Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York (plus one theatre in Lincoln Center) in Manhattan, New York City. Along with London's West End theatre, Broadway theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world.

The Broadway theatre district is a popular tourist attraction in New York City, New York. According to The Broadway League, Broadway shows sold approximately $937 million worth of tickets in the 2007-08 season.

18th and 19th centuries

Interior of the Park Theatre, built in 1798