Sight lines at The City Center with orchestra on stage

[Willster279]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 10:40pm

Has anyone mentioned that with the orchestra taking up the majority of the stage space, and the less than innovative staging, the majority of the action of "Damn Yankees" is played on what amounts to the front lip of the stage, making entire scenes all but invisible from almost the entire (what they laughingly call the) mid mezzenine? I'm just wondering.

[musicalmaster703]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 12:00am

Tell me about it. I had a mid mez seat could barely see anything

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 4:08am

Msg. to all who've never been to NY City Center. The place is HUGE, and IMHO, if you can't get or afford Orch;

Front mezz is good, but DO NOT sit in the REAR MEZZ! The rake is pitched on really low slope and the SIGHT LINES SUCK. As a previous poster explained, you are sooooo far back and NOT steep, you can not see the downstage area.
This pertains to most shows there.

I actually prefer to sit in the Gallery, but way to the side, not the middle, to avoid having "the bar" obstruct the downstage area. If there's no huge scenery way off stage left or right (which there usually is NOT), the sight lines are OK. Yes, it's high up, but if you bring binoculars, it's OK. Hey, it's 25. bucks!

Updated On: 7/12/08 at 04:08 AM

[broadfan327]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 12:52am

I sat in mid-mezzaine row D on the right and I could see just fine. It was a $50 ticket.

[Bwayfan4]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 6:51am

I loved my midmezz seat yesterday...row A. (The legroom was fantastic!)

[Willster279]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 10:11am

The fact is, unless you're in the first few rows, the majority of seats in that first balcony (lets call it by it's rightful name, the fist balcony) if you have anybody of normal size sitting in front of you, are obstructed view . My question is, for the summer musicals at least, in lieu of re-sloping the balcony, why not put the orchestra in the pit and move the performers up stage? I don't know about you folks, but if it's a choice between seeing the musicians or seeing the actors, I'd opt for the latter.

Of course, there have been ingenious directors at Encores who have staged the action THRU the orchestra, incorporating them into the action, John Rando just doesn't happen to be one of them.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 10:14am

I had an EXCELLENT seat in row K of the rear mezzanine. Great view.