Broadway VS West End: The Ultimate Theater Showdown

Broadway vs. West End

Welcome to MsMojo, and in this installment of Versus, we’re pitting Broadway against the West End to determine which is the best theater district in town.

Round #1: Origins

Broadway includes not only theaters on the street by the same name, but also on adjoining streets in Midtown Manhattan and the Upper West Side. Their origins date back to as early as the mid-18th century. On the street proper, we have the Broadway Theatre, the Palace Theatre, and Winter Garden Theatre. We’d also be remiss not to mention other notable ones like the Vivian Beaumont Theater at the Lincoln Center. Now, we’re talking about Broadway theater, not off or off-off Broadway. In other words, this typically refers to venues with at least 500 seats. There are a total of 41 in the area.

London theater, meanwhile, is a far older tradition. In fact, it dates back to Roman times! With regard to the West End, Theatre Royal in Bridges Street made history as the first of its kind. Other significant venues include the Adelphi and the Savoy. Today, the West End boasts around 40 theaters. Not just that, it’s been home to the longest-running play, Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap,” for over 70 years. Now those are deep roots indeed. Thus, we have a clear winner in this round.

WINNER: Broadway 0 / West End 1

Round #2: History & Development

Broadway theater featured many Shakespeare plays, to wildly popular success. Eventually, though, musicals began to be staged, which quickly became the most popular art form. One location on West 28th Street, Tin Pan Alley, even became a hub for songwriters like George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, and Cole Porter. However, the Broadway musical’s golden age truly came with the premiere of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” This amazing period wavered through the ‘60s and ‘70s, but found new life in the ‘80s.

While Broadway quickly became known for its musical theater, the West End had a much more solid tradition in non-musicals – though that’s not to say the former was nonexistent. The first successful permanent playhouse was James Burbage’s Theater, home to the famous Lord Chamberlain’s Men and William Shakespeare — you may have heard of him. Plus, in the late 19th century, Oscar Wilde rose to prominence with his satirical comedies. Later came George Bernard Shaw, of “Pygmalion” fame. Shakespeare, Wilde, and Bernard Shaw? Sorry, Gershwin and Rodgers/Hammerstein, but the West End wins this round.

WINNER: Broadway 0 / West End 2

Round #3: Awards

Broadway’s prestigious Tony Awards were established in 1947 by the American Theatre Wing. Specifically, their name came from actress and co-founder Antoinette Perry’s who passed away the prior year. While sometimes referred to as the “Perry Awards,” they were ultimately called the Tonys, honoring Perry’s nickname. The Waldorf Astoria hotel was home to the inaugural ceremony in 1947. 20 years later, the show started being broadcast, and has evolved to become a true staple. Among the most acclaimed musicals are “The Producers,” “South Pacific,” and, of course, the mega-hit “Hamilton.”

The West End, for its part, has the Laurence Olivier Awards. Now named after famous actor — you guessed it — Laurence Olivier, they’re surprisingly new. Indeed, they were established in 1976, though they were dubbed the Society of West End Theatre Awards at the time. It wasn’t until 1981 that folks could tune in to watch from home. As of 2024, the most awarded play is “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” Meanwhile, musicals like “Sunset Boulevard” and “Matilda” have also set records, alongside “Hamilton” and “Cabaret.” It’s certainly impressive, but let’s face it: in terms of cultural impact, influence, and even prestige, the Tonys still carry the day.

WINNER: Broadway 1 / West End 2

Round #4: Theater Practices

Broadway theater has a host of nice practices, such as free Playbills, and generous applause. Shows generally start at 8 p.m. while there are also 2:00 pm matinées. Plus, if a main performer is replaced by an understudy, you can get your money back. Broadway also tends to get more renovations than the West End, meaning things like better air conditioning and more comfortable seating. As for seating capacities, it can range anywhere from a modest 597 spots, like at the Hayes Theater, to a whopping 1933, as seen at the Gershwin Theatre.

Compared to Broadway, West End theaters aren’t renovated as often, although there have been vast improvements. There are also fewer rules regarding understudy announcements and even box office earnings. While millions go to both, one’s attendance is a little higher, with about 16.4 million folks having watched a West End show in 2022 compared to roughly 12.3 million for Broadway’s ‘23-24 season. Overall, though, you can’t beat a free Playbill and newer theaters, so Broadway wins this round.

WINNER: Broadway 2 / West End 2

Round #5: Ticket Prices

We got the theater, and we got the show. All we need now is the ticket price. Unfortunately, it is not an exaggeration to say that seeing a production on Broadway is expensive. In the 2022-2023 and the 2023–2024 seasons, sales equaled about $1.54 billion. Tickets reportedly costs about $100 on average, but we all know prices can far exceed that, especially for more popular shows. Fortunately, Broadway does offer TKTS ticket booths that sell discounted tickets, and there are also often special prices for students.

West End theater ticket prices, however, are much lower. Part of it stems from greater governmental subsidies and funding. Plus, there’s the fact that much of the props, sets, and costumes can be borrowed from the TV and film industries. Unfortunately, we also have to consider that London’s weaker unions lead to lower salary expenditures. There’s also less TV marketing going on here, once again bringing costs down. Those prices really can’t be beat – sorry, Broadway.

WINNER: Broadway 2 / West End 3

Round #6: Shows

Let’s face it, Broadway is renowned for its musicals. Legendary composers like George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, and Cole Porter, whose songs are now considered standards, paved a bright path. Richard Rodgers also started with a bang, partnered with lyricist Lorenz Hart. But as we’ve discussed, it was Rodgers’ partnership with Hammerstein that really revolutionized the genre, beginning with the seminal “Oklahoma!” Since then, Broadway musicals have been some of the most varied, coming from the minds of legends like Sondheim. They offer everything from comedy and dance musicals to rock operas and crossover classics like “West Side Story.”

Most West End musicals, by contrast, are Broadway imports, but there have been some notable homegrown ones as well. There is Lionel Bart’s “Oliver!”, for instance. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s string of hits, for its part, includes “Evita,” “Cats,” and “The Phantom of the Opera.” More modern hits like “Six” and “Matilda” have also made their mark. Lloyd Webber is a powerhouse, all right, but it’s hard to beat Rodgers and Hammerstein and co. You win, Broadway.

WINNER: Broadway 3 / West End 3

It’s a tie! Both Broadway and West End have their strengths and weaknesses. Do you think there’s a clear winner? Which other aspects of Broadway and West End should be compared? Let us know in the comments down below!