. For instance, the musicals, "A Chorus Line", "Godspell", "Avenue Q", "Rent", "Spring Awakening", "Hair", "Grey Gardens", "Little Shop of Horrors", and Stephen Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park with George", and the plays "Doubt", "I Am My Own Wife", and "Bridge & Tunnel" were initially presented Off Broadway. However, productions such as "Stomp", "Blue Man Group", "Altar Boyz", "Perfect Crime" and "Naked Boys Singing" have run successfully for several years in Off-Broadway venues. "The Fantasticks", the longest-running musical in theatre history, spent its original 42-year run Off Broadway.title of show", "In the Heights" and "Passing Strange", transferred to Broadway although "Passing Strange" and "title of show" struggled to find audiences and closed quickly.

Off-Broadway shows, performers, and creative staff are eligible for nomination for the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, the Outer Circle Critics Award, the Drama Desk Award, the Obie Award (presented since 1956 by "The Village Voice"), and the Lucille Lortel Award (created in 1985 by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres & Producers). Although Off-Broadway shows are not eligible for Tony Awards, an exception was made in 1956 (before the rules were changed), when Lotte Lenya won for "Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical," for the Off-Broadway production of "The Threepenny Opera". [ [http://www.threepennyopera.org/histOffBway.php Threepenny Opera Off-Broadway] ]

References

External links

GENERAL
* [http://www.offbroadway.com Off Broadway Shows]
* [http://www.offbroadwayonline.com/home.php Off Broadway Online]
* [http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm Internet Off Broadway Database]
* [http://www.theatermania.com TheaterMania.com: Off Broadway Discount Tickets, News, Reviews and More]
* [http://www.bestofoffbroadway.com The Best of Off-Broadway: the most comprehensive source for Off-Broadway news, tickets, discounts, and show information]
* [http://www.broadway2day.com Broadway2day.com]

AWARDS
* [http://www.dramadesk.com/ Drama Desk]
* [http://www.dramacritics.org/ New York Drama Critics' Circle]
* [http://www.outercritics.org/ Outer Critics Circle]
* [http://www.villagevoice.com/obies/ Obie Awards]
* [http://www.lortel.org/LLF_awards/ Lucille Lortel Awards]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • off-Broadway — ☆ off Broadway [ôf′brôd′wā΄ ] adj. designating, of, or produced in any theater located outside the main theatrical district in New York City and presenting professional productions that are often unconventional, experimental, low cost, etc. adv.… …   Universalium

  • Off-Broadway — est un terme désignant les pièces de théâtre, les comédies musicales et les revues jouées à New York mais qui ne rentrent pas dans la définition du théâtre Broadway. Le terme est apparu durant la seconde moitié du XXe siècle pour désigner… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • off-Broadway — (adj.) 1953, experimental theater productions in New York City, from OFF (Cf. off) (adv.) + BROADWAY (Cf. Broadway). Even more experimental off off Broadway is attested from 1967 …   Etymology dictionary

  • off-Broadway — ☆ off Broadway [ôf′brôd′wā΄ ] adj. designating, of, or produced in any theater located outside the main theatrical district in New York City and presenting professional productions that are often unconventional, experimental, low cost, etc. adv.… …   English World dictionary

  • off-Broadway — prop. a. Of or pertaining to the professional theaters in Manhattan not in the Broadway area; performed in off Broadway[1]. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • off-Broadway — prop. n. 1. A group of low budget theaters located outside the Broadway area in Manhattan. [WordNet 1.5] 2. The professional drama presented in off Broadway theaters. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • off-Broadway — adj, adv an off Broadway play is one that is performed outside the Broadway entertainment area in New York City and does not involve as much money as the famous plays on Broadway …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • off Broadway — off Broadway, adj., adv. professional drama produced in New York City in small theaters often away from the Broadway area and characterized by experimental productions. Also, Off Broadway. [1950 55, Amer.] * * * …   Universalium

  • off-Broadway — adjective, adverb in a small theater outside New York s main theater district on Broadway …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Off-Broadway — For the American rock band, see Off Broadway (band). Off Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in… …   Wikipedia

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