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Broadway Plays and Productions

Broadway in New York City is the best-known center of the professional theatre in the United States.

The starting point for most theatrical productions is the playwright's script. Good scripts are in great demand, but playwrights almost always have difficulty getting their plans performed. If they want a professional production, they must first find a producer. The producer has the overall responsibility of the entire show. He acquires the play, hires a director, rents a theatre, and raises the money needed to finance the show. The cost of producing a play on Broadway has become increasingly high. Many musicals cost several million dollars. After raising the money, the producer negotiates contracts with everyone involved in the production. Following the rehearsal period, many plays intended for Broadway are presented first in one or more theatres outside New York City. Audience reaction and reviews by critics may lead to changes in the play. Since the 1960's, out-of-town tryouts often have been replaced by preview performances on Broadway. Tickets are sold, often at reduced prices, but the critics do not write reviews until after the official opening-night performance.

The final step in the production of a play - is opening night on Broadway. Drama critics from the leading newspapers, and from radio and television stations, review the play immediately. Top magazines print reviews within the next week or two. The reviews greatly influence the commercial success of a play. If all or most of the reviews criticize the play, the producer normally will close the show. A play must be a big box-office hit to survive long on Broadway. Many productions close after only a few performances. Some run for years. Each spring, many awards honor outstanding achievements in New York theatre for the season that began the previous autumn. Among the best known are the «Tony» awards, named for Antoinette Perry, a producer and director. Since 1947, Tony's have been presented to the best play and musical as well as the best authors, designers, directors, performers, and producers.

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