What are the most and least desirable Broadway theatres?- Page 2

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 7:38am

The whole renovation of the Lyric was probably super costly too. 

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 8:31am

Jarethan said: "... the mezzanine of the Ritz is dangerously steep."

What is the Ritz?

 

 

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 9:42am

For producers, I would think (I don’t have any first hand knowledge) the least desirable are the Broadway, the St. James, and the Nederlander. Nederlander due to location (I don’t think they’ve had a “long running” show since Newsies, which was only for 2 years), the other two due to size.

Most desirable for producers (again I have no first hand knowledge) I’d say would be any of the smaller theatres, especially those on 44th, 45th, and 46th streets. 
 

Most and least desirable as an audience member? I LOVE the Al Hirschfeld due to its charm, the Jacobs due to the great sight lines (no bar in the front row of mezzanine is perfection if you ever get a chance to sit there), and the Rodgers for its stadium seating (though leg room is scarce, even for me at 5’2&rdquo. Additionally, the Sondheim has become one of my favorites for comfort, and the rear orchestra also having a sort of stadium sweating effect. My least favorite theatres are the Nederlander (awful side orch experiences. Literally sat sideways in one partial view seat lol), and Studio 54 (hate their rear mezz). 

[bholtzinger544]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 10:17am

The Ritz was the Walter Kerr's name before they renamed it in 1990.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 10:35am

I don't think there are bad seats in the Lena Horne...maybe all the way to the sides of the orchestra, but otherwise I have sat in the very back of the mezzanine, back of the orchestra-I love that theater.

I love the Broadway Theater but I'm so curious about what shows have lasted long there. It seems like nothing has been there since The Little Prince which obviously did not last long. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 11:08am

FANtomFollies said: "Jarethan said: "...the mezzanine of the Ritz is dangerously steep."

What is the Ritz?

Sorry, the Walter Kerr.  On that note, I also love the Friedman, formerly the Biltmore.  

"

 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 11:17am

My favorite theaters to sit in are the Al Hirschfeld (pretty much what everyone has said with the neighborhood feel and the mezzanine still feeling fairly intimate), Richard Rodgers (only sat in orchestra but it's laid out beautifully with the stadium seating), Circle in the Square (really can't beat the proximity to the stage from any seat, and standing room is in a great spot to), Beaumont (love the thrust and huge stage area), Marquis (I think the seats and sightlines are great, though going through the hotel always feels odd), and Gershwin (also really great sightlines without feeling too far, but I imagine a show any smaller than Wicked would have difficulty).

The Lyceum and Belasco balconies I've thought were pretty awful and the Walter Kerr balcony just puzzles me.  Rear mezz in the Shubert can be pretty rough too with the angle of the overhang.  The Lyric post-renovation is quite beautiful but it's so long that everything just feels kind of far.  Though the boxes aren't as steep of an angle as in other theaters.  The Imperial also seems pretty large and wide (partial view in the mezz really was quite partial) so I don't know how desirable that would be?  It also sat empty for quite a while, if that's any indication 

[EvanstonDad]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 12:10pm

Seems to me the difference between good or bad seats at Circle in the Square may be more dependent than in other theaters on how the particular show is staged. I saw "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" there, and while we were in the front row, we were way over to the side and looked at backs for most of the show.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 12:17pm

Finally bought my Sweeney Todd tickets, and it reminded me how looong the Lunt is. That orchestra has what seems like 1000 rows. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 2:20pm

I really liked the newly renovated James Earl Jones theater (formerly called Cort.) 

They added a hallway on the right side of each of the floors (orchestra,  mezz, and balcony) and there’s a modern elevator! There are also restrooms for all genders on each floor. 
 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 5:30pm

Isn’t the St James considered hard bc of the vast balcony? Makes it hard to sell out and thus raise prices.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 5:43pm

As an audience member I find the Nederlander to be unbearable because of its uncomfortable seats and Studio 54 horrible because the auditorium uses stage lighting to augment the inadequate lights that are there. The theatrical lighting is very glaring .

[veronicamae]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 7:57pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "It really depends on the show.

The Schoenfeld or Music Box or Barrymore is perfect for pretty much any play or modest-sized musical.

If you’re a midsized musical, you might want the Rodgers (in a few decades) or the Broadhurst.

If you’re a big musical, there’s no better place than the Winter Garden (with its large orchestra section and mezz but no balcony) or the Shubert.

Circle in the Square is perfect for very specific tenants. Same with LCT’s Beaumont.

I personally view the Shubert as the crown jewel of Broadway. Most shows that play there have a sense of occasion."

I've never been more cramped in a seat than the Shubert balcony - not to mention it was so high it nearly made me dizzy. Runner up for discomfort: Studio 54. But audience comfort =/= industry desirability so...whose POV are we actually guessing here? The public's? Or producers'?

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 8:17pm

is the question which theaters are most desirable for producers? i think there used to be some insanity around where a theater is located (too close to 6th, too far uptown) but I just dont understand who this imaginary person is thats wandering around Times Sq buying tickets based on whatever theaters they bump into. There was concern that RENT wouldnt sell because it was South of 42--but it was a show people wanted to see, and it would have sold out on 41, 46 or 146.

As for the most comfortable/enjoyable: the Sondheim, the Hirschfeld, and i think the Music Box are hard to beat. 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 12/14/22 at 8:25pm

The Lyceum has wonderful sightlines, but the legroom and seats are just terrible. When I saw Strange Loop, I sat at 4th Row Mez Center. Thank god I was on the aisle, but I was VERY uncomfortable the whole time. It's the oldest theatre on Broadway and I think it's time for a renovation. Someone said a few months ago that the West End Cabaret might go there in the future. Hopefully, they can do some serious work to that theatre if that goes to the Lyceum. 

[Marianne2]

Posted: 12/15/22 at 11:26am

blaxx said: "jkcohen626 said: "Hey everyone!

I feel like I think about this a lot, but don't actually know so much about it. The people on this board tend to be pretty knowledgeable about stuff like this, so I thought I would ask here!

The only ones I really know are that the Ambassador, Marquis, and Broadway are considered particularly undesirable.

Any other very undesirable theatres? What about very desirable ones?"

Two of those theaters hold the longest running Broadway shows, what makes them undesirable?"

The extreme side seating in the mezzanine at the Ambassador was horrible the last time I was there. I was in row D and felt like I was watching Chicago from backstage. I was in a similar seat at the Winter Garden for the Music Man a few weeks ago and didn't feel that way. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/15/22 at 11:30am

The Belasco and the Beaumont are my two favorites. :)

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 12/16/22 at 2:26am

blaxx said: "ijest22 said: "The Lyric hasn’t had a hit? You don’t consider Harry Potter a hit?"

Unless I missed something, it hasn't made its investment back yet."

Apparently $23 million of the $68.5 it took to get The Cursed Child on Broadway was the Ambassador Theater Group paying Cirque du Soleil to close the “Paramour” musical, so Harry Potter could move in.  At least for the purposes of the Harry Potter play, the Lyric is an extremely desirable theater. 

In terms of the play making back it's investment, it's grossed $78.6 million all time, but J.K. Rowling is supposed to get as much as 41% of the profits. For the investors actually fronting the money, it could plausibly still be years before they break even.  

It's sort of like Marvel and Star Wars TV shows on Disney+. Those shows are massively popular but Disney+ is still operating at a loss. The Harry Potter play legitimately is popular but not yet profitable.  

 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 12/16/22 at 11:32am

Wick3 said: "I really liked the newly renovated James Earl Jones theater (formerly called Cort.)

They added a hallway on the right side of each of the floors (orchestra, mezz, and balcony) and there’s a modern elevator! There are also restrooms for all genders on each floor.
"

Saw Ohio State Murders last night! It was my first time in that theatre (pre or post reno) and I loved it! It's such a gorgeous theatre, but it also felt pretty cozy and intimate. IDK if it's just that I was in a prime center orch seat, but my seat was very roomy with a solid amount of leg room. Then you add that whole new wing that is so spacious, beautiful, and bright! It immediately became one of my favorite theatres! 

[saxpower]

Posted: 12/16/22 at 1:24pm

Prior to rennovations, the Jones (then the Cort) seemed to be disfavored by producers.  It was usuall one of the later theatres in a season to get a production booked.  Also,  I recall several occasions where a produciton would announce for the Cort, only to switch to another theatre when one became available pre-opening. 

Prior to the Disneyfacation/cleanup of 42nd Street, the Nederlander was very undesirable because of the neighborhood around it.  Apparently some shows used it to rehearse because it was cheaper than rehearsal studios. It probably became a vicous cycle- theatre is not used much, so it doesn't provide much income, less funds for upkeep, becomes run down, making it less desirable. In the Nederlander's case, this became its salvation.  A shabby theatre was a good fit for Rent, which had a long run and provided income.  By the time Rent closed, the neighborhood had become safe and there was reason (and funds) to rennovate the theatre.   I've not been in the Nederlander (though before and after pictures I've seen are amazing(, but at least it doesn't seem to be actively avoided by producers. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 12/16/22 at 8:19pm

jkcohen626 said: "Wick3 said: "I really liked the newly renovated James Earl Jones theater (formerly called Cort.)

They added a hallway on the right side of each of the floors (orchestra, mezz, and balcony) and there’s a modern elevator! There are also restrooms for all genders on each floor.
"

Saw Ohio State Murders last night! It was my first time in that theatre (pre or post reno) and I loved it! It's such a gorgeous theatre, but it also felt pretty cozy and intimate. IDK if it's just that I was in a prime center orch seat, but my seat was very roomy with a solid amount of leg room. Then you add that whole new wing that is so spacious, beautiful, and bright! It immediately became one of my favorite theatres!"

I hear they did a gorgeous job with the reno and the seating now is actually comfortable and you don't feel cramped in your seats. 

As for comfortable seating my favorites: Gershwin, Sondheim, Marquis, Hirschfeld and Beaumont

[DrewJoseph]

Posted: 12/17/22 at 7:02pm

No one has mentioned it, but I do love the New Amsterdam. I think its extraordinarily beautiful and it can obviously house big sets.
 

As for the Lyric with HPs new design for it. Anyone know what will happen if the show closes? Would they go back to the old space? Or leave the new look and auditorium? I personally love the new look of the theater and would hate to see it go with the show.