Theatres that aren't friendly to the ample theatergoer

[quizking101]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 8:49pm

Ok, now I do realize that some of these buildings are hundreds of years old. But do you think that some of then should at least update to accommodate the occasional large theatregoer??

Some theatres that are not fat-friendly:
1. Brooks Atkinson Theatre
2. Al Hirschfeld Theatre
3. Booth Theatre

Are there other theatres that have uncomfortable seating for plus-sized patrons?

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 8:57pm

It's not just weight, it's height too. People are no large 5 and a half feet tall. They need to add a lot of leg room to many theatres.

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 9:01pm

As a tall person with long legs, I'm always extremely uncomfortable at The Kerr.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 9:04pm

I'm not terribly tall, only 6ft, but I'm always uncomfortable unless I'm on an aisle.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 9:04pm

This thread ought to be fun.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 9:06pm

Ok, now I do realize that some of these buildings are hundreds of years old. But do you think that some of then should at least update to accommodate the occasional large theatregoer??

You would think older theatres would have wider seats because girth was a sign of wealth & because theatre was for the elite.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 9:10pm

City Center. The woman ( who I'd qualify as morbidly obese X7) in front of me at Anyone Can Whistle seemed very uncomfortable. Also, because of the layout of the gallery, I had to look around her.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 10:40pm

Height wise...the Imperial makes me nuts. I think I posted this in another thread--but I am 5'1" (maybe I'm being a bit generous with that inch there...) and I had zero leg room in there. I can't imagine a non-vertically challenged human sitting in those seats.

[DrewBill]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 12:13am

Last year at a Second Stage Theatre production, a very, very large man was seated directly next to me. I felt bad for him -- as he made his way to his seat, patrons could actually be heard wondering aloud if he would fit in the seat.

He did manage to seat himself, but I had to basically sit sideways on the corner of my seat to accommodate his large size. (A young woman on his opposite side had to do the same.) And unfortunately, the show was sold out, so being re-seated elsewhere was not an option. I am sure he must have been very uncomfortable, but it was also the most uncomfortable night of theater for me as well.

Since then, I have often wondered if theaters have policies or procedures for such situations? Or if they have been forced to provide some sort of "large size" seating options?

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 12:39am

When I saw Spamalot at the Shubert I sat in the very last row of the balcony next to a rather overweight teenager. It was extremely uncomfortable. I'm a big guy myself but not big enough that I would worry about being comfortable.. but sitting next to an overweight guy who basically took over my leg space because he leaned forward most of the show was really irritating.

I'm assuming that most of the cheaper seats at broadway houses are less comfortable then orchestra seats???

[Pianist3912]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 12:42am

For insufficient leg room, I think the Studio 54 mezzanine is a major culprit.

[pc1145N2]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 1:32am

I agree with the Walter Kerr. While I've never been accused of being anywhere near tall, even I was very uncomfortable.

The poor man next to me was about 6' tall, he was in pain for the whole first act. He did not return after intermission.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 6:50am

I am 6 feet tall. When I attended DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRALS at the Imperial, I sat in the orchestra and had zero leg room. I was so uncomfortable that I stood at the back of the orchestra section for the entire second act. It didn't help that I hated the show.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 8:40am

"I'm assuming that most of the cheaper seats at broadway houses are less comfortable then orchestra seats???"

Not really. Most of the seats are the same no matter what you pay for them. I find the cheaper seats to be more comfortable since they are almost always in the last aisle and you can stand up without being in anyones way.

The most comfortable theatre I have ever been in is the Gershwin. I'm not extremely tall(5'10") but I have long legs and I can stretch out in any of those seats.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 8:52am

The New Amsterdam Balcony is is horrible. I'm only 5'8" with a really short torso but abnormally long legs so I can never fit anywhere.

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 8:53am

The Martin Beck (or I guess Hirschfeld now) was always WAY uncomfortable for me. And the several times I sat in the last row mezz of the Rodgers I found it amusing that the front of the seat, when pulled down to the sitting position was about an inch away from the back of the seat in front of it. People must have had REALLY skinny legs back when those seats were put in. (And I am NOT exagerating about that inch either!)

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 9:09am

I'm a little over 6'3" and that is the one thing I don't like about going to the theater. It is always uncomfortable.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 9:40am

My husband is 6'2" and is not comfortable unless he is in an aisle seat. When we were at the Schoenfeld last month, the seats themselves were crappy. They were lumpy with practically no padding so you sunk down very low in them.

With all the dough some of these shows are raking in, some improvements to seating would be well justified.
Updated On: 4/23/10 at 09:40 AM

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 10:09am

The mezzaine at the Kerr is horrid. When I was over in New York last month, there was so little space for leg room, I had to sit with my legs at a acute angle, which caused be a lot distress, after the interval I stood at the back of the orchestra.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 11:07am

My dad is about 6 feet tall and he was very uncomfortable in the orchestra of the Kerr when we saw A Little Night Music. Also when we saw Billy Elliot from the back of the mezzanine at the Imperial he had issues...I'm 5'6" and the mezz in there is uncomfortable for me so I can only imagine how bad it must be for someone 6 inches taller than me.

[winston89]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 2:39pm

I sat in the Kerr last night for the second act of Night Music and it wasn't the most comfortable thing. However, there were a few seats on both sides of me that were empty. So, I did get to spread out my legs. Had I had to sit with them directly in front of me without being able to spread out, it would have been VERY uncomfortable. But, I do feel like I lucked out.

And, don't get me started on the mezz for Studio 54. Last time I was there was for Sunday and I literally walked out of the theatre with the feeling that I was banging my knees against wood for two and half hours due to them being wedged into the wooden back of the seat in front of me.

By the way, I am not that tall, I am about five foot six.

[quizking101]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 3:28pm

I've been cursed with a double whammy. I'm 6'4 and 260 pounds....the leg room is a BItch. the only places where my seats were fine were when I saw "Young Frankenstein" at the Hilton Theatre, and "All About Me" at Henry Miller's theatre.

The common bod there is that both theatres are fairly modern and were built to accomadate large people.