New to theater?

Start here.

Nobody is born knowing what a swing is or where the mezzanine starts, and you do not need to know either to have a great night. These short guides give you enough to walk into any theater in the country, from Broadway to the community playhouse down the street, and feel at home. Regulars are welcome too.

6 min read

Your first time at the theater

Tickets, what to wear, when to arrive, how long it runs, and what happens at intermission. Nothing to be nervous about.

6 min read

Broadway, touring, regional, community: what is the difference?

Who makes the show, who is on stage, what tickets cost, and why a great night can happen at every level.

6 min read

Plays, musicals, and the kinds in between

Book musicals, jukebox musicals, sung-through shows, revues, comedies, dramas and one-acts: what each one is like and who it suits.

6 min read

How to get cheap tickets

Rush, lotteries, previews, pay-what-you-can nights, student and under-35 prices, and the seats regulars quietly prefer.

5 min read

Theater etiquette, the short version

When to clap, what to do with your phone, snacks, talking, and intermission. Mostly common sense, plus two or three things nobody tells you.

6 min read

Taking kids to the theater

Which shows suit which ages, children's theater versus youth theater, and how to prepare a child in ten minutes.

5 min read

How to read a Playbill

The cast list, the understudy slip, the song list and the credits: what every page of a theater program is telling you.

6 min read

Supporting your local community theater

Buy a ticket, bring a friend, audition, run a light board, sew a costume or usher on a Saturday. How to get involved.

5 min read

Why live theater is different

You can stream almost anything. Here is what a room full of people and actors a few yards away do that a screen cannot.

8 min read

A short history of American theater

From colonial touring companies to vaudeville, Oklahoma!, the regional theater movement and Hamilton, in eight stops.

Reference

Theater words, explained

Understudy, swing, previews, thrust stage, rush tickets: a plain-language glossary of the words you will hear and see at the theater.

Then

Go see something

Shows near me What's on, everywhere Kids and family

Start here.

Your first time at the theater

Broadway, touring, regional, community: what is the difference?

Plays, musicals, and the kinds in between

How to get cheap tickets

Theater etiquette, the short version

Taking kids to the theater

How to read a Playbill

Supporting your local community theater

Why live theater is different

A short history of American theater

Theater words, explained

Go see something

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