While a current show on Broadway can announce a tour at any given point, it should be noted that there are several factors as to the timing of when a show announces a tour. As is the case with live theatre, there are always exceptions, so these are generalizations.

One factor to consider is, if a show is part of the current Broadway season in New York, its touring prospects can be determined from the weekly financial grosses. Made public on/around Tuesday afternoons, how well a show performs financially and its ability to fill seats over a period of time may determine whether it will continue to play on Broadway. In the event a show announces a closure, it is the opportune moment to make known any touring plans. Behind the scenes, plans for a tour would have been in the works for a while; but the closure of a show makes it the best time for the announcement. Also, as a large amount of the theatre world is dark on Mondays, Tuesday is the considered the first day of the performing week, and also the day when we typically see announcements.

An additional factor for when a current Broadway show announces a tour is also based on how many Tony Award nominations the show received, and well it performed at the ceremony held annually in June. As most contending shows open in the spring, how well it does financially, critically, and during awards season all play into the show’s life. As depicted in the chart below, we see new tour announcements from the current Broadway season taking place in the first half of the year.

Finally, from time to time, a new tour is made known when a venue makes its season announcement, which is typically followed by an official announcement from the show.