Are Shows Starting Later These Days?
Are Shows Starting Later These Days?
Are Shows Starting Later These Days?#1
Posted: 5/24/26 at 7:25pm
With Broadway’s 2025-26 fiscal season ending today, I just thought I’d ask a general question:
Is it me, or are most performances getting started a bit later in recent years? Pre-pandemic it often felt like the house lights would dim 5 minutes past the time listed on printed tickets at the absolute latest. In more recent seasons, I’ve been at shows that started about 7-8 minutes late tops. (The exception here being HARRY POTTER, which started at exactly the time listed on my ticket.)
Thoughts?
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
Are Shows Starting Later These Days?#2
Posted: 5/24/26 at 7:28pm
The thing I've noticed is that many shows have switched to a much earlier curtain time (especially Friday nights/Sunday matinees) and yet they all start roughly 10 minutes late.
Are Shows Starting Later These Days?#3
Posted: 5/24/26 at 7:35pm
The tradition in past years used to be the dim the house lights for a play 7 minutes after the scheduled time to allow for latecomers, for musicals 5 minutes to the downbeat of the orchestra which still allowed for late seating. Maybe they have gone back to that old custom/tradition.
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