touring company

American  

[toor-ing kuhm-puh-nee] / ˈtʊər ɪŋ ˌkʌm pə ni /

noun

1. 1. a cast of stage actors taking a popular show on the road, sometimes replacing certain actors with local ones as they travel from city to city.

      He’s part of the touring company of Rent, which features two members of the original Broadway cast.

   2. a popular stage production performed by a traveling cast of actors.

      While in Cleveland we attended the touring company of Les Misérables.

2. a company whose business is planning, arranging, and conducting sightseeing trips for groups of tourists.

   Our first night in Albania was a walking tour with our tour guide and the owner of the touring company.

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Etymology

Origin of touring company

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Busfield founded B Street Theatre as a touring company called Theatre for Children Inc. in 1986, according to its website.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026

Her first theater gig, at age 17, was in the touring company of “Call Me Madam.”

From Seattle Times • Jan. 30, 2024

But she didn’t know the extent of Holger’s influential dance career, first performing with Gertrud Bodenwieser’s dance group, and then with her own touring company, Hilde Holger Tanzgruppe, all before World War II.

From New York Times • May 9, 2023

Hall's play was then chosen for the venture, and the concept has now been picked up by UK touring company Headlong for a series of performances around England.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2023

"I've heard it said that's why Will Kempe left the company. They say he made off with the book of As You Like It, and sold it to a touring company in Leicester."

From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood