Experts blame rising production costs, celebrity headliners, and simple supply and demand. They also say people are more willing to pay top dollar for better seats.

The distinction generally has to do with theatre size (but not 100 percent of the time). Theatres with up to 99 seats generally are considered Off-Off-Broadway; 99-499 seats generally denote Off-Broadway; and 500 and larger generally denote Broadway. There are many exceptions, however, and some overlap.

Some Broadway shows are produced by non-commercial organizations as part of a regular subscription season—Lincoln Center Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Second Stage Theater are the four non-profit theatre companies that currently have permanent Broadway venues.