New York City is the mecca for stage entertainment. Big lights, big city and big musicals. Broadway shows attract audiences from near and far year round. From matinees to evening shows, musical theater continues to shine. We buy our tickets online, receive them as gifts, and stand in long lines at TKTS out in the cold to get discounted tickets. The Broadway district includes some of the cities finest theaters and a majority of the shows there are musicals. If you have ever had the pleasure of seeing a Broadway musical you know that it’s an amazing experience. From the moment you walk in these theaters you get a sense of excitement. I personally think the moment before the curtain opens is still one of my favorite parts. So if you’re looking to catch a musical here are some of the theaters along the Great White Way.
1. Gershwin Theater
Located at 222 West 51st Street, this theater was named after composer George Gershwin. It originally opened as the Uris theater in 1972. The renaming occurred in 1983 during the Tony Awards. It is one of the biggest venues in NYC with 1,933 seats, which is the largest capacity of any of the other Broadway theaters and it also features the American Theater Hall of Fame in the lobby. The Gershwin has hosted many musicals including The King and I, Show Boat, Oklahoma, and Wicked, which is currently running.
2. Stephen Sondheim Theater
Sitting at 124 West 43rd Street this theater was originally named Henry Miller’s Theater up until 2010. The original theater was closed and its interior demolished in 2004. It was rebuilt and is now located under ground below a bank. It was also re-named to honor the famous composer Stephen Sondheim. The last several years it has hosted shows that included The Pee-wee Herman Show, Anything Goes, and Beautiful: The Carole Kind Musical.
3. Palace Theater
Located at 1564 Broadway the Palace Theater originally gained legendary status amongst vaudeville performers. When the great depression hit, film became popular and vaudeville started to decline. In the 1960’s The Palace was re-opened as a playhouse and has since had notable musical productions like Beauty and the Beast, Legally Blond and West Side Story.
4. Richard Rodgers Theater
Located at 226 West 46th street, it was originally called Chanin’s Theater, then the 46th Street Theater and eventually in 1990 it became the Richard Rodgers Theater named after the legendary composer. This theater has hosted the most Tony Award winning plays as well as Best Musicals. Some of these shows include How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Nine, and In the Heights. The popular and exhilarating musical Hamilton is currently running here.
5. New Amsterdam Theater
New Amsterdam Theater
This New York City landmark is located at 214 West 42nd Street. The New Amsterdam Theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and over the coarse of time has been the home to many amazing shows, including the Ziegfeld Follies way back in the day. During the Great Depression the theater suffered a fair amount of damage and was forced to close. But, after a long rehabilitation and a court battle it finally re-opened in 1997. Since re-opening the theater has hosted many hit musicals including Lion King, Mary Poppins, and Aladdin, which broke the theater’s box office records.
[su_note]Learn more about the School of Musical Theatre at the New York Film Academy, located in the capital of Broadway in New York.[/su_note]
