The Worst Seats on Broadway- Page 2

[jnb9872]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 9:03pm

The Balcony of the Lyceum, without question, for me.

The Shuberts need to renovate that theatre, but the entire building is a landmark. I keep hoping it'll be the next theatre they do-over, assuming they've started navigating the redtape long ago, because yikes that building is a (historically rich) discomfort.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 9:06pm

Next to After Eight.

[bobs3]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 9:09pm

Oh God! The Broadhurst -- if you are over 5'10" you are going to have the most uncomfortable seating experience of your life!

Updated On: 3/20/14 at 09:09 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 9:35pm

Thanks for the sympathy everyone. That was my worst Broadway experience. Maybe almost as bad as BKLYN.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 10:09pm

The orchestra seats at the Imperial are one of the only seats that have disrupted my enjoyment of the show.

Also bad:
The rear mezz at Richard Rogers.
The rear mezz at the Shubert - your looking down through a tiny window to see the show.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 11:00pm

The rear mezz at Richard Rogers.

I was in the last row of the rear mezz of If/Then and thought it was fine. The facial expressions were not always clear, but I still enjoyed the show just fine.
As big of a theatre snob as I am, I am not picky about seats. As long as it's a full view and I can see the entire stage and set and hear, I am happy.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 11:05pm

Besides every seat at the Broadhurst, the box seats at the Hirschfeld are the worst. They do say they're partial view, but when that "partial" view you get is maybe 30% of the stage, those seats should not be sold. Ever.

[HighFlyingAdored97]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 11:09pm

Interesting. I sat in the right box at the Hirshfeld for Kinky Boots but I could see the entire stage. The balcony at the New Amsterdam is so far up you can feel your ears pop from the high altitude.

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 11:22pm

The balcony at the Kerr is the drop of doom. The mezzanine is like watching a show from a helicopter, you get to look down throughout the show and look at the top of the performer's heads!

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 8:50am

Worst leg room: mezzanine and balcony at the Kerr; mezzanine at the Schoenfeld; mid-and-read mezzanine at Studio 54. I think I'd give 54 the nod for absolute worst.

Worst, as far as view is concerned: balcony at the Palace. Sitting up there made me feel like I was trying to watch television through the window of the apartment across the street.

[JRybka]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 11:07am

I remember sitting in the box seats when Forum was playing with Nathan Lane at the St. James and he even made cracks during the show about how bad the seats we were in... I remember vividly him saying at one point "Missed that did you? Well that is what you get for sitting in the crappy box seats"

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 11:39am

All box seats are crappy. You pay top price for side views.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 12:01pm

Remember: box seats were designed for the upper classes to go to theatre, where it was more important that they be seen by the rest of the audience than actually be able to see the show they were attending.

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 12:03pm

Are the rear mezz seats that bad at Studio 54? I got seats up there. I think it is third to last row, center on the aisle.

Is it just bad leg room or is it bad leg room AND a bad view?

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 1:28pm

The balcony at the St. James is awful. The bar in front of the first row obstructs the view for the people sitting in it, which leads to them leaning over and consequently, blocking the view of everyone behind them with their heads.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 1:35pm

To JNB

Agreed and now people constantly arrive late to show people how important they are - pay big bucks for seats and not even bother arriving on time.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 1:44pm

"Is it just bad leg room or is it bad leg room AND a bad view?"

Both.

I think people who arrive late are embarrassed most of the time, and rarely want any kind of attention.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 1:46pm

Disagree since most shows do not start until 8:10 and they still cannot make it. They do not care if they annoy people. I have commented to a few really bad ones over the years. I like it when an actor on stage calls them out.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 2:01pm

I think there's a difference between people with horrible time management skills, and wanting to be seen at a theater. They're both awful either way, though.

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 2:03pm

People previous called out the mezz and balcony of the Kerr, but as someone 6'0" with long legs, I had to twist into the second row, aisle of the orchestra last night. Even if I sat with perfect posture, my right knee was crushed into the seat in front of me. Thankfully my left knee was to the left of the seat in front of me so it was safely in the aisle.

It did add insult to injury that the short guy in the front row in front of me had acres of room, crossed his legs, etc., heh. That row wasn't on sale when I bought my ticket.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 8:38pm

Orch T7, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Book of Mormon. The staff is nice and they offer you a cushion. There's your sign. You'll only see half the stage and you'll feel squished.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 9:10pm

I actually don't mind the balcony at the Palace either, except for the front row. There is a bar there that is in the way. I hate leaning forward, but I would not have seen anything if I didn't. The front row orchestra there is not great either because the stage it high. At least for most productions those get sold as lottery seats, so I don't complain for that at all.

I also found the extreme sides of the front mezzanine at the Ambassador awful. I felt like I was watching Chicago from high up, backstage. What I mean with that comment is that it felt like I was watching it from the side and could not see very well because of that. Plus, the seats are crap too. I actually had to work to fold the seat up and down to let people in and out or to leave myself.

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 9:20pm

As a fairly petite woman, seat size isn't much of an issue, but I have many tall friends and family who come with me. My 6' 6.5" father has gotten stuck in seats in nearly every theater, but the Kerr was about the worst.

[zepka102]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 2:56pm

The balcony of the Kerr, definitely. Those two rows shouldn't even exist. For Grey Gardens, I sat on top of my chair with my arm around the pole. It was terrible. Sitting front row for Gentleman's Guide, I looked up and couldn't believe there were seats up there. You can barely see them.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 3:25pm

I did my penance up there when we saw The Piano Lesson up there

Never again even if they were free.