The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick

[Robert Taylor]

The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#1

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:08pm

Is it just me or is The Richard Rodgers Theatre the most uncomfortable Broadway house?

The seats are small and there is very little leg room. The Mezz makes almost a third of the orchestra partial view. Most of the boxes have only 55% views of the stage.

In addition, there's that really ugly black lighting and sound box hanging over the orchestra.

I first noticed most of this when I saw "Tarzan" there and when I recently went to "In The Heights" I could not get comfortable.

Anyone else agree? Disagree?
Updated On: 7/20/09 at 03:08 PM

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#2

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:10pm

I actually love the theater because from a lot of the seats you have an amazing view. Aside from the boxes and about 3 rows of the Orchestra you can see everything.

[Anakela]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#2

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:12pm

The Mezz makes almost two-thirds of the orchestra partial view.

Ok, I'm the first one to tell people do not buy tickets for In the Heights in the orch for anything after row R or S, so that you do not miss the second level of the set, etc., but that is nowhere near making 2/3 of the orch partial view.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#3

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:13pm

I've sat in the rear mezz and the first rows of the orchestra and was not uncomfortable. It's probably one of my favorite Broadway theatres.

[madbrian]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#4

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:13pm

It is one of the least comfortable theaters, with respect to seats and leg room. I have to disagree on the boxes, however. Just last week I sat in a box for In The Heights and my view was fine. There were a couple of scenes where I had minor obstruction, but by and large the the view was good.

"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

[IdinaBellFoster]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#5

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:16pm

When I saw In The Heights I sat first row of the second section of the mezz, and it was a perfect view. But then again, I had the extra leg room.

"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards

[Robert Taylor]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#6

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:16pm

That was my bad. I meant to put a third but had a brain freeze.

[Marianne2]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#7

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:20pm

I never had a problem with that theater either. I have sat in one of the last rows of the rear mezzanine and recently, the second row in the orchestra and have no complaints.

The leg room in the balcony at the Palace wasn't too great though. And I also thought the space at the Golden in the orchestra wasn't great either.

"I don't want the pretty lights to come and get me."-Homecoming 2005 "You can't pray away the gay."-Callie Torres on Grey's Anatomy. Ignored Users: suestorm, N2N Nate., Owen22, master bates

[BroadwayGuy12]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#8

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:21pm

I don't think the theatre is terribly uncomfortable, but my time there was marred by the fact that I didn't look at my seat before sitting down and I ended up sitting in the chewed-up gum someone had left there. That was a rather unpleasant experience.

[bwaylvsong]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#9

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:45pm

The rear mezz was burning hot when I saw ITH a few weeks ago. My party complained, but the ushers didn't seem to care.
There are also no elevators, making it very difficult for older patrons to get to their seats if they are not in the orchestra.
The view and legroom were fine, though!

[singalongsong2]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#10

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:51pm

I have been in the orchestra and the mezz for In The Heights and I thought it was okay....not the best but not the worst. Although, my sister was very uncomfortable (she is taller than me and has longer legs). I definitely prefer the view from the mezz for this show.

[broadwayguy2]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#11

Posted: 7/20/09 at 4:02pm

Personally, I LOVE the Richard Rodgers Theatre and find it to be one of my favorite Broadway houses. It feels quaint and close in no matter where you sit. I Do think that it over due for a renovation and a more flattering color pallate scheme in the house.

In ragard to your complaints, they amuse me a bit. The Rodgers was designed to be best suited to dance pieces. The raised orchestra is there to allow you to see the depth of the choreography on the stage. It wasn't designed for you to look at plot important details in the scenic design 20 feet in the air, and a good director will know that and work with that. In fact, the rear orchestra view isn't notably different than what the rear mezzanine would be in a three tier house. Yes, the producers should charge less of a price for those seats, but that is an arguement for another day and topic.

As far as the "ugly black box" you speak of, that has nothing to do with the theatre. Blame the lighting and sound designers. It's THEIR rig, not part of the theatre and has nothing at all to do with the theatre.

Box seats were never designed to give a prime view of the stage, but a good director should try to compensate for that in their staging. Box seats were from a period in time when status was important and people would would shell out money for a box seat in order to more visible to the other audience members, not to catch a prime view of the stage and show. The Rodgers, though, tends to find itself with the box seats priced at a great discount.. I like that. I never understand how many theatres sell the box seats at prime orchestra prices.

[Soliantu]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#12

Posted: 7/20/09 at 5:26pm

My main problem with it was, that it was the worst theatre they couldve possibly put "Tarzan" in, because The last 15 rows or so of the orchestra, could NOT see most of the action in the show. and the mezzanine comes way out of the orchestra particularly in that theatre.. Don't know what they were thinking in that respect.. I don't recall how comfortable the seats were... I do recall however when seeing the revival of Into the Woods, at the Broadhurst theatre, that I felt THOSE seats, in the orchestra were very uncomfortable. I remember my knees were pressed very tightly up against the seats in front of me

[iflip4musicals]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#13

Posted: 7/20/09 at 5:29pm

I will preface this with, I know SRO is not particularly catered to, and I don't remember much of my experience cause I was recovering from dental work drugs (meds, whatever), but I did SRO for In the Heights and completely missed the balcony scene at the top of act 2 because of the mezz overhang. I had never heard the music, or (obviously) seen the show, so that was a bit aggravating. I can't really say much for the leg room as I was standing.... but the overhang is aggravating! And I'm sure was not too much fun during Tarzan.

"I've never encountered such religiously, you know, loyal fans as Broadway musical theater fans. It's amazing." --Allison Janney

[millie_dillmount]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#14

Posted: 7/20/09 at 6:54pm

This is one of the Broadway theaters I have never been in. I have heard so much negative about this specific theater.

"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611

[Mr Roxy]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#15

Posted: 7/20/09 at 6:56pm

If you want uncomfortable theaters, try the Belasco & The Lyceum.

Hey guys, use some of the facility fee money & renovate these 2 historic theaters.

Poster Emeritus

[jamoca5]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#16

Posted: 7/20/09 at 7:06pm

I've seen ITH in both the back and the front of the orchestra (also the aisle... long story) and I do admit, the overhang from the mezz is kind of irritating, especially if you're seeing the show for the first time (like I did). However, besides that, I don't really have any complaints. And the seats are pretty comfortable.

I'll tell you which seats AREN'T comfortable, the seats at the newly refurished Nederlander. Ugh. One of the many factors that made Guys&Dolls so unenjoyable for me...

~Ash was here

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[orangeskittles]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#17

Posted: 7/20/09 at 7:50pm

Row X at Tarzan were officially the worst seats I've ever been in. We would have had to watch the entire show on little TVs hanging from the ceiling. Might as well be watching a movie on an airplane.

Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never knowing how

[JP2]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#18

Posted: 7/20/09 at 8:01pm

It's actually one of my favorite theaters.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#19

Posted: 7/20/09 at 8:08pm

I'll tell you which seats AREN'T comfortable, the seats at the newly refurished Nederlander. Ugh. One of the many factors that made Guys&Dolls so unenjoyable for me...

I was gonna say, I didn't think the Rodgers had bad seats when I saw IN THE HEIGHTS, but part of the painful experience that GUYS & DOLLS was had a lot to do with the fact I had the most uncomfortable seats I've had at a Broadway theatre before. I was sitting in the front row of the mezzanine and seriously could barely move. There was NO leg space.

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

[RogerBartFan78]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#20

Posted: 7/21/09 at 12:55pm

I didn't have any problems with seats at the Richard Rodgers, but those seats at the August Wilson theatre are T.I.N.Y! I'm a small person, and I thought they were too small. Way too narrow and no leg room!

[RevolutionaryCostume]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#21

Posted: 7/21/09 at 1:24pm

The worst theatre I've ever sat in (and I'm a double threat: tall and heavy). . was definitely the Al Hirschfield. I sat balcony for "Curtains" and I couldn't even fit one leg in the space provided.

I sat with both legs in the aisle. . seated diagonally in the seat. It was the most uncomfortable 3 hours of my life. . but I still loved the show, which is surprising.

-Jacob.
Updated On: 7/21/09 at 01:24 PM

[frogs_fan85]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#22

Posted: 7/21/09 at 1:27pm

If you want uncomfortable theaters, try the Belasco & The Lyceum.

Hey guys, use some of the facility fee money & renovate these 2 historic theaters.

Mr Roxy, the Belasco is undergoing a renovation right now.

[Soliantu]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#23

Posted: 7/21/09 at 1:49pm

exactly, the fact that Richard Rodgers theatre has to have tv screens for you to see the shows action from those seats, proves my point perfectly

[Soliantu]

re: The Richard Rodgers Threatre...Ick#24

Posted: 7/21/09 at 1:50pm

hmm I was at Al Hirshfield for a few different shows, I don't recall finding it uncomfortable. Maybe it depends on which section you're in.