What defines a Broadway tourist to a Broadway regular.

I live in the tri-state area, but not in NY, and I don't really consider myself a tourist. I go to NYC on numerous occasions throughout the summer when I am home. I actually had an internship there the past two summers. I try to see as many shows as possible. So, I don't really consider myself a tourist. I've actually thought about this before too.

---

I guess a BW tourist is one that sees a BW show as part of the NYC experience - the cruise, the museums and a bw show package. A regular who be one who is able to frequent BW shows (possibly living in NYC or taking annual trips in). Someone who actually knows about musicals but don't get to frequent BW, I think it merits a new category.

---

I thought the title said terrorist at first.

Don't know why!

I wont call you a tourist schmerg.. you are too insidery and abreast with the world of MT :P

---

Depends. I live in New Jersey 12 miles away from the city and I don't consider myself a tourist. I am normally in the city an average of 2 or 3 times a month. But I think you familiarity with the shows plays into it. So if you are on Broadway Forums you are not really considered a tourist. Now I sometimes go to shows with my mom who does not know much about the shows but I don't consider her a tourist to Broadway.

I'm like you Schmerg, I've only been to NYC once (for my graduation gift) and could only afford to see one show. I see the tours that I can but since I'm an 18-year old living in Texas trips to NYC can't happen often. But I don't consider myself a tourist either because I have a ton of recordings on my iTunes, I stay up to date on what's happening on Broadway, and look up as much as I can online about shows.

I wish I could afford to go and see BW shows all the time but I can't. =[

As a play on words...I go to NYC solely to see shows (visiting my sister is a pretense). In essence, I go to tour Broadway, so I am a Broadway Tourist.

I don't know you can really say that knowing a lot about b'way but not seeing shows can classify you as a regular. That is akin to saying you are a movie buff if you read a lot of movie reviews but don't see the movies. Reviews/ articles are all good and well, but is like watching a youtube video since you only get an impression of the performance and not all the subtleties from seeing it live. Tour shows are never the same as seeing it on Broadway since the staging is different (face it tour sets are always pared down) and tour casts, while having some excellent actors doesn't compare to seeing the 'A-team' cast. You can be a theater fan and still be not considered a Broadway regular, in my opinion.

I think what makes someone a Broadway regular is, ironically, their ease and interest in exploring theatre not on Broadway. And I'm not talking about just Altar Boyz or Stomp or the Blue Man Group or something else that's been running forever.

Interest in shows at the Public, Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage, MTC, St. Ann's Warehouse, or any of the hundreds of other non-profits in city shows you are interested in theatre and the theatre community itself rather than just a casual tourist picking out shows at TKTS. I think Broadway regulars can be from anywhere.

That plus the typical tourist signs: Subway confusion, hesitation crossing the street, freaking out when a celebrity walks by, eating anywhere in the Times Square area, etc.

A Broadway tourist has been defined...someone who sees a show to see a show. A Broadway regular is obviously someone who sees shows to see and be a part of the theatrical community.

And if you live outside the city, you eventually become more of a visitor to the city, rather than a tourist.

---

But isn't there a difference between a NYC tourist and a Broadway tourist? Some of your definitions fall more into the category of NY tourist (i.e. eating in Times Square--which I happen to do just because it's convenient and I'm not picky about my food, getting lost on the subway, not crossing, etc.). I'm from the Philly suburbs (about an hour and a half from NY) and go into ny at least once a month, and see a show pretty much every time I'm there...but I hardly consider myself a tourist (of either ny or broadway). I think a Broadway tourist is someone who isn't immersed in the theatre scene--whether in or out of New York--and only sees the big-name shows & knows little about them. Tourists are like the people who take pictures in Times Square or go to New York to see different sights there (and maybe even ride one of those annoying red bus tour things). Non-tourists would go into the theatre district just to see their show, ignoring all of that other stuff. It isn't so much knowledge of the city, but the purpose for actually being there, if that makes sense.

---

Updated On: 10/22/08 at 01:02 AM

Depending on things, I've gone through phases where I've seen up to 5 shows a week for 4 weeks in a row.

I just don't think there's a way to define it. A regular is someone who knows theater. A tourist "wants to see a musical when in New York".

---

I live in Harrisburg, PA. I go to NYC almost every weekend to see shows. I see Wicked ALOT,some Disney shows and other shows also. What would that make me? Other than CRAZY...lol.

---