Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping

[All that Yazz]

Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping#1

Posted: 4/15/26 at 12:01pm

 

Coming to Broadway for the first time ever in a couple of weeks to see

 

Rocky Horror

Ragtime

Death Becomes Her

Ulster America 

Lost Boys

Cats

Carnival

Death of a Salesman

Maybe Happy Ending 

Little Shop of Horrors

The Adding Machine

 

and I have a couple of questions

 

1. I understand you get free programmes (yay) but for the musicals, especially Rocky and Cats, I would quite like to get a glossy brochure! How much will these set me back?
2. I genuinely never drink in the theatre (not behaviour, attention) however deffo at Rocky and maybe at the interval in a couple of the musicals I might treat myself to a beer - how much will they be? Do they come in cans? 
3. Tipping! In the UK we don’t but as a true Brit I would rather die than get it wrong - do I tip in the theatre? Bar person? Brochure seller? I don’t have much money so I can’t throw it away, I just don’t want to be shouted at!!

huh

[Kad]

Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping#2

Posted: 4/15/26 at 12:08pm

Not all productions sell premium programs- I don't believe Cats or Rocky do. 

All beverages will be served in plastic lidded cups. Price varies but expect to pay $10-15 for a beer.

Tipping isn't as important in theaters as it is in bars and restaurants. Merch sellers are never tipped; at the bar, there may be a tip option when you pay with a card and you can really put any amount but 15-20% is customary or a couple bucks. Some concessions purveyors discourage tipping entirely. 

"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

Updated On: 4/15/26 at 12:08 PM

[All that Yazz]

Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping#3

Posted: 4/15/26 at 12:41pm

Kad said: "Not all productions sell premium programs- I don't believe Cats or Rocky do.

All beverages will be served in plastic lidded cups. Price varies but expect to pay $10-15 for a beer.

Tipping isn't as important in theaters as it is in bars and restaurants. Merch sellers are never tipped; at the bar, there may be a tip option when you pay with a card and you can really put any amount but 15-20% is customary or a couple bucks. Some concessions purveyors discourage tipping entirely."


thanks!

if a show does a brochure, generally how much will it be?

huh

[Kad]

Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping#4

Posted: 4/15/26 at 12:43pm

They're usually $20-30, depending on the production. 

"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

[All that Yazz]

Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping#5

Posted: 4/15/26 at 12:47pm

Kad said: "They're usually $20-30, depending on the production."

awesome. Thanks. Glad not everyone does them 🤣😅🤣🤣😅🤣😅

 

huh

[ClumsyDude15]

Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping#6

Posted: 4/15/26 at 1:19pm

Just from a quick glance of the shows you're seeing, only Maybe Happy Ending has a program and it's $20.00. 

On their merch site below, you can actually go through what the program looks like as well. 

https://merchdot.com/collections/maybe-happy-ending/products/mhe-program

 

"Anybody that goes to the theater, I think we’re all misfits, so we ended up on stage or in the audience.” --- Patti LuPone.

Updated On: 4/15/26 at 01:19 PM

[All that Yazz]

Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping#7

Posted: 4/15/26 at 1:32pm

ClumsyDude15 said: "Just from a quick glance of the shows you're seeing, only Maybe Happy Ending has a program and it's $20.00.

On their merch site below, you can actually go through what the program looks like as well.

https://merchdot.com/collections/maybe-happy-ending/products/mhe-program

"
 

oh wow I am SO getting that! 
 

crazy non of the other shows do them, in London you can’t sneeze without a full colour over priced glossy brochure 

 

huh

Updated On: 4/15/26 at 01:32 PM

[carolinaguy]

Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping#8

Posted: 4/15/26 at 2:13pm

It may be the same way in London (it's been 20 years since I saw a show there), but be aware that depending on where you're sitting and the actual theater layout, it could be a long haul down a lot of stairs to a basement to get to the bar where a lot of other people are trying to do the same thing. You may end up with just a couple of minutes to actually drink your beer before you have to go back to your seat. And if you need a visit to the loo, forget it. Some houses have multiple bars, pre-ordering, etc., but be prepared that sometimes it's a hassle.

These days, my group generally picks a bar close to the theater and goes afterwards for a drink to discuss the show. 

Enjoy your trip!

Just remembering you've had an "and" When you're back to "or" Makes the "or" mean more than it did before

Updated On: 4/15/26 at 02:13 PM

[ClumsyDude15]

Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping#9

Posted: 4/15/26 at 4:45pm

Yazz - From what I've gathered from friends who have worked merch in the past - programs are expensive to produce and aren't always super popular [although I - like you - love a good souvenir program]. Sometimes they wait until about a year in to produce them, sometimes they wait until a tour launches, and sometimes they don't produce them at all. 

Roundabout has done programs in the past, but Rocky Horror is still pretty new, so it might take awhile. Same with Cats and Lost Boys. Keep an eye out on the merch stores in the future as they'll sell them there too. 

You've got a great mix of shows there - have a wonderful trip! :)

"Anybody that goes to the theater, I think we’re all misfits, so we ended up on stage or in the audience.” --- Patti LuPone.

[Matt Rogers]

Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping#10

Posted: 4/15/26 at 5:13pm

Kad said: "Not all productions sell premium programs- I don't believe Cats or Rocky do.

All beverages will be served in plastic lidded cups. Price varies but expect to pay $10-15 for a beer.

Tipping isn't as important in theaters as it is in bars and restaurants. Merch sellers are never tipped; at the bar, there may be a tip option when you pay with a card and you can really put any amount but 15-20% is customary or a couple bucks. Some concessions purveyors discourage tipping entirely."

Exactly which concessions purveyors discourage tipping entirely? None that I have ever seen.