IBDB was created by the Research Department of The Broadway League, the national trade association for Broadway. The League has collected relevant Broadway information and statistics for many years. In 1996, the Research Department began to organize and expand the League's data collection in order to produce a website that would serve as a comprehensive history of Broadway for the benefit of League members, press, theatre professionals and enthusiasts.
IBDB provides a comprehensive database of shows produced on Broadway, including all "title page" information about each production. IBDB also offers historical information about theatres and various statistics and fun facts related to Broadway.
Information found in IBDB is derived primarily from theatre programs (in most cases from a production's opening night). Supplemental information was taken from newspaper and magazine reports, theatrical text books, interviews with theatre professionals, and League archives. For consistency's sake, information in the IBDB is not necessarily presented in the exact format as in the original theatrical program, but best efforts have been used not to alter the meaning of any function or billing. For more information, see disclaimer and copyright.
IBDB was developed in part with a generous grant from a joint fund administered by Theatre Development Fund and The Broadway League. IBDB is also supported by public funds from the State of New York.