Nicest or favorite Broadway Theater.

[Dave13]

Posted: 1/4/15 at 2:45pm

Sitting in the Lyric Theater today, and it is the nicest Broadway Theater I can remember being in. Am I forgetting or missed a nicer Broadway Theater?

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 1/4/15 at 2:56pm

This to be is always a questions of comfort vs. beauty.

The Marriot Marquis for example, is very comfortable to sit in… the theatre is ugly with no charm. Conversely, the Walter Kerr is an completely charming and beautiful playhouse, but, I find sitting through shows there painful… with what I believe are the tiniest seats on Broadway with the smallest leg room.

[Broadwaygirl202]

Posted: 1/4/15 at 3:18pm

As far as the least comfortable theater that I have been in would be The New Amsterdam. I have sat both in the balcony and the orchestra and the leg room is almost non-existentent ( and I am not extremely tall or anything), but the theater is gorgeous.

[HighFlyingAdored97]

Posted: 1/4/15 at 3:20pm

I have to say I'm partial to the Shubert and Belasco.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 1/4/15 at 3:38pm

As for the most comfort in seats and for leg room, I say the Lyric, Marquis, Broadway, Minskoff, Gershwin and Sondheim but they are all pretty much charmless as theaters except the Lyric and yes the Broadway has some charm to it.
Favorite theaters as in having rich architecture, I say the New Amsterdam, Kerr, Belasco, Lyceum, Hirschfeld, Palace (even though it feels dirty and needs cleaning & upgrades), Majestic, Longacre and Lyric. The Nederlander organization probably owns the most theaters in dire need of upgrades or renovating as the Simon (ugly), Marquis(no character-charmless), Minskoff (basically huge auditorium as is the Gershwin), Lunt-Fontanne (tacky interior painting) and yes the Palace all feel dirty and are bla. I wonder when the last time these theaters were thoroughly cleaned inside such as painted, carpeting washed, replaced or new seats?

Updated On: 1/4/15 at 03:38 PM

[#1CarrieFan]

Posted: 1/4/15 at 3:38pm

Without question, my three favorite houses as far as their beauty, would be the New Amsterdam, the Belasco, and The Booth. As far as comfort, the Marquis would be the best and the Brooks-Atkinson would be the worst.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/4/15 at 3:48pm

I also love the Lyric. It's a beautiful theatre with one of the nicest lobbies. I also love the St. James, the Shubert, and the Belasco. I'm not a fan of the Sondheim theatre. It's so stark and lacks any charm.

Updated On: 1/4/15 at 03:48 PM

[TexanAddams18]

Posted: 1/4/15 at 3:57pm

^I was just going to say I love the Sondheim! I think it looks sleek and is very comfy and intimate. The worst however is by far the O'Neill

[Fantod]

Posted: 1/4/15 at 4:05pm

The Broadway is the only house (that I've been in) that has both comfort and is not ugly as sin. I've also been in the Times Square Church, which used to be the Mark Hellinger, which would be the nicest theatre if it were still operating.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 4:42pm

Too bad the Nederlander's sold the stunning Mark Hellinger to a church ...what a wrong move as they must have been desperate. A sin!

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 7:33pm

Love the lobby of the Lyric, the entire renovation of the Belasco, and the Broadway for comfort/style

[RachelJean]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 7:35pm

I love the Booth and Richard Rodgers the most, but I've never been a fan of the Imperial. It's beautiful but the rows of seats are so close together and uncomfortable.

[binau]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 8:12pm

I feel the show influences me because I can't imagine saying the following about "Lysistrata Jones", but the Walter Kerr was such a nice theatre when Night Music was playing there. It was intimate, classy/tasteful, and beautiful. It was the perfect theatre choice for that revival.

[Fantod]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 8:17pm

I attended church at the Times Square Church (mother made me go when I went to NYC. I agreed if we could go to that church) and it is very awkward as a church because it doesn't feel like a church. It feels like a theatre and while church is communal, theatre is very personal, so it made for a strange churchgoing experience.

Edit: Theatres like the Kerr, Booth, Belasco, Lyceum, and Music Box are all so beautiful and intimate, but they are so cramped it's difficult to enjoy them. I sat in the first row mezzanine at the Kerr for Gentleman's Guide so I would have more legroom, and it was still unbelievably cramped. Updated On: 1/6/15 at 08:17 PM

[After Eight]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 8:24pm

My favorite was the old Helen Hayes Theatre, now gone, alas.

It was beautiful both inside and out.

I loved going there, and loved the plays that played there --- all but fond memories now.

[ethan231h]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 8:28pm

The Music Box
The Richard Rodgers
The Sondeim
The Circle in the Square

[Fantod]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 8:28pm

I've never been inside the old Helen Hayes, but from the few pictures I found of it online, it looks absolutely beautiful.





Updated On: 1/6/15 at 08:28 PM

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 8:33pm

I think the Sondheim and the Lyric are probably the nicest, but my favorite theaters are the St. James, Broadway, Marquis, and the Nederlander.

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 8:37pm

My favorite theaters are the Walter Kerr, Belasco, Lyceum, and New Amsterdam.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 8:43pm

Another vote for the Walter Kerr.

[MoDance0934]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 9:23pm

The Lyric Theater is beautiful, but I think the Majestic and the New Amsterdam won my vote.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 9:35pm

The Lyric and the Belasco

[sctrojan65]

Posted: 1/7/15 at 12:12am

New Amsterdam….really nice theater, I agree.
The Walter Kerr…awesome place too….but at 6'3 here….some serious tight quarters there.

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/7/15 at 12:30am

I find the detail in the New Amsterdam is jaw dropping.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/7/15 at 1:02am

The newer theatres- Gershwin, Marquis, Minskoff, and Lyric- are all significantly more comfortable than their older counterparts. However, with the exception of the Lyric, they're charmless.

The New Amsterdam and the Kerr are beautiful houses, but horrifically cramped.

I think the Palace has the best combination of comfort and charm.