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 TheatreAmbassador Theatre,  American Airlines TheatreAugust Wilson TheatreBarrymore TheatreBelasco TheatreBernard B. Jacobs TheatreBooth TheatreBroadhurst TheatreBroadway TheatreBrooks Atkinson TheatreCircle in the Square TheatreEugene O’Neill TheatreGerald Schoenfeld TheatreGershwin TheatreGolden TheatreHayes TheaterHudson TheatreImperial Theatre, James Earl Jones TheatreLongacre TheatreLunt-Fontanne TheatreLyceum TheatreLyric TheatreMajestic TheatreMarquis TheatreMinskoff TheatreMusic Box TheatreNederlander TheatreNeil Simon TheatreNew Amsterdam TheatrePalace TheatreRichard Rodgers TheatreSamuel J. Friedman TheatreShubert TheatreSt. James TheatreStephen Sondheim TheatreStudio 54Vivian Beaumont TheaterWalter 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 2Cherry Lane TheatreClaire Tow TheaterDaryl Roth TheatreDelacorte TheaterDuke on 42nd StreetGreenwich House TheaterHarold and Miriam Steinberg Center for TheatreIrish Repertory TheatreLinda Gross Theater, Lucille Lortel TheatreLynn F. Angelson Theater, ​Minetta Lane TheatreMitzi E. Newhouse Theater, ​New World Stages, ​New York City Center, ​New York Theatre Workshop, ​Orpheum TheatrePershing Square Signature CenterPlaywrights HorizonsThe Public TheaterRobert W. Wilson MCC Theater SpaceSt. Luke's TheatreStage 42Theatre RowTony Kiser TheaterVineyard TheatreWestside TheatreWP 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.