Can a 2 year old attend a Broadway Show?

Answer 1

No, but check with the theatre that Lion King is on at.

If you are in the UK, there are legal age resitrictions on children entering the auditorium (check with the theatre). If the child is older than the minimum age they will need a ticket, which will be full price.

Answer 2

Shows that are for the "family" (i.e. Mary Poppins, Lion King, etc) usually require the child to be 4 and older to attend. They tend to be more lieniant for afternoon performances but it's best to check the show's website or call their box office directly. The CAN refuse to admit a minor, and I've seen it happen!

Other shows require 12 and older and some (including Chicago) are 13 and up! I attended one years ago that was 18 and older!

Please keep in mind when taking a child to Broadway a few things:

If you are going to an evening performance it may not get out until 10pm or later! Many of these performances START at the child's bedtime! This is past any children bedtimes! It is dark in the theater and you may find even your pre-teen sleeping and wasting that costly ticket you purchased. (my 11 year old niece even fell asleep in Mary Poppins even though she LOVED it!) If your child falls asleep they may be very frghened when they wake up, especially if it is because of a loud noise or note in the performance! The ushers WILL tell you to leave the theater is your child becomes loud.

If you do attend a post-dinner show please PLEASE keep in mind, elevation in the theater (pending on your seats), loud noise, sharp and quick changing lights and effects, etc can cause nausea in children (and at times adults!) I have been in two different shows, including Mary Poppins where a child became sick and it was not pretty!

The snacks in the theater are very costly and most do not allow them into the seated area. You may not bring your own in either.

A BIG caution! Some theaters will not allow you back in during a key scene if you leave to take a child to the bathroom. Most are very open to this and will allow you, but it does depend on your seat and the theater. Some will ask you to also sit somewhere else until intermission or the show ends!

I am a former dancer and an avid Broadway fan living in NYC. My daughter is almost 2 and it has drove me nuts to not take her thus far! Especially since she has a passion for music and dance already! But I know at 4 she will truly enjoy it! I am counting down the days! If you do live in NYC, there is many differnet events (most in the summer) you can take your child to, so that they can get into the Broadway culture. Broadway in the Park, and Broadway on Broadway to name a few. These events are free but there are also paid ones.

To be safe I would say at least wait until they are 3 1/2 years old.