Before you head to the theatre, it's important to keep in mind that certain items that you might have on hand will not be permitted inside. Which ones might cause trouble? We've got you covered. Check out a full list of items that may or may not be allowed into a Broadway show.
6 comments:
I highly doubt that people are reading articles like this that tell you what you can and cannot bring into a broadway show. I love that they have to say “don’t try and being a full meal to a broadway show”. Haha. Just like movie theaters, you can’t bring food in but you know everyone that isn’t trying to go bankrupt is bringing in their own candy! There is a whole section that says “Can you bring a bicycle to a broadway show?” And the only response is “No.” You would think that all of these things are self-explanatory (like the question of whether you can bring a pet) but audiences always think of ways to surprise the crew and actors (which is honestly another great part of the theater experience even if it is annoying)
Sometimes you just have to answer the dumbest questions. I love that this article takes the asking of the question out of the occasion. Just send this to anyone that is wondering exactly what they should bring to a Broadway show. I also enjoy the silliness in this article. Before a person heads to the theatre, it's very important to consider what items you might have on hand that are not permitted inside a Broadway theatre. Food and Drink is a no. Suitcases are for coat check and not much else. Strollers are not recommended. Small shopping backs are A-ok. Big ones are not. Backpacks have the same policy as if you’re on a plane: bring one that will fit under your seat. Cameras must be stored. Bicycles are a DEFINITE NO. Broadway theatres are disability accessible, so wheelchairs are gucci. Pets are another hard no. Babies are another no. And are there any other real things you can bring than all of those? Truly, this article was not extensive, but funny.
Very informational with just a hint of dry humor. And they are all reasonable questions to ask especially for someone who's never been to see live theatre, and even for people who frequently attend shows. I myself have been to a number of productions, big and small, regional non-profit and commercial, but I have never seen a show on Broadway, so this is an article that is quite helpful for me. The bits about bags and backpacks were very useful for me, as I am never sure which theaters allow for what sized bags, or whether they allow bags at all, which is always a point of anxiety for me (I don't particularly like being parted from my bag). The author also has a nice, deadpan sense of humor. I had a good chuckle at "Can you bring a bicycle into a Broadway theatre?" The answer to which was a plain and simple "no."
I thought that this article was actually very helpful. The question of what you can and can't bring into a broadway theatre, though it may seem silly, is actually a very common and valid question. I know many people who have googled whether or not they would be allowed to bring whatever item into a Broadway theatre. I feel like some people would immediately jump to the conclusion that all of this is common sense and think "who would think it's ok to bring a bicycle to a Broadway theatre?" but clearly the question is asked enough to be included in the article. This article was easy to read, and very simply gave yes or no answers to each question. I never thought that someone might need to bring their suitcase with them to a Broadway show.
This article was really helpful and I don't care what anyone says! As people who have probably been to multiple Broadway shows, we really aren't in a position to judge and shame people who haven't. A lot of people haven't had the privilege to be involved in theatre and I really don't think that we should be discouraging possible future theatre-makers. So many people have said that their first broadway show made them want to make theatre, so if we make that a negative experience by judging them for simply not knowing things. We may think that not bringing a bicycle to a Broadway theatre is common sense, but it doesn't seem like a stretch to assume that a theatre may have somewhere to store larger items such as bicycles and suitcases. It makes sense that someone may have to go to the airport right after the show and would want to bring their suitcase. Also, someone who's never been to a Broadway theatre wouldn't know how much room is between each row and that a suitcase wouldn't fit there. I'm just really not here for shaming people and making them feel bad because they haven't had the money or opportunity to travel to New York and see Broadway shows. Acting like the things that rich people do are common sense is so pretentious and exclusionary.
I've commented before about the idea of letting audiences know what they can and cannot do during a performance, previously when it comes to cellphone usage. I still believe we owe it to new theatre-goers to let them know the customs of our productions not only to ensure they aren't disruptive during the performance, but more importantly that they feel comfortable their first time in the audience. Again, as silly as some of these points are, I wholeheartedly believe that many have gone out for a pre-show dinner in midtown, and expect their leftovers expecting to finish them during the performance. Nevertheless, as I posted last time, audiences are changing, and maybe the traditions and customs of standard broadway theatre should change too. While most of these bullets in the article have more to do with disruptive items (bicycles, shopping bags, small children), maybe a director wants people talking or posting on social media as a part of the performance. Whatever the case may be, letting people know how we hope they experience our work is helpful for everyone.
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