Off the beaten Broadway track

CNN -- In the past, the bellowing cry of "the show must go on" has assured theater-goers that no matter what happens, someone, anyone, will appear on stage once the curtain opens.

But there was no such cry this week on Broadway. There, an eerie silence settled on more than two dozen theaters on Saturday as hundreds of stagehands walked off the job. Oh, except for the picketing outside.

It seems the show must go on, unless of course you're unhappy with your employment contract.

So there are you are, with big plans to visit the Big Apple with a ticket in your hand for a Broadway show that's not going to happen. What do you do?

First, it's important to note that not all theaters are closed. Eight on Broadway with separate union contracts remain open so there's no need to make other plans if you're seeing any of the following: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Cymbeline, Mary Poppins, Mauritius, Pygmalion, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, The Ritz, Xanadu or Young Frankenstein.

The League of American Theaters and Producers -- the national trade association for the Broadway industry -- has advised theater-goers to check daily for theater closures. It's created its own website for the task -- www.ilovenytheater.com.

Anyone who has already bought tickets can get a refund.

Venturing Off-Broadway

The obvious alternative to Broadway for visitors wanting to experience live theater in New York is to venture beyond the official theater district to what's known as Off-Broadway.

The main difference between Broadway and Off-Broadway is the need for equity contracts. Broadway has them, Off-Broadway doesn't, which is why Off-Broadway shows are still playing this week.

There are more obvious differences. Broadway spans the area from Sixth to Eighth Avenue and 41st to 54th Street, while Off-Broadway could be anywhere. And, while Broadway venues usually seat more than 500 people, Off-Broadway shows offer smaller, more intimate venues.

Chief New York theater critic for Talkin' Broadway Matthew Murray is a frequent patron of both.

He's wary of making a blanket recommendation to theater-hungry tourists. He says it depends on your age, interests and ability to embrace the unconventional.

"I definitely recommend people to do as much research as they can into the shows that are available," he says.

"Weblists like playbill.com and theatermania.com have really extensive listing of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows."

He recommends queuing for cheap tickets at the TKTS booth in W. 46th Street (at the Marriott Marquis), or at 108 Front Street at John Street.

Punters can usually buy tickets half-price, but come prepared; TKTS only accepts cash or travelers' checks.

"It might be difficult to get tickets to any specific show but if you're willing to keep an open mind you'll definitely be able to find something."

The New York Post is more specific.

It gives three out of four stars to the Off-Broadway performance of "Make Me a Song: The Music of William Finn," which recently opened at New World Stages, 340 W. 50th Street.

William Finn is the noted composer of the acclaimed "March of the Falsettos," and the Tony Award-winning hit "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee".

Of "Make Me a Song" the New York Post says: "The cabaret-style show is a decidedly no-frills affair, with the only visual touch being a neon portrait of the composer and the musical accompaniment provided by a sole pianist on a movable platform. But despite its modesty, this is an evening dedicated musical theater fans will not want to miss."

And for the really adventurous...

If you really want to get within touching distance of the actors, Off-Off-Broadway may be the place for you.

The venues and budgets are smaller again, but there's a real chance of discovering new talent.

Matthew Murray says: "Most Off-Off-Broadway theaters are extremely experimental. They're able to take greater risks because they're not for profit or they just want to do really different things."

And because Off-Off-Broadway shows tend to have limited runs, prior research is more important than ever.

"Unless they follow the theater scene very closely they are probably only going to be aware of the shows on Broadway or Off-Broadway with larger budgets for advertising which generally receive more frequent press," Murray says.

He recommends theatermania.com and oobr.com for reviews of the latest and upcoming Off-Off-Broadway shows.

The New York Times' pick of the Off-Off Broadway schedule is "Ode to the Man Who Kneels."

The newspaper's chief theater critic Ben Brantley heaps heavy praise on the show's creator Richard Maxwell as "one of the few truly original experimental theater auteurs to emerge in New York during the past decade."

The bright lights of Broadway may be dim for a while, but there's no need to call off the show.

In fact, now might be the best time for theater-lovers to visit New York. E-mail to a friend