What is the difference between previews and opening night

But there are reasons why lots of people steer clear of preview performances in the theatre. Many will argue a big hit musical will continue to get tweaked many months into the official season anyway, so seeing a preview makes no difference. To a certain extent, this is true. Some theatre directors are perfectionists, and Julie Taymor may well be one of them. Her show Spider-man: Turn off the Dark holds the record for the most previews in Broadway history — all of them! What happened here was a complex mess, suffice to say one of the golden rules of theatre was broken multiple times : when you announce an opening night, the show must go on.

Yes, one is receiving and viewing a product, but it is a bit like buying the demonstration model from the car seller. So it is with theatre previews. Well, I should hope so! I suspect not everyone buying pre-sale tickets for The Book of Mormon in Melbourne in recent weeks knew from the outset they were buying preview tickets.

What is on Broadway right now? What's Currently Playing on Broadway. Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission. The Book of Mormon. Come From Away. David Byrne's American Utopia. Dear Evan Hansen. Aynoha Attou Explainer. What does open run mean on Broadway? Broadway shows typically have an open run , meaning they will run as long as they are profitable. If attendance drops and they start to lose money, shows will close, sometimes with fairly short notice.

Pablina Konchady Explainer. What is a West End preview? Previews are the shows occurring before the official opening press night date, in a period that often lasts between a week and a month. Many shows tour the country or open at a regional venue before transferring to the West End , which allows for a shorter preview period once in London.

Carlina Heidener Pundit. What does press night mean? Press nights are when theatre critics, press and bloggers are invited to watch the production and review it, and usually celebrities are invited to this performance. This is a big night and can often make or break a show! Similarly to a press night , press and celebrities will be in attendance.

Suleika Abrabanel Pundit. What is the difference between a preview and a showing? An Agent Preview is an agent checking the property on behalf of a client often to see how well it matches the client's requirements. No more new direction of any kind. The hardest part of the process — rehearsal — is over and the production is, at last, ready for its run. A PlayMakers Opening Night is always a festive event filled with subscribers, single ticket buyers and invited guests.

This is our opportunity to thank our generous supporters and invite our peers to share in our excitement. The performance is followed by a Gala reception with great food and wine provided by a variety of local businesses. Both Preview performances and Opening Nights are open to the public.

If you would like to join us for any of these performances, check out our website for more information. Tickets are still available for all remaining performances, but our Opening Day double header is selling quickly, and typically sells out, so Hurry!