I might not have seen Hamilton yet, but I have seen my share of Broadway shows. I remember going to my first one when I was 10. We were almost in the last row of the theatre to see 42 Street. Once I moved to New York City, I saw as many shows as I could – well, as many as I could afford anyway! Still, I felt like I had just scratched the surface. When I learned there was an Inside Broadway Tour, I knew it would be interesting and planned on going the next time I was in New York City.
I know a lot of New Yorkers avoid Times Square and the Theater District at all costs. While I was living there, I would too unless I wanted to see a show. As a tourist though, I do think Times Square is an area that you should see for yourself. It’s quite unique, the lights will mesmerize you, and the people watching will surprise you. On our way to the Broadway walking tour, we saw the Naked Cowboy, even though it was a chilly day! Tourists might also like this affordable hotel near Times Square.
There are a total of 41 Broadway Theaters!
We met the group 10 minutes before the scheduled tour start time by the statue of George M. Cohen on 46th Street in Times Square. It was easy to find the group because our tour guide, Filip, was holding a bright orange flag. Once everyone checked in, Filip announced that they would be splitting the group into two to make it more manageable. He called the names of people who would be going with another guide.
Filip gave us an overview of the Broadway and Times Square tour. All of the tour guides are actors. We would be getting an inside look at how Broadway works. The tour would take us to see some of the different theaters but we would not be going inside – no tour company is allowed to do that. Then he asked where everyone was from. I thought it was interesting that many people in our group was from outside the US. We had people from Spain, Chile, and England.
Filip shares some interesting stories about Times Square.
He started by explaining a little bit about Broadway history. It goes back all the way to 1904 when the subway opened. Times Square was the easiest place to get to because it was the only place where two subway lines met. Originally, Times Square was called Long Acre Square because there were horses everywhere but was renamed after the NY Times newspaper which used to have its headquarters here.
The area where we were standing was called Panic Island. Actors, like James Cagney, would perform here to try and get discovered. The statue we were standing by was George M. Cohen, who was an American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, producer and is known as father of American theatre.
This theater gets its name from the original name of Times Square.
Broadway Theater History
Next, Filip took us to see a couple Broadway theaters and told us about their history, how they got their names, and some of the famous people that performed in them. It was interesting to learn which theater was haunted, which one was cursed, and how one of the theaters kept their audience cool. Marlon Brando had his Broadway debut at the Barrymore Theater. Walt Disney saw Julie Andrews perform at the Majestic Theater. He was so impressed he went backstage to her dressing room after the show and offered her the role of Mary Poppins.
I didn’t realize that there are a few Broadway theaters named after critics and the Barrymore Theater was built for Ethel Barrymore. She was the first big Broadway star, but she only got to do 5 shows in her theatre before she died. Ethel was quite the diva and in case you were wondering she was Drew Barrymore’s great great aunt.
Hamilton is playing in the Richards Rodgers Theater which is named after Mr. Rodgers from the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein, the musical theater writing team behind the Sound of Music and many other classics. It was actually the first theater to have democratic seating where everyone would enter through the same doors.
Hamilton is the most popular Broadway show in years!
Broadway vs Off-Broadway vs Off Off Broadway
As Filip mentioned a lot of people think the difference between On Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres is the location, but that is not correct. In New York, theatre type is defined by the number of seats. A theatre with 500 or more seats is designated a Broadway theatre, it does not need to be located on Broadway. Off-Broadway theatre seat 99 to 499 people while an Off Off Broadway theatre has less than 99 seats.
Broadway in Numbers
Filip also gave us some insight into the financial side of Broadway. Of course, all the actors must be part of the union so there are minimum wages. I was surprised to learn that it costs between $10 and $12 million to put on a Broadway show. Yes, it is expensive but the shows can also make a lot of money. Lion King is actually the highest grossing show with $6.5 billion in ticket sales alone.
Wrapping up the Inside Broadway Tour
It seemed fitting to end our tour of the Broadway historic district outside the Majestic Theatre, where the Phantom of the Opera is currently playing. The theatre is known as the most blessed theatre on Broadway which makes sense since the Phantom of the Opera is the longest-running Broadway show.
Before we all went our separate ways we took a group picture. Filip took the picture on his cell phone and told us it would be emailed to us. Then he gave us a discount code for $10 ooff-Broadway tickets. (Check out the post I wrote about ways to save money on Broadway tickets.)
Our group picture from the Inside Broadway Tour with Filip.
Inside Broadway Tour Review
The Inside Broadway tour is perfect for Broadway fans and history buffs. Even though I have seen many Broadway shows, I still learned a lot from this tour – more than I could fit in this post! Our tour guide, Filip, was great. Filip shared lots of interesting stories and was happy to answer any questions. I enjoyed hearing his perspective and learning more about Broadway history. He did a great job keeping the group together in a crowded area. It was nice that he had a microphone, so we never had any trouble hearing. I also liked that they kept the group small.
Russell, who has less Broadway experience than I do, may have enjoyed the tour even more than I did. Right after the tour, he turned to me and his words were “That was brilliant!”
I would have liked to go inside some of the theatres but I understand that is not possible.
Inside Broadway Tour Logistics
Inside Broadway Tour Tickets
Tickets should be purchased online in advance. (Click here to check price and availability). If you plan on doing several tours and visiting other tourist attractions while you are in NYC, you may want to consider purchasing an NYC tourist pass to save money. The tour is also included in the NY Pass (Click here to get more information and check prices) and the NY Sightseeing Pass (Click here to get more information and check prices).
Route and Schedule
The tour runs daily at 4 and lasts around 90 minutes. You begin your tour at the George M. Cohen statue on 46th Street in Times Square and end at the Majestic Theatre on 44th Street. The best subway station to use for both points is Times Square. To find your tour guide, look for the orange flag.
Other Tours From New York Tour1
In addition to the Inside Broadway Tour, New York Tour1 offers a broad range of NYC walking tours including:
- One Day NYC Tour which is a one day tour that covers top attractions in Midtown and Downtown Manhattan. You will also ride on the Staten Island Ferry. Click here for more information.
- Various neighborhood walking tours like Soho, Little Italy and Chinatown, the Highline and Chelsea, Greenwich Village, and Lower Manhattan. Click here for more information.
- A few different tours with reserve boarding access to the Statue of Liberty Ferry. Click here for more information.
Are you a fan of Broadway shows? What are some of your favorites? Would you like to learn more about the history of Broadway musicals?
Expert Tips for the Inside Broadway Tour
- Be on time for your tour, it will start promptly and you won’t want to miss any of the Broadway history facts.
- Dress appropriately for the weather since the majority of the tour will be outside.
- Check out some of the other tours that New York Tour1 offers.
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Disclosure: We were given complimentary tickets for the Inside Broadway Tour so that we could share our experience with our readers. As always, opinions expressed here are my own.
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What a fun tour! This will be perfect for our youngest, who loves theater and will be in NYC this summer. BTW, we saw the Naked Cowboy in Times Square last December. Brrrr!!
Yes it was fun and your youngest will love it! The Naked Cowboy is just crazy!
Sounds like a fun tour, Anisa. Thanks for the history lesson, I didn’t know any of it. Yes, Times Square is something else, love it or hate it or both at the same time, but you can not forget being there. Yes, we saw the Naked Cowboy, too, a few years ago… it was a cold day, we were wearing winter clothes… wasn’t sure what to think of him.
Emese – I was surprised about a lot of the things I learned on the tour and I couldn’t include it all in the blog. Funny you saw the Naked Cowboy too. I think he is crazy!
I am a huge fan of Theatre, but I have not watched a Broadway show. I would love to do this trip. Thank you so much for post. Happy travelling!!!!#theweeklypostcard
Ushasita – I hope you get the chance to do it!
Woah, I can’t believe that it costs so much to put on a Broadway Show! That’s so expensive I can’t even imagine it. But I guess when you take into account all of the people who have to work on costumes, lighting, sets, music, actors, etc… it all adds up. I didn’t even know you could do a Broadway Tour otherwise I totally would have when we visited NY. We saw a Broadway show (or maybe it was Off-Broadway) but it had Laurie Metcalf who I knew from the TV show Roseanne, and Bruce Willis. It was awesome! #TheWeeklyPostcard
Katherine – Glad you got to see and show and that it had such big stars in it. Next time, you will have to do the tour!
I’ve been reading your NY posts for the last few weeks and we finally decided – we’re going to New York next year. Thanks for all the information! It will definitely be useful for when we make my our there next year. I hope we’ll have enough time to include all tours.
#TheWeeklyPostcard
That is so exciting! In my opinion, its the best city in the world. Stay tuned I will be posting more information that I think you will find helpful for your trip.
What a great idea! I had no idea that tours like this existed but I love the idea of meeting someone with such insight into the industry. Sounds like Filip did a great job 😀
Thanks Sarah. We really enjoyed it
great tips, just pinned your post for when I am back in Connecticut. After living in Copenhagen I begin to appreciate how spoiled I was living an hour from NYC!
Carolyn – Yes! I hope you get the chance to do the tour.
This sounds like a great tour. I am amazed at the amount of money it costs to put a show on. No wonder the tickets are so expensive. LOL! Thanks for the fun share!!
Michelle – Yes we did enjoy the tour. In some cases, the cost does drive up tickets but the other thing that affects the price is the demand!
Always wanted to visit NYC, and I love going on walking tours when we travel. I’ll add this one to the list! #TheWeeklyPostcard
Sarah – I hope you get to visit NYC, there are so many great walking tours there.
Nice post about the Broadway tour. As a New Yorker, I love Times Square–though I do try to avoid it when it is most crowded. Another thing to know about is Big Apple Greeters–they give free tours by volunteer New Yorkers. You have to request in advance because they get more requests that they can fill.
Thanks Sue. Glad you enjoyed the post.
I’ve seen a couple of Broadway shows in New York over the years, but never took the Broadway tour. It sounds like an interesting one. #TheWeeklyPostcard
Anda – If you are a Broadway fan, you will love this tour
I enjoyed your post. Thanks for clearing up the difference between Broadway, Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway. I too thought that it was about the location.
Thanks Dorothy! Glad I was able to clear it up
I had no idea tours like this existed! As you say, the area might definitely mesmerize you, so it´s great to have someone explaining you a bit of history! I love theatre, opera, ballet… so no matter where I’m traveling, I’m always looking for these cultural experiences! I’ve only seen Aladdin from the broadway shows. If they only were more affordable – I´d buy tickets for each and every! #TheWeeklyPostcard
Ana – You would love the tour. I have nit seen Aladdin glad to hear you enjoyed it
Seeing a broadway show is high on my list, but going on a tour like this surely adds value to this experience. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Lenise – Yes, I hope you get the chance to do both.
I’ve only been to a couple plays in my life (one on Broadway) but this tour makes me want to see more and get a behind the scenes look!
Christine – Thanks. I hope you get the chance to do the tour and see more shows.
How awesome the guides are actors and you get a behind the scene look and so awesome to learn about Drew Barrymore’s great-great-aunt! I guess dynasty actors inst quite as bad as being a political dynasty! haha #TheWeeklyPostcard
Lolo – Yes it was a really interesting tour!
Sounds like a great tour Anisa! #TheWeeklyPostcard
Thanks we enjoyed it!
How cool! I was lucky enough to see Spamalot on Broadway in 2006. I’ve seen several Broadway productions at home in San Diego, with the touring casts. I love that you got the inside scoop, and thanks for sharing with us. I love this kind of in-depth information!
Thanks Staci. Glad you got to see a Broadway show while you were in NYC. I know you would enjoy this tour.
Its interesting that none of the theatres allow you to go inside for a tour. And I love the fact that tour guides are actors. You get the real inside scoop this way! I’ll be sure to check out times square when in NYC. I can only imagine what a tourist trap it can be haha! Can’t wait!
Yes, it’s so fun to get the inside scoop. Are you headed to NYC soon?