Broadway Legend Joined: 8/10/06
Well, who are the worst offenders? Who at least give you a little room to stretch?
Eugene O'Neil Theatre has the worst, I was up in the balcony seeing Sweeney Todd and my knees were pushing against the chair in front of me. Very uncomfortable.
I have never had a problem at:
Barrymore
Beaumont
Hirschfeld
Hilton
Gershwin
Hayes
Walter Kerr
Majestic
Marquis
Minskoff
O'Neill
Plymouth
Palace
Rodgers
Royale
St. James
Shubert
Neil Simon
Winter Garden
I HAVE had a problem at:
Belasco
Broadhurst
Broadway
Golden
Imperial
Studio 54
Nederlander
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/10/06
How tall are you munk?
6 ft. 1 inch, maybe 6 2 by now.
Imperial's one of, if not the, worst.
For many of the theatres listed as ones that I have had no problem with, I have only sat in the orchestra and remember no problems. That's not to say that the Balcony is spacious, mind you.
As mentioned above, the O'Neill mezzanine is a tight squeeze.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
The St. James has tiny seats, at least in the mezzanine.
Even the orchestra seats at the New Amsterdam have very little leg room. I'm 5' 9' and those seats are meant for kids!
i was lucky when i saw Mary Poppins that i sat in the handicapped row so everyone around me was coveting my spacious legroom while they crammed their little kids into their seats.
i'm 6'4 - the martin beck is horrible as far as leg room is concerned. i also sat in the balcony of the lyceum once and me knees were digging into the head of the person sitting in front of me. that's why i buy standing room (well, that and i'm cheap).
Minskoff has wide ailses and good leg room. One of the few nice things I can say about it...
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/8/05
I remember the Nederlander being bad, and I'm only 5'4" so... yeah.
We had house seats at the New Amsterdam for "Lion King" when it first opened, and the leg room down there was very tight.
Gorgeous theatre, though. Not a great audience experience...
...unless you're from Lilliput.
For some reason, my most uncomfortable night was in the Plymouth, but I think that was because I was wedged next to a rather large, smelly man, and the show -- Long Day's Journey Into Night -- was LONG.
as far as my answer to the question, i'd go for:
Best Seats/Leg Room: American Airlines Theatre
Worst Seats/Leg Room: Studio 54
OMG Studio 54's seats were CRAZY bad. wooden chairs?! um...no
I just saw Grey Gardens the other night and the Walter Kerr's front mezz was one of the most uncomfortable and tightest that I've ever experienced.
i agree. i actually was fine in the front row mezz of the Kerr but i had a heavier set woman next to me who spilled out into my seat and stole all my space i had.
Broadway Star Joined: 10/13/04
Mezz at the Shubert...even in Row B was VERY tight and cramped for leg room. I'm about 6 ft tall, btw.
The Imperial is definitely the worst, I think. The Golden, too. I rarely have a problem anywhere, though, I'm only 4'11" and pretty tiny. The only discomfort I ever really feel in a theatre is when someone on either side of me is having a problem. Like, once at Avenue Q, I think I was sitting next to a man who must have been eight feet tall, and there was absolutely no leg room for him and he kept stretching his legs out toward me... and saying, "Sorry sorry sorry SO sorry."
Also at the New Amsterdam...I was heavier when I was there, but still...my butt barely fit in the seat. It really hurt by time the show was over.
worst legroom?
in a tidy bit of irony i've got to say the Longacre.
I'll add to the votes for the New Amsterdam for worst. Saw Mary Poppins last weekend and it was a tight squeeze in the orchestra. I'm not super tall either, 5'7". Couldn't they have taken out a row or two when they renovated, to give more space?
The mezzanine of the August Wilson was fine for me, but I guess I'm small because my Dad said the seats were very small and the legs of the guy sitting next to him were bumping into his legs during the course of the show. The actual leg room (as in feet) was fine though.
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