Interview: BroadwayWorld and Ticketmaster Launch Partnership; Meet Marla Ostroff

BroadwayWorld and Ticketmaster have announced a new strategic partnership, offering a new way for theater fans to discover and purchase tickets to shows on Broadway, London's West End and numerous venues across the United States and around the globe.

To celebrate the new partnership, we checked in with Marla Ostroff, Managing Director of Ticketmaster North America.

You’ve been with Ticketmaster for over 30 years. What initially drew you to the company, and what has kept you there for so long?

I got into ticketing by chance, drawn to the tech that connects fans with live events. What’s kept me here is the innovation, collaboration, and drive to keep pushing the industry forward – plus the amazing partners we get to work with every day, such as Nederlander, Shubert, Disney and others. I care deeply about doing whatever I can to help our partners deliver an unforgettable experience to fans – that’s my “why,” and this is especially true for our Broadway clients. We’ve embraced Broadway at Ticketmaster, inspired by the same passion that Broadway producers have for their shows.

Do you have a favorite Broadway show or a particularly memorable theatre experience?

The first show I ever saw was My Fair Lady back home in Ohio, and I thought it was so amazing. When I moved to New York City, my first Broadway show was the iconic Phantom of the Opera. I started working with more Broadway clients around that time, and the passion amongst the people I met in that community was so evident and infectious. My favorite Broadway show of all time is Rent, because it revolutionized modern theater and paved the way for innovative productions like Hamilton. And I’ll never forget seeing Gypsy with Patti LuPone – I can’t wait to see the revival with Audra McDonald. That’s part of the beauty of Broadway – seeing beloved shows re-imagined with new perspectives on beloved classics. 

What do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities for Broadway and theatrical ticketing in the coming years?

There are endless opportunities in lesser-known theater markets. We’re so proud to support both Broadway and West End, and we see massive potential in other markets where passionate theater fans reside. Ticketmaster now serves more than 225 theaters across the country, due in large part to our hard-working team members whose passion for the theater category is rivaled only by our clients in this industry. We are so grateful for the trust our clients have placed in us, and the opportunities they’ve given us over many years to prove our commitment to offering the best possible ticketing experience on Broadway and beyond.  

With Broadway’s increasing reliance on digital and mobile ticketing, what innovations is Ticketmaster working on to enhance security and prevent fraud?

Security is central to everything we do. Ticketmaster leads the industry in developing safeguards to ensure tickets reach fans directly by blocking millions of bots daily – we blocked over 400 million bots in 2024 alone. Recognizing that tickets will always be a target for scammers, Ticketmaster is constantly investing in new security enhancements to protect fans, including bot prevention, fan education and multi-factor authentication. While most of our Broadway inventory is made up of primary tickets, fans can also trust that resale tickets bought on Ticketmaster will get them into the show – we believe in doing resale right, and have banned deceptive practices like speculative ticketing on our marketplace.

BroadwayWorld has been a go-to source for theatre fans for over two decades. What excites you most about this new partnership?

BroadwayWorld offers so much value to Broadway fans. Over 150,000 daily visitors benefit from BroadwayWorld’s industry-leading news coverage, extensive job boards, and more. We’re excited for Ticketmaster to add to that value with our 30+ years of Broadway experience. Thanks to our clients, Ticketmaster is able to offer the best of Broadway through a trusted and extensive marketplace. Our role is to serve shows and theater owners by helping them market and share more tickets, and our new partnership with BroadwayWorld will help us do this on an even bigger stage.

How will this collaboration enhance the ticket-buying experience for Broadway fans?

Our extensive selection of events encourage discovery, while our industry-leading security enhancements help ensure tickets are protected. Whether fans are traveling in to see a blockbuster for the first time or they’re regulars looking for something brand new, Ticketmaster will be there to help them easily discover and enjoy the rich experiences Broadway has to offer – while feeling confident that the ticket they’re purchasing is legitimate and will get them into the show.

About Marla:

As a 30 year Ticketmaster veteran, Marla has played a role in every major industry trend and milestone over the last three decades – hard tickets to computerized, outlets to internet, third party competition to self-ticketing, primary to secondary and many others. Marla and her team are dedicated to strengthening and supporting key business relationships with some of Ticketmaster’s largest clients and partners, while continuing to drive strategic new growth opportunities. Her passion for people development will also see her play a leading role in the development of the next generation of Ticketmaster leaders.

Photo Credit: Emilio Madrid