It was SO perfect for Godspell! I saw it from the floor cushions like 6 times. I don't even really like Godspell, I just loved the whole experience of that production!
I saw Chicken and Biscuits there and being a newbie, I found it dang near impossible to find. But once I was there I fell in love with it! Such a cool theatre.
The Hudson is my favorite to watch shows in! There’s just so many great seats and I love that the dress circle allows a middle ground between orchestra and balcony prices
Of the ones I’ve seen, the lyric is the most beautiful imo. The lobby is just incredible. But as was pointed out to me, I haven’t hit the new Amsterdam yet so we’ll see if I still feel the same once I go there.
N13 and N14 aren’t good seats at the Hudson. They say they are partially obstructed, but I couldn’t see any of the things happening on/around the luggage in Merrily. Luckily a seat was free up a row and closer to center, so I was able to move for act 2.
I will say the seats are so comfortable. Very wide and we had decent leg room.
See I hated that drinks were in real glasses when I went. Felt like I was gonna break something, heard clinking, didn't get the silly souvenir glass I wanted haha.
- The Nederlander for row j center mez having a private balcony vibe from the portal below
- Walter Kerr - so intimate and beautiful
- The Hudson - has a really nice vibe
https://preview.redd.it/nqy2wxhltj8d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5031cd64067d8d8d98325afad4cf896850a0617e
I don’t think New York City Center counts but it would’ve taken my vote! The most beautiful theater I’ve ever been in
Interesting! NYCC is one of my least favorite theatres when it comes to sightlines and seating (especially in the balcony). The balcony is so incredibly steep and the fact that there is no middle aisle is beyond me! Also not being able to see too far upstage is a little frustrating.
It’s still an absolutely stunning theatre, and has hosted some of my favorite productions! Cool to see different people’s tastes!
I don’t have a favorite, but in “All About Eve” (1950), Bette Davis strides into what’s now the Golden, on W. 45th St. Those very doors are still in place. I like that.
The Shubert is special to me, and I will always love it.
I adore the Hudson, but the seats are lacking. If they were more comfortable, the Hudson would be perfect.
I also have a soft spot for the Hirschfeld.
The Beaumont at least has the POV of the Brutalist architecture movement - there’s some element of design history at the Beaumont.
The Marquis is just… 80s ugly with zero inspiration.
The Marquis Theater. The most comfortable seats (leg room for everyone) and it's a huge theater. Also many bathroom options in the hotel. Probably a hot take, but I prefer bigger theaters to tiny, cramped ones.
The Marquis is either going to be rated as either a favorite or the worst. There is no mid-pack rating the Marquis.
Favorite, because as a relatively new theater (by Broadway standards) in a modern hotel, that means enough bathrooms, bigger seats, better sight lines, escalators, better accessibility, and just a more audience friendly set-up.
Worst, because as a newer theater in a modern hotel, it lacks Broadway ambiance and feels better suited to a TED talk or a shareholder meeting.
Both views are true.
I've only seen Beetlejuice in there and I couldn't quite put my finger on why the vibe was different and you've nailed it perfectly. Felt like a comfortable place to enjoy a show but the vibe and setting of the theatre were different. With this in mind, makes me interested to go back and see a show there again.
My absolute fave theater. The seats are so comfy and I’ve yet to have a bad seat anywhere in that theater, and I’ve sat in different sections thanks to Beetlejuice.
Although I do hate how they “manage” the queue to get in tho. It’s always a mess and I’m surprised no one has gotten into a fist fight about accidental line cutters.
I felt so bad when I accidentally cut off part of the line trying to get into Beetlejuice. I genuinely had no idea where it ended and I did move but the person who I accidentally cut off wasn't too kind about it despite my apologies.
I saw this PLENTY at Beetlejuice…people seemed surprisingly chill for Once Upon A One More Time tho.
The irony is that we were all going to the same place, and for the most part anyone that did cut the line def did it accidentally, since the lines would wrap around the place.
So far, my favorites are the Belasco and New Amsterdam because of their ornate details. But I also have a soft spot in my heart for the circle in the square, because its the theater i’ve been in the most and it is where i’ve had my most favorite theater experiences (Once on This Island, and Oklahoma).
I want to say the New Amsterdam because, well all theaters are beautiful, but the New Amsterdam is the first time I was really taken aback by the design of a theater. That being said, the balcony is kind of terrifying.
So I’ll also say the Jacobs Theatre because the shows over there keep making me cry.
At some point though, I would like to visit a ridiculously big theater.
Funny that you say that about the design of the theatre because I couldn’t pick out the interior of that theatre in a line up at all. That’s how unmemorable it was.
The Minskoff (my first ever Broadway show was The Lion King) and I like the Gershwin & Wicked.
Both shows / theatres have a special place in my heart.
I love when the whole theatre is dressed with the show’s art and props, not a lot of theatres do that.
I also camped in front of the Eugene O’Neill!! Hmmm!! I loved the Imperial when it was all set up for Great Comet. Maybe the music box is my favourite though!!!
We'll find out! That's kind of why I wanted to get box seats, I can't justify it for a show I'm eager to see or am paying real dollars for, but it is perfect to experiment with for 5 dollars for a show I know very little about.
The Shubert was my first ever theater, so it will always have a special place in my heart. Seeing A Chorus Line there blew my little child mind. There’s nothing like the atmosphere of a theater.
I saw To Kill A Mockingbird there, it was just electric, both to know all the iconic theater history that happened there and to be in the same room as Ed Harris.
The Winter Garden, it’s so big but you never feel too far from the stage.
I’d never been in the Golden before seeing Stereophonic and I was really surprised how much I enjoyed the theater
I was about to buy tickets for the show moving in this fall. Checked out seatplan and a view from my seat and quickly cleared my cart. The mezz and balcony are awful and I’d be miserable up there. I’ll just wait for a discount code or the show to pop up on TDF and hope for a orch seat.
The majestic! Will forever be the phantom theatre for me, and it's what made me love theatre. Saw phantom in the majestic for the first time at 4 years old and was hooked!
Honorable mention would be the gershwin. I used to take vocal lessons backstage at the gershwin and my wicked-obsessed middle school self lived for it.
I think I've seen the most shows at the Imperial and the Broadhurst and have great memories from both, so I guess those are automatically my two favorites! Les Mis is my favorite show, and that was at the Imperial. The way they transformed the space for Great Comet was incredible too. I sat front row for the first time at the Broadhurst when I won my first lottery at Tuck Everlasting. Core memory tbh
I have a soft spot for the Belasco. I love how ornate it is, yet feels different from the other theaters, especially post-renovation. Plus so much history & lore! The Belasco apartment above the theatre, and the visits from the ghost of David Belasco!
(I acknowledge the downside of the Belasco - the auditorium doors open directly from the back of the house to the street, so it can get noisy, especially in a quieter show like “Appropriate.”)
I had the worst back pain of my life after seeing Merrily there because my seat slanted downward enough that it put a lot of pressure on my lower back. It’s a gorgeous place though, despite the horrific seats.
The August Wilson theater seems to pump the A/C really hard in the lobby so it always has a unique environmental ambience (smell, temp, humidity) that always takes me back to seeing Groundhog Day there, which is my #2 favorite show I've seen.
The Belasco holds a special place in my heart. I saw my first play there. The Golden Boy. Sat front row house right. During one of the scenes the drink cart on stage fell over and I got splashed 😂. I was invited to go backstage afterwards. One of my best memories.
Hudson for beauty, Lyric for bathrooms, Jacobs for intimacy, Beaumont orchestra for sightlines (hate the loge, and the schlep of a location), Circle on the Square because I can buy any ticket and will be able to see just fine
Yes, I know the St James has bad sightlines, but it's my favorite theater because HELLO. DOLLY! played it's original run there and the first 42 times I saw the show were in that theater.
Jacobs! I prefer a smaller orchestra and it had Parade and now the Outsiders which have become two of my all time favorites! Oh and I automatically eliminate anything above like 45 street from being a favorite since that requires more effort to get to hahaha
That’s funny, I love when they are higher or east of 7th (like the Hudson) because it’s so much easier to avoid Times Square which is the absolutely worst part of seeing shows imo.
I was going to ask why does it take more effort to get to anything above 45th street... can't you just get off at a different subway? But then I realized not all of you live in NYC and come through like grand central.
Personally, Iocation wise, I prefer theaters above like 47th street because I can skip the zoo that is Times Square. So much more pleasant to come out near Central Park and walk to the Broadway or Winter Garden theater from there!
I agree-it's funny how producers love those theaters because of their proximity to everything, which I totally get. As an audience member though, most of my favorite theaters are above 48th st. Easier to get to and with fewer theaters, each show feels like it has its own vibe.
lol I’m kidding- I go to every theater and enjoy them. But being asked to pick a “favorite”— the ones closer to the Times Square station will give them the bonus points aka Jacobs takes the win!
I love the Richard Rogers because I’ve seen so many show there. When I was in my early 20’s I did a solo trip and saw Lost In Yonkers there. So, it holds a special place in my heart.
It's impossible to pick a favorite, but I think the Walter Kerr is so pretty. I find the sightlines very good, and it happens to be the home of my favorite show.
I wish they would refresh the flowers on the outside. They're looking kind of rough.
I love the Al Hirschfeld. It’s gorgeous inside, has one of my favorite shows currently, and is right next to Schmackary’s :)
It was also one of the first places in NYC I could use to orient myself in that area of town, so there’s that. The pillars are also cool.
The Belasco and Vivian Beaumont are my absolute faves, the Beaumont more so probably bc the views are all great, and Lincoln Center is my fave place in the city. I am short so I don't care too much abt leg room, I care abt sight-lines and overall vibes. The Belasco is so gorgeous imo.
I really don't understand the love for the Hudson. I had one of my worse viewing experiences there, I dunno why my experiences are so diametrically opposed to everyone else's!
The Hirschfeld, though it was the Martin Beck when I first went. It's just stunningly beautiful all over. Even the bathroom is lovely. The Lyceum is quite nice as well.
I have the strongest positive memories associated with the Imperial but it's objectively awful in there.
The Eugene O’Neill or the Booth. Not a fan of the huge ones - Winter Garden, Broadway, and I really don’t like the Marquis cause it feels like a cruise ship theater.
I loved the Hudson for the sightlines and general vibe of the theatre, I have also seen a number of shows at the Jacobs and have never had any issues or been in a bad seat! Like many others here, I can’t say enough bad things about the tunnel that is the Lunt-Fontanne
I know this is a take but I love the Lyceum! The mezz is one of my favorites. But the James Earl Jones is slowest taking over as my favorite - love the mezz, the bathrooms are wonderful, and the seats are spacious!
I love the Gershwin, just because it feels like Wicked was "born" there to me, and it's different from all the other ones.
I also love The Broadway. Most people don't, but there is something about its location and size and grandeur that has always appealed to me. Also a fan of The Hudson. I also like the August Wilson, and I have absolutely no reason I can pinpoint for that lol. I just do.
Different theatres are best for different shows, but my favorite Broadway house is the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (previously known as the Martin Beck).
The Moorish/Byzantine design, the vaulted ceiling lobby, etc. The Hirschfeld is gorgeous and unlike any other on Broadway.
That said, objectively speaking, I suspect the New Amsterdam is probably the prettiest, most ornate Broadway theatre.
I love them all because of the extraordinary plays and musicals I've been lucky enough to see in them. As for the theatres themselves -- I'm old enough to remember a time when you could actually sit reasonably comfortably in a Broadway theatre, before they added rows and resized seats. Now it feels like Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway have more comfortable seating, but maybe that's only because the ticket prices there are so much cheaper.
I know it doesn’t count, but I love New Victory. Something about the combo of its beauty, the amazing programming, the joy of children, and its off color history- I love it.
The August Wilson… pre-Cabaret gut job- consistently drove me crazy. It is the ugliest interior/paint job to exist on Broadway. It’s like… smeared poop on the walls with sponge technique… and then inexplicable castle motifs? And the colors… just, absolutely heinous.
Something about the Shubert just screams Broadway especially with the old-school bulb lights on display showing what’s playing. The interior of the New Amsterdam is stunning and grand
I’ve never been inside but I absolutely hate the facade of the Marquis. Why is it so modern? Maybe it’s trying to match the style of the hotel but it’s just dull
The August Wilson has always been a favorite just from the perspective of being a theater goer. The sight-lines are good everywhere and the seats are comfortable. I really like that sunken reception area where the bar is. It’s very roomy. It handles crowds well. Of course, a lot of this is massively different for Cabaret, so I’m talking about the traditional set up of the theater.
My other is circle in the square. It’s just a really good theater, and it always feels a little special going there. Because of what it is, I feel like directors always do something interesting there with the staging. And I love the intimacy. There’s no bad seat anywhere and you’re so close to the action. Also, I used to rush the Rocky horror show there a lot. Like a whole lot. So I have a lot of fond memories of talking to Joan Jett and Daphne Rubin Vega and Alice Ripley and others.
There is something about the Imperial that I just love. I think because I saw my favorite musical of all time (Great Comet) there at a very formative age and it was life changing. I saw Water for Elephants there a few weeks ago and its still stunning!
I know Circle in the Square isn’t the best choice for every show, but it’s my favorite. No contest.
I have such fun memories there. Got to sit in one of the pits for Godspell.
It was SO perfect for Godspell! I saw it from the floor cushions like 6 times. I don't even really like Godspell, I just loved the whole experience of that production!
I absolutely loved this theater for Godspell. I felt like there was no bad seat and we were more emerged into the show.
I loved seeing Fun Home there.
I saw Chicken and Biscuits there and being a newbie, I found it dang near impossible to find. But once I was there I fell in love with it! Such a cool theatre.
Honestly I love the Richard Rogers, the rake in the orchestra is perfect, the theater itself is beautiful, and the location is great too.
The Hudson is my favorite to watch shows in! There’s just so many great seats and I love that the dress circle allows a middle ground between orchestra and balcony prices Of the ones I’ve seen, the lyric is the most beautiful imo. The lobby is just incredible. But as was pointed out to me, I haven’t hit the new Amsterdam yet so we’ll see if I still feel the same once I go there.
The Hudson has the most comfortable seats imo
The Hudson, hands down. Every seat is a good seat, and I love that the bar serves drinks in real glasses.
N13 and N14 aren’t good seats at the Hudson. They say they are partially obstructed, but I couldn’t see any of the things happening on/around the luggage in Merrily. Luckily a seat was free up a row and closer to center, so I was able to move for act 2. I will say the seats are so comfortable. Very wide and we had decent leg room.
See I hated that drinks were in real glasses when I went. Felt like I was gonna break something, heard clinking, didn't get the silly souvenir glass I wanted haha.
James Earl Jones because the bathroom situation there is superb, one in every level!
The flowers on the walls are beautiful too
- The Nederlander for row j center mez having a private balcony vibe from the portal below - Walter Kerr - so intimate and beautiful - The Hudson - has a really nice vibe
I love the Walter Kerr. Also, I feel like I can always get well priced rush tickets there
hadestown doesn’t have rush right?
I think they do… I usually get standing room tickets for $40 each
https://preview.redd.it/nqy2wxhltj8d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5031cd64067d8d8d98325afad4cf896850a0617e I don’t think New York City Center counts but it would’ve taken my vote! The most beautiful theater I’ve ever been in
Gorgeous and more comfortable than most.
Definitely, and great view even from the back of the balcony. Titanic was incredible
The leg room in that balcony is \*chef's kiss\*
Interesting! NYCC is one of my least favorite theatres when it comes to sightlines and seating (especially in the balcony). The balcony is so incredibly steep and the fact that there is no middle aisle is beyond me! Also not being able to see too far upstage is a little frustrating. It’s still an absolutely stunning theatre, and has hosted some of my favorite productions! Cool to see different people’s tastes!
oh yeah NYCC is stunning, such a treat to see shows there.
Inside: the Lyric theater is absolutely stunning. Outside: I love all of the gawdy marketing and the big ass sign of the Winter Garden.
The Lyric of Cursed Child? Or the original Lyric interior?
I don’t have a favorite, but in “All About Eve” (1950), Bette Davis strides into what’s now the Golden, on W. 45th St. Those very doors are still in place. I like that.
The best for me is the Booth! I think the worst is the Lunt-Fontanne. The back sections are super high and obstructed by the giant chandeliers
The rake isn’t the best either and has a tall stage. You really want to be no closer than row G (at least this was my experience seeing Sweeney).
It wasn’t just Sweeney. I had the same issues with the stage height during Finding Neverland in like 2015.
The Shubert is special to me, and I will always love it. I adore the Hudson, but the seats are lacking. If they were more comfortable, the Hudson would be perfect. I also have a soft spot for the Hirschfeld.
The Hudson to watch bc the rake is steep you don’t miss things in the balcony, but for design the Belasco.
The Belasco has the thinnest walls of all Bway theaters, I swear. That takes away from its aesthestics for me!
I like them all. except the Marquis. the Marquis can go to hell.
The Vivian Beaumont has that stark marquis vibe too. Unless there’s some other reason you hate them lol
about 40 percent the vibe and 60 percent the loss of the four theatres that were destroyed to build it.
Ugh true true!
The Beaumont at least has the POV of the Brutalist architecture movement - there’s some element of design history at the Beaumont. The Marquis is just… 80s ugly with zero inspiration.
The Marquis Theater. The most comfortable seats (leg room for everyone) and it's a huge theater. Also many bathroom options in the hotel. Probably a hot take, but I prefer bigger theaters to tiny, cramped ones.
The Marquis is either going to be rated as either a favorite or the worst. There is no mid-pack rating the Marquis. Favorite, because as a relatively new theater (by Broadway standards) in a modern hotel, that means enough bathrooms, bigger seats, better sight lines, escalators, better accessibility, and just a more audience friendly set-up. Worst, because as a newer theater in a modern hotel, it lacks Broadway ambiance and feels better suited to a TED talk or a shareholder meeting. Both views are true.
I've only seen Beetlejuice in there and I couldn't quite put my finger on why the vibe was different and you've nailed it perfectly. Felt like a comfortable place to enjoy a show but the vibe and setting of the theatre were different. With this in mind, makes me interested to go back and see a show there again.
For sure. The bathroom situation is nice but it’s just soulless. You could be in a college auditorium.
That’s exactly how I feel. It’s fine, but doesn’t feel at all like a Broadway theater.
I agree about the positives you listed, but it feels like a cruise ship theater.
My absolute fave theater. The seats are so comfy and I’ve yet to have a bad seat anywhere in that theater, and I’ve sat in different sections thanks to Beetlejuice. Although I do hate how they “manage” the queue to get in tho. It’s always a mess and I’m surprised no one has gotten into a fist fight about accidental line cutters.
I felt so bad when I accidentally cut off part of the line trying to get into Beetlejuice. I genuinely had no idea where it ended and I did move but the person who I accidentally cut off wasn't too kind about it despite my apologies.
I saw this PLENTY at Beetlejuice…people seemed surprisingly chill for Once Upon A One More Time tho. The irony is that we were all going to the same place, and for the most part anyone that did cut the line def did it accidentally, since the lines would wrap around the place.
So far, my favorites are the Belasco and New Amsterdam because of their ornate details. But I also have a soft spot in my heart for the circle in the square, because its the theater i’ve been in the most and it is where i’ve had my most favorite theater experiences (Once on This Island, and Oklahoma).
I want to say the New Amsterdam because, well all theaters are beautiful, but the New Amsterdam is the first time I was really taken aback by the design of a theater. That being said, the balcony is kind of terrifying. So I’ll also say the Jacobs Theatre because the shows over there keep making me cry. At some point though, I would like to visit a ridiculously big theater.
The hike to get up to the balcony of New Amsterdam is also enough to cause a heart attack
New Amsterdam is beautiful. I kind of love the balcony vertigo too.
Funny that you say that about the design of the theatre because I couldn’t pick out the interior of that theatre in a line up at all. That’s how unmemorable it was.
Love The Booth!
Was looking for this! Great acoustics and there isn’t a bad seat in the house I swear
The Lyric is just beautiful
Not the best sight lines, but I like the design of Winter Garden.
The Minskoff (my first ever Broadway show was The Lion King) and I like the Gershwin & Wicked. Both shows / theatres have a special place in my heart. I love when the whole theatre is dressed with the show’s art and props, not a lot of theatres do that.
Not a lot of theatres can do that. Most only have a show for a year or two, at best. Not enough time to create stuff like that to display.
I also camped in front of the Eugene O’Neill!! Hmmm!! I loved the Imperial when it was all set up for Great Comet. Maybe the music box is my favourite though!!!
Belasco. The Tiffany lamps are beautiful, I love its haunted lore, and it feels so intimate and inviting without being too tiny.
New Amsterdam has the best story.
The Hudson. The seats are the comfiest for my fat ass
I love the Gershwin. Lots of wonderful memories for me there, so partly for sentimental reasons, but I do think it’s a great theater.
Todd Haimes, so modern
And there is not a bad seat in the house!
I actually picked up box seats (my first time) for Haimes for the Closing Night of Home because they were literally 5 dollars.
Oh… the box seats might not be included in my “not a bad seat” disclaimer 🫣
We'll find out! That's kind of why I wanted to get box seats, I can't justify it for a show I'm eager to see or am paying real dollars for, but it is perfect to experiment with for 5 dollars for a show I know very little about.
Please report back! I assume they’re the usual “box seat” view but yes - for $5 you cannot go wrong!
The Shubert was my first ever theater, so it will always have a special place in my heart. Seeing A Chorus Line there blew my little child mind. There’s nothing like the atmosphere of a theater.
It's also special to me having seen Chicago, Gypsy, and Spamalot there.
I saw To Kill A Mockingbird there, it was just electric, both to know all the iconic theater history that happened there and to be in the same room as Ed Harris.
The Winter Garden, it’s so big but you never feel too far from the stage. I’d never been in the Golden before seeing Stereophonic and I was really surprised how much I enjoyed the theater
I like the orchestra of Studio 54 but fuck the mezz and balcony.
I was about to buy tickets for the show moving in this fall. Checked out seatplan and a view from my seat and quickly cleared my cart. The mezz and balcony are awful and I’d be miserable up there. I’ll just wait for a discount code or the show to pop up on TDF and hope for a orch seat.
I’ve seen inner city high school auditoriums in better shape than this theatre. I feel like I needed to sign a waiver to climb up those stairs.
The majestic! Will forever be the phantom theatre for me, and it's what made me love theatre. Saw phantom in the majestic for the first time at 4 years old and was hooked! Honorable mention would be the gershwin. I used to take vocal lessons backstage at the gershwin and my wicked-obsessed middle school self lived for it.
The Gershwin, they have so much space
Al Hirschfeld and Eugene O’Neill
I think I've seen the most shows at the Imperial and the Broadhurst and have great memories from both, so I guess those are automatically my two favorites! Les Mis is my favorite show, and that was at the Imperial. The way they transformed the space for Great Comet was incredible too. I sat front row for the first time at the Broadhurst when I won my first lottery at Tuck Everlasting. Core memory tbh
The Sondheim. Great views and comfortable seats!
I have a soft spot for the Belasco. I love how ornate it is, yet feels different from the other theaters, especially post-renovation. Plus so much history & lore! The Belasco apartment above the theatre, and the visits from the ghost of David Belasco! (I acknowledge the downside of the Belasco - the auditorium doors open directly from the back of the house to the street, so it can get noisy, especially in a quieter show like “Appropriate.”)
All these votes for the Hudson…every time I leave that place everyone is hobbling because the seats are so uncomfortable lol
I had the worst back pain of my life after seeing Merrily there because my seat slanted downward enough that it put a lot of pressure on my lower back. It’s a gorgeous place though, despite the horrific seats.
I hated sitting in the orchestra of the Hudson. I finally sat in the Dress Circle for “Merrily” and it became my favorite mezzanine on Broadway!
WINTER GARDEN
The August Wilson theater seems to pump the A/C really hard in the lobby so it always has a unique environmental ambience (smell, temp, humidity) that always takes me back to seeing Groundhog Day there, which is my #2 favorite show I've seen.
Vivian Beaumont. Just feels so exciting to see a show at THE legendary Lincoln Center. I mean, they filmed Sweet Charity at that fountain!
The Belasco holds a special place in my heart. I saw my first play there. The Golden Boy. Sat front row house right. During one of the scenes the drink cart on stage fell over and I got splashed 😂. I was invited to go backstage afterwards. One of my best memories.
Hudson for beauty, Lyric for bathrooms, Jacobs for intimacy, Beaumont orchestra for sightlines (hate the loge, and the schlep of a location), Circle on the Square because I can buy any ticket and will be able to see just fine
Yes, I know the St James has bad sightlines, but it's my favorite theater because HELLO. DOLLY! played it's original run there and the first 42 times I saw the show were in that theater.
Jacobs! I prefer a smaller orchestra and it had Parade and now the Outsiders which have become two of my all time favorites! Oh and I automatically eliminate anything above like 45 street from being a favorite since that requires more effort to get to hahaha
That’s funny, I love when they are higher or east of 7th (like the Hudson) because it’s so much easier to avoid Times Square which is the absolutely worst part of seeing shows imo.
Totally! I think it depends on if you live in the city and which direction you need to head to after versus a hotel etc etc!
haha, yes this!
I remember getting tickets for wicked and just walking there being like are we there yet 😂
I was going to ask why does it take more effort to get to anything above 45th street... can't you just get off at a different subway? But then I realized not all of you live in NYC and come through like grand central. Personally, Iocation wise, I prefer theaters above like 47th street because I can skip the zoo that is Times Square. So much more pleasant to come out near Central Park and walk to the Broadway or Winter Garden theater from there!
I agree-it's funny how producers love those theaters because of their proximity to everything, which I totally get. As an audience member though, most of my favorite theaters are above 48th st. Easier to get to and with fewer theaters, each show feels like it has its own vibe.
Missing out on over half the theaters (so many great ones on 46th, 47th, etc.)
lol I’m kidding- I go to every theater and enjoy them. But being asked to pick a “favorite”— the ones closer to the Times Square station will give them the bonus points aka Jacobs takes the win!
Why not just ride the subway one more stop to 49th to get there? Then you get to avoid Times Square, which is a huge plus!
I love the Marquis mainly because I fit in the seats. I’m 6 foot and usually have to cram in other theaters.
Jacobs, Schoenfeld, and Walter Kerr are my favorites. I just love the intimacy of smaller theaters overall. And they all have decent sight lines.
Walter Kerr, New Amsterdam, and Jacobs
booth and belasco!
I love the Richard Rogers because I’ve seen so many show there. When I was in my early 20’s I did a solo trip and saw Lost In Yonkers there. So, it holds a special place in my heart.
The Walter Kerr
I’ve only been to the Majestic so far, so I guess I have to go with that by default.
It's impossible to pick a favorite, but I think the Walter Kerr is so pretty. I find the sightlines very good, and it happens to be the home of my favorite show. I wish they would refresh the flowers on the outside. They're looking kind of rough.
walter kerr because i'm obsessed with hadestown, lol! and i love how cozy it feels
I love the Al Hirschfeld. It’s gorgeous inside, has one of my favorite shows currently, and is right next to Schmackary’s :) It was also one of the first places in NYC I could use to orient myself in that area of town, so there’s that. The pillars are also cool.
Gershwin
Saw my first broadway show in Walter Kerr ❤. Was front row mezz and the view was incredible!!!
The Winter Garden and The Imperial I find the seats the most comfortable
The Belasco and Vivian Beaumont are my absolute faves, the Beaumont more so probably bc the views are all great, and Lincoln Center is my fave place in the city. I am short so I don't care too much abt leg room, I care abt sight-lines and overall vibes. The Belasco is so gorgeous imo. I really don't understand the love for the Hudson. I had one of my worse viewing experiences there, I dunno why my experiences are so diametrically opposed to everyone else's!
The Hirschfeld, though it was the Martin Beck when I first went. It's just stunningly beautiful all over. Even the bathroom is lovely. The Lyceum is quite nice as well. I have the strongest positive memories associated with the Imperial but it's objectively awful in there.
The Eugene O’Neill or the Booth. Not a fan of the huge ones - Winter Garden, Broadway, and I really don’t like the Marquis cause it feels like a cruise ship theater.
I loved the Hudson for the sightlines and general vibe of the theatre, I have also seen a number of shows at the Jacobs and have never had any issues or been in a bad seat! Like many others here, I can’t say enough bad things about the tunnel that is the Lunt-Fontanne
I know this is a take but I love the Lyceum! The mezz is one of my favorites. But the James Earl Jones is slowest taking over as my favorite - love the mezz, the bathrooms are wonderful, and the seats are spacious!
Something about the winter garden makes me just love it I love the wide stage and just how big it is
I love the Gershwin, just because it feels like Wicked was "born" there to me, and it's different from all the other ones. I also love The Broadway. Most people don't, but there is something about its location and size and grandeur that has always appealed to me. Also a fan of The Hudson. I also like the August Wilson, and I have absolutely no reason I can pinpoint for that lol. I just do.
Different theatres are best for different shows, but my favorite Broadway house is the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (previously known as the Martin Beck). The Moorish/Byzantine design, the vaulted ceiling lobby, etc. The Hirschfeld is gorgeous and unlike any other on Broadway. That said, objectively speaking, I suspect the New Amsterdam is probably the prettiest, most ornate Broadway theatre.
I love them all because of the extraordinary plays and musicals I've been lucky enough to see in them. As for the theatres themselves -- I'm old enough to remember a time when you could actually sit reasonably comfortably in a Broadway theatre, before they added rows and resized seats. Now it feels like Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway have more comfortable seating, but maybe that's only because the ticket prices there are so much cheaper.
I know it doesn’t count, but I love New Victory. Something about the combo of its beauty, the amazing programming, the joy of children, and its off color history- I love it.
The Friedman, especially in the mezzanine, has the most comfortable seats on Broadway. Great sight lines, too.
Hudson. The lounge. Then you walk out to the dress circle with some of the biggest seats on Broadway.
Stephen Sondheim Theater
The August Wilson… pre-Cabaret gut job- consistently drove me crazy. It is the ugliest interior/paint job to exist on Broadway. It’s like… smeared poop on the walls with sponge technique… and then inexplicable castle motifs? And the colors… just, absolutely heinous.
I love the booth theater. Intimate and great location.
Either the Booth or Walter Kerr (as long as I’m not in the balcony)
Something about the Shubert just screams Broadway especially with the old-school bulb lights on display showing what’s playing. The interior of the New Amsterdam is stunning and grand I’ve never been inside but I absolutely hate the facade of the Marquis. Why is it so modern? Maybe it’s trying to match the style of the hotel but it’s just dull
Booth
The August Wilson has always been a favorite just from the perspective of being a theater goer. The sight-lines are good everywhere and the seats are comfortable. I really like that sunken reception area where the bar is. It’s very roomy. It handles crowds well. Of course, a lot of this is massively different for Cabaret, so I’m talking about the traditional set up of the theater. My other is circle in the square. It’s just a really good theater, and it always feels a little special going there. Because of what it is, I feel like directors always do something interesting there with the staging. And I love the intimacy. There’s no bad seat anywhere and you’re so close to the action. Also, I used to rush the Rocky horror show there a lot. Like a whole lot. So I have a lot of fond memories of talking to Joan Jett and Daphne Rubin Vega and Alice Ripley and others.
There is something about the Imperial that I just love. I think because I saw my favorite musical of all time (Great Comet) there at a very formative age and it was life changing. I saw Water for Elephants there a few weeks ago and its still stunning!
The Nederlander because the bathroom attendants are INCREDIBLE, they run that place like a well-oiled machine!
not my favorite but the sondheim theatre is actually garbage