Broadway on the Road: A Closer Look at Touring Audiences

For many, seeing a touring Broadway show is the first step in a lifelong love of the stage. While Broadway often gets the spotlight, there’s a lot to learn from the passionate audiences showing up in cities across the country. If we’re serious about expanding the future of theater, we need to look well beyond those 20 blocks in Midtown.

How do Touring Broadway theatergoers compare to their NYC counterparts? What connects them? What sets them apart? And what ripple effects do national tours have on Broadway in NYC?

Together with our friends at Ticketmaster, we dug into these questions at a livestream on Wednesday, May 7 at 12:00 PM ET.

Our Key Takeaways:

• NYC Visitation Trends – Most respondents have never been to NYC or visit less than once every three years.
• Broadway Interest vs. NYC Visitation – High Broadway interest in a market ≠ frequent NYC visits.
• The Tour-to-Broadway Connection – If tour theatergoers do visit NYC, they’re likely seeing a Broadway show.
• Power of Brand Awareness – 25% of audiences recommend NYC shows to others based on buzz or awareness, not necessarily personal experience.
• What Drives Ticket Decisions – Longevity on Broadway likely influences ticket decisions more than Tony wins.
• Current Broadway Status Doesn’t Drive Tour Demand – Whether a show is currently on Broadway doesn’t significantly affect tour interest.