Most Uncomfortable Theatre Seating: Nominations

I am not a huge person but I am big. I am 6 feet and not fat. About 200 lbs. If I have problems with seating it's always because of my longer legs. I have learned to avoid some theatres and balconies altogether. That being said, last week I had the MOST uncomfortable seat I have EVER had in NYC. I went to see A Man's a Man at Classic Stage Company. ROW D on the SIDE. The entire row is a disgrace. There were young girls who didn't weigh more than 110 lbs who did not have enough leg room. It was literally excruciating and ridiculous for me to be sitting there. I was able to move during intermission thanks to a kind usher. I will say enjoyed the show very much as I have many of the shows at CSC, But CSC should be EMBARRASSED to sell this entire row of seats.

And so I nominate the entire ROW D on the sides of the Classic Stage Company as the most uncomfortable seats in NYC.

As a formerly VERY large person (over 400 pounds) who is now just somewhat large (210), I nominate every Broadway theatre containing seats manufactured before 1960.

The gallery at the BAM Harvey should be outlawed by the U.N. Convention on Torture.

The mezzanine at the Walter Kerr unless you are a contortionist.

The balcony of The Hirschfeld. Erma Bombeck used to have a joke that when she crossed her legs while wearing pantyhose she would suffocate. It's the same with the Hirschfeld. The seats are so tight up there that if you can get your legs crossed, you're going to die in that position.

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Also weighing in on BAM. I'm 5' 1". Last time I was there, I was with a friend who's also 5' 1" and another who's probably 4' 10".

And before getting into those cupholder-sized seats, we practically had to crawl up the steps so we wouldn't fall backwards to our death on top of the rich people below.

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The most uncomfortable I have been so far has been in the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. I can't tell you the number of times I got elbowed throughout Kinky Boots by the lady sitting next to me. And I don't blame her because all you had to do was twitch and you were on top of the next person.

Any seat I have ever been in at the Golden. I have long legs, and my knees get black and blue.

I'm a big ol bear of a guy at 6'2" and 300 lbs.

In my experience the worst theatres for a larger person are the Broadhurst, the Al Hirschfield, and New World Stages.

The best theatres are the Palace, the Stephen Sondheim, the Marquis, and Studio 54

I'm 6'3, very skinny. Very long legs.

The ones I really remember are the Hirschfeld front Mezz and the Walter Kerr Mezz. Both of which were awful.

I've learned to just deal with it though.

Thanks MC1227 for the post--that was the side I was on in the Orchestra--Never noticed that before.

The last row of the Booth has NO legroom. I am 5'0' with short legs and I was extremely uncomfortable. The girl next to me STOOD through the entire performance, because she literally could not sit down.

At the Nederlander, there was a row in the Mezz or Balcony where you could not take your seat before all the
other patrons in that row had been seated, because there was NO such thing as passing a person at their
seat, that's how little room there was. The usher actually asked me to have a drink at the bar until everyone
had sat down in my row!!

I'm guessing this issue is not regulated at all. I think they should enforce laws on theater owners about how much room they provide. Otherwise they will continue to cut corners on iffy spaces in the theater and call
them seats. Who's to stop them?

I nominate the last row of the mezzanine at the Eugene O'Neil. Sat in the two person row for Book of Mormon and it was painful. I am barely 5 ft 3 and my knees were into the seat in front of me. Very uncomfortable!