Every fourth Wednesday of the month, the “VIP Access” column will serve up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. This month, we’re going behind the curtain to see how Broadway shows really get to opening night…

2006 Broadway Revival of "A Chorus Line". Photo by Paul Kolnik.

It’s July and all is quiet on Broadway.

Or so it seems. Actually, right now in production offices, rehearsal studios and writers’ rooms around New York, the real drama is happening as the 2012-2013 theatrical season takes shape. Big decisions are being made with multi-million dollar investments on the line.

So how do we mere mortals get behind the scenes and find out what’s really happening? (And don’t say, “Watch the first season of Smash on my dvr.” It’s fun but a documentary it is not.) Fire up your netflix subscription and rent these three highly recommended, “warts and all” films about the state of the Broadway art…

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