Broadway theatre, Although theat er is the preferred spelling in the U.S. (see further at American and British English Spelling Differences), the majority of venues, performers, and trade groups for live dramatic presentations use the spelling theat re . commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theatres with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Broadway theatre is the best known form of professional theatre to the general public in the United States and the most lucrative for the performers, technicians and others involved in putting on the shows. Along with London's West End theatre, Broadway theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world.
The shows that reach Broadway and thrive there have historically been perceived as generally mainstream and less likely to be cutting edge than some produced Off- and Off-Off-Broadway or in regional non-profit theatres.
The Broadway theatre district is a key tourist attraction in New York City. According to the The Broadway League, Broadway shows sell over one and a half billion dollars worth of tickets annually.
The Broadway Theatre (formerly Universal's Colony Theatre, B.S. Moss' Broadway Theatre, Early Carroll's Broadway Theatre, and Ciné Romais) is a Broadway theatre located at 1681 Broadway in midtown-Manhattan.
Designed by architect Eugene DeRosa for Benjamin S. Moss, it opened as B.S. Moss's Colony Theatre on Christmas Day 1924 as a venue for vaudeville shows and motion pictures. It was re-named Universal's Colony Theatre, B.S. Moss' Broadway Theatre, and Earl Carroll's Broadway Theatre before becoming a legitimate house simply called Broadway Theatre on December 8, 1930 . (In 1937, known as Ciné Roma, it showed Italian films). The Shuberts bought it in 1939. It was renovated extensively in 1956 and 1986. The large stage (nearly sixty feet deep) and seating capacity (1761) have made it a popular theatre for musicals throughout the years.
