Theatre Brochures, Beers and Tipping

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!!

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?

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

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

 

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 

 

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

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! :)