New York City Broadway

Most Broadway theaters are north of Times Square, between Eighth Ave. and Broadway. Below is a list of current blockbusters. For more info, consult www.nytheatre.com. (S C, E to 50th St./8th Ave.; 1 to 50th St./Broadway; N, R, W to 49th St./7th Ave.; A, C, E to 42nd St./Port Authority; 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, S, W to 42nd St./Times Sq.)

Avenue Q, Golden Theater, 252 W 45th St. (www.avenueq.com), between Broadway and 8th Ave. The underdog winner of 3 Tony awards in 2004, this popular comedy tells the story of puppets and their human friends figuring out their post-college lives. Tickets $66-111. M-F day-of-show lottery for $21 tickets. Front-row tickets held at 6pm for 8pm shows, noon for Sa matinee, 12:30pm for Su matinee, 5:30pm for Su 7pm show.
Billy Elliot, Imperial Theatre, 249 W 45th St. (www.billyelliotbroadway.com), between Broadway and 8th Ave. Based on the enormously popular film, this powerful new musical is the story of a boy who discovers he has a special talent for dance. $41-136
Chicago, Ambassador Theater, 219 W 49th St. (www.chicagothemusical.com). An excellent revival with stunning choreography. Tickets $59-126. Student rush tickets $27.
Gypsy, St. James Theater, 246 W 44th St. (www.gypsybroadway.com) between Broadway and 8th Ave. Patti LuPone walked away with the 2008 Tony for Best Actress for her lead in this revival about the last days of vaudeville. Tickets $32-135. Student rush and standing room $27.
Hairspray, Neil Simon Theater, 250 W 52nd St. (www.hairsprayonbroadway.com), between Broadway and 8th Ave. A high-school dancer uses big hair to fight racism. Tickets $25-100. Lottery for $25 rush tickets 3hr. before performances. Limit 2 tickets per person; cash only. Standing-room tickets available during sold-out shows $20.
In the Heights, Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W 46th St. (www.intheheightsthemusical.com) between Broadway and 8th Ave. 2008 Tony Award winner for Best Musical. A new musical about three days in the life of Washington Heights, a vibrant and tight-knit Latino community sitting at the top of Manhattan. Tickets $31-111. Lottery for $26 front-row seats held 2hr. before performances. Arrive 30min. before drawing; limit 2 tickets per person; cash only.
Jersey Boys, August Wilson Theatre, 245 W 52nd St. (www.jerseyboysbroadway.com), between Broadway and 8th Ave. Based on the life story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Tickets $97-152. Student-rush tickets $26.
Legally Blonde: The Musical, Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway Ave. (www.legallyblondethemusical.com) between 46th and 47th St. Based on the 2001 hit comedy, this musical follows over-acheiving Elle Woods, president of Delta Nu sorority, as she conquers Harvard Law. Tickets $40-110. Student rush $26.
The Lion King, Minskoff Theatre, 1515 Broadway (disney.go.com/theatre), at 45th St. Lavish costumes make this award-winning show an aesthetic masterpiece. Tickets $51-121. Tickets available in the event of cancellations 2hr. before performance; call ☎212-869-0550 for info. Limit 1 cancellation ticket per person. Standing-room tickets available during sold-out shows $15-20.
The Little Mermaid, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 W 46th St. (disney.go.com/theatre), between 8th and Broadway. The latest in a series of Disney animated movies to be adapted for Broadway. Tickets $41-111. Student rush and standing room $26.
Mamma Mia! Cadillac Winter Garden Theatre, 1634 Broadway at 50th St. (www.mamma-mia.com). Wedding drama, disco, and ABBA songs. Tickets $63-126. W 2pm show all seats $5 off. Standing-room tickets available during sold-out shows $21.
Phantom of the Opera, Majestic Theater, 247 W 44th St. (www.thephantomoftheopera.com), between Broadway and 8th Ave. This classic still packs them in every time. Tickets $26-111. Standing-room tickets available during sold-out shows $21.
Rent, Nederlander Theater, 208 W 41st St. (www.siteforrent.com), at 8th Ave. A modern version of La Bohème set in New York’s Alphabet City in the wake of the AIDS epidemic. Tickets $45-100. Lottery for $20 tickets 2hr. before performances. Arrive 30min. before drawing; limit 2 per person; cash only.
Spamalot, Shubert Theatre, 225 W 44th St. (www.montypythonsspamalot.com), between Broadway and 8th Ave. Tony winner for Best Musical in 2005. “Lovingly ripped off” from the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Tickets $36-116. Standing-room tickets available during sold-out shows $26.
Spring Awakening, Eugene O’Neill Theater, 230 W 49th St. (www.springawakening.com) between Broadway and 8th Ave. This energetic musical follows teens’ sexual coming-of-age in 19th-century Germany. Tickets $40-135. Student rush and standing room $27.
Wicked, Gershwin Theatre, 222 W 51st St. (www.wickedthemusical.com), between Broadway and 8th Ave. The blockbuster prequel to “The Wizard of Oz.” Tickets $75-110. Limited view orchestra seats $55. Lottery for $25 front-row seats held 2hr. before performances. Arrive 30min. before drawing; limit 2 tickets per person; cash only.
Xanadu, Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W 44th St. (www.xanaduonbroadway.com) between 8th and Broadway. A spoof of the notoriously bad 80s film, this outlandish musical on roller skates has garnered rave reviews. Tickets $41-111. Student rush $26.
Young Frankenstein, Hilton Theatre, 214 W. 43rd St. (www.youngfrankensteinthemusical.com) between 8th and Broadway. Mel Brooks adapts his own 1974 film. Tickets $76-121. Lottery for $26 front-row seats held 3hr. before performances. Arrive 30min. before drawing; limit 2 tickets per person; cash only.

Know When You’Re On Broadway. Contrary to popular belief, whether a theater is “on-Broadway” or not has nothing to do with its street address. Instead, according to official definitions used in Actors’ Equity contracts, a Broadway theater is any New York theater with 500 or more seats. An “off-Broadway” theater has 100-499 seats, while an “off-off Broadway” theater has less than 100. Of course, many of those 500-or-more-seat theaters just happen to be, geographically speaking, on Broadway.