What is the difference between Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway? This question is one that echoes among casual theatregoers theatre fanatics alike. Misconceptions abound about the difference between the three categories of theatre. There are quality productions at every level; the tiered system is not a ranking of quality or talent. Yes, budgets vary—with Broadway typically having the largest investments.

But the bare-bones answer is much more simple than many believe: It comes down to the number of seats in the theatre and geography. Playbill put together a fact sheet about the three tiers of New York City theatre to help you navigate the definition—and then drop some theatre knowledge the next time someone asks.