Two shows in a day?

Hello there!
Hope you're doing well.
I'm going to NYC in June and there are so many shows I want to see but alas, so little time. That's why I'm thinking of doing two shows in a day (One at 3 and one at 7), but I wanted to ask you, theatergoers, if that's doable. Have you ever done it? Will I still have time for stage-door-ing? Is there a lot to take in after a show to just run to the next one? Distance shouldn't be an issue since the theaters are just four blocks away.

Anyway, thanks a lot in advance!

reginula said: "Hello there!
Hope you're doing well.
I'm going to NYC in June and there are so many shows I want to see but alas, so little time. That's why I'm thinking of doing two shows in a day (One at 3 and one at 7), but I wanted to ask you, theatergoers, if that's doable. Have you ever done it? Will I still have time for stage-door-ing? Is there a lot to take in after a show to just run to the next one? Distance shouldn't be an issue since the theaters are just four blocks away.

Anyway, thanks a lot in advance!

Just check out the run times of the shows to see if it's manageable. I have done 3 shows in one day, but 2 of those shows were only 90 minutes.

In my experience it's very possible to do it WITH the stage door. I usually plan to eat a good lunch before the matinee. Also it helps to have snacks for in between if I happen to have a few minutes to spare, if you carry some kind of bag or backpack (please don't eat during the show, don't be that person). I also agree that the shows you see can have an impact on your enjoyment. My last trip I did a matinee of Waitress and and evening performance of Fun Home (if you do have a darker show, put it as the latter), then the day after I did a matinee of She Loves Me and and evening performance of School of Rock (both light and fun in different ways).

If you have a choice of where you are sitting I highly recommend getting aisle seats, especially for the second show so at least you can stretch out a bit.

I do it all the time. Most best theaters are within a ten minute walk of each other. Except for Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont.

Definitely doable. I've done 3 shows in a day before. Wicked at 2:00 , School of Rock at 6:00 and a 9:30 show at 54 Below. It helped that they all were within 3 blocks of each other. Had no issue doing the stagedoor or getting food between the first 2. Didn't have to eat between the last 2 since 54 Below has that food and drink minimun.

Updated On: 4/11/17 at 06:57 AM

I love seeing two shows in one day. Lots to do in between shows, or you can keep it simple. I wish there was a matinee every day of the week.

Actors do two shows in a day--why wouldn't an audience member? I've done it more times than I can count.

Personal tip: I usually prefer to see a longer show at the matinee and a shorter show in the evening. If I'm interested in two shows and one is 90 minutes with no intermission, and the other is 2.5 hours with intermission, I'll see the 2.5 hour show in the afternoon and the shorter show at night.

Yes, I do it all the time. This past weekend I did it on both Saturday and Sunday. I find that I always have at least two hours to kill between shows.

As everyone has said - very doable. I prefer it - primarily because my husband has trouble walking, we aren't shoppers, and long ago "saw the sights" in midtown Manhattan. To also echo the advice of others, we prefer to do the lighter fare/musical in the afternoon and the more serious/play/shorter show in the evening.

Thus during our visits in recent years, we've seen On Your Feet before The Humans, The King and I before Fun Home, Something Rotten before Hand to God, Newsies before Venus in Fur.

This year, Dear Evan Hansen before Glass Menagerie. (But also, contrary to advice because of Sunday schedules, Come From Away before Sweeney Todd). I just can't resist filling in all available slots (and later justify the cost) - this year nine shows in six days.

Just have lunch before the matinee at Juniors. That'll fill you up!

Updated On: 4/11/17 at 01:28 PM

Two shows in a day ..... Hell yeah!

If you are a theatre fan, you are coming from out of town, your main reason for visiting is theatre, and your budget allows it, you should go to as many shows as you can!

I have a visit scheduled in July and on the Saturday of my trip I am seeing 3 shows at 2 pm (Come From Away) 5 pm (1984 at the Hudson)) and 8 pm (DEH).

More than doable. I do this all the time. There's even time for an early sit down dinner if you go see a shorter show for the matinee. I usually go to a pretty nice dinner on 2-show Saturdays but those have shows at 2 and 8 so it's a bit easier.

Closest shows I ever had back to back were an 8 pm showing of constellations and a 10 pm showing of Hedwig. Constellations was 80 minutes, started about 10 min late, the theaters weren't that close to each other, and we still had 10 min to spare.



I do the 3 pm/7 pm combo almost every Sunday I'm in New York if there's anything I am interested on playing Sunday night. I usually pick a shorter show for the matinee and it still gives me time for a sit down dinner.

We to have seen the sights of NY in past trips, so on our visit next month we are going all in!! 8 shows in 5 days. So needless to say 3 days of double headers!! woot woot! :)