Overview of New York Theatres
In general, New York theatres are divided into Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway categories. Here are some simplified guidelines for each classification:
What is a Broadway theatre?
A theatre is classed as a Broadway theatre if it has 500 seats or more and is geographically located between 41st Street and 54th Street and between 6th and 8th Avenues in Manhattan. The only theatre that does not follow this rule is the Vivian Beaumont Theater, located at Lincoln Center by West 65th Street.
Broadway theatres are also mainly commercial theatres, although a handful are operated by nonprofit theatre companies such as Roundabout Theatre Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Second Stage Theater.
Which theatres are Broadway theatres?
There are 41 Broadway theatres in New York City. All 41 Broadway theatres are listed below in alphabetical order.
Al Hirschfeld Theatre, Ambassador Theatre, American Airlines Theatre, August Wilson Theatre, Barrymore Theatre, Belasco Theatre, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, Booth Theatre, Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway Theatre, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Circle in the Square Theatre, Eugene O’Neill Theatre, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Gershwin Theatre, Golden Theatre, Hayes Theater, Hudson Theatre, Imperial Theatre, James Earl Jones Theatre, Longacre Theatre, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Lyceum Theatre, Lyric Theatre, Majestic Theatre, Marquis Theatre, Minskoff Theatre, Music Box Theatre, Nederlander Theatre, Neil Simon Theatre, New Amsterdam Theatre, Palace Theatre, Richard Rodgers Theatre, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Shubert Theatre, St. James Theatre, Stephen Sondheim Theatre, Studio 54, Vivian Beaumont Theater, Walter Kerr Theatre, and Winter Garden Theatre.
What is an Off-Broadway theatre?
A theatre is classed as an Off-Broadway theatre if it has a capacity of 100-499 seats. Some theatre companies operate venues on Broadway and off Broadway. Productions can also transfer from an Off-Broadway venue to a longer run at a larger venue on Broadway.
Which theatres are Off-Broadway theatres?
There are dozens of Off-Broadway theatres that you can visit in New York City. We've listed the major Off-Broadway theatres below.
Astor Place Theatre, Atlantic Stage 2, Cherry Lane Theatre, Claire Tow Theater, Daryl Roth Theatre, Delacorte Theater, Duke on 42nd Street, Greenwich House Theater, Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre, Irish Repertory Theatre, Linda Gross Theater, Lucille Lortel Theatre, Lynn F. Angelson Theater, Minetta Lane Theatre, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, New World Stages, New York City Center, New York Theatre Workshop, Orpheum Theatre, Pershing Square Signature Center, Playwrights Horizons, The Public Theater, Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space, St. Luke's Theatre, Stage 42, Theatre Row, Tony Kiser Theater, Vineyard Theatre, Westside Theatre, WP Theater, and York Theatre Company.
What is an Off-Off-Broadway theatre?
If a theatre has 99 seats or less, it is classified as an Off-Off-Broadway theatre. For editorial purposes, New York Theatre Guide refers to all non-Broadway shows as "off Broadway," as this outlet reports on few Off-Off-Broadway shows.