James Earl Jones Theatre
All events at James Earl Jones Theatre
James Earl Jones Theatre location and directions
James Earl Jones Theatre
Accessibility
Entering the Theatre There are no steps to enter the theatre.
Getting to Your Seat There is an elevator to access the lower-level restrooms, the Mezzanine, and the Balcony.
Orchestra (first level) The Orchestra has no steps. There are 7 wheelchair locations: N18, P4, P7, P8, P11, P106, P108 There are 6 transfer locations: K101, M1, M2, M22, N2, O19
Mezzanine (second level) The Mezzanine is up 2 flights of stairs consisting of 25 steps. The entrance to the Mezzanine is behind row H of the Mezzanine. There are approximately 2 steps between each row with a handrail on each step. There are 5 wheelchair locations: Mezzanine Right Box A, Mezzanine G3, G18, G21, G22 There are 3 transfer locations: G2, G101, G112
Balcony (third level) The Balcony is up 2 flights of stairs from the Mezzanine consisting of 30 steps. The entrance to the Balcony is behind row H of the Balcony. There are approximately 2 steps between each row with a handrail on each step. There are 2 wheelchair locations: G19, G20 There are 3 transfer locations: G2, G101, G114
Restrooms and Water Fountains All restrooms are wheelchair accessible via the elevator. Restrooms are down 2 flights of stairs from the Orchestra, up 2 flights of stairs from the Orchestra, and up 4 flights of stairs from the Orchestra. Gender diversity is welcome here. Please use the restroom that best fits your identity or expression. Water fountains are in the lower lounge, Mezzanine and Balcony.
About James Earl Jones Theatre
The James Earl Jones Theatre, formerly called the Cort Theatre, officially opened on December 20, 1912, with Peg o' My Heart starring Laurette Taylor. The venue was originally named after John Cort, founder of the Northwestern Theatrical Association. He commissioned Thomas W. Lamb to design the theatre, which would mirror the Petit Trianon in Versailles.
The Shubert Organization acquired the theatre in 1927, two years before Cort’s death. It has always been used as a traditional theatre except for the years from 1969 to 1972, when it became a television studio with the broadcast of The Merv Griffin Show.
Renovation work began at the Cort Theatre in 2021, and the venue reopened in 2022 under its new name. The building is now named for James Earl Jones, the Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award-winning actor known for voice roles in The Lion King and Star Wars films and stage performances in shows including The Great White Hope and Fences, which both earned him Tony Awards. He also earned a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2017.
How to get to the James Earl Jones Theatre on Broadway
The James Earl Jones Theatre is closest to the 47-50 Sts - Rockefeller Center stop on the B, D, F, and M lines. The closest bus stops are 6th Ave/W 49th St. on the M50 line and 6th Ave/W 47th St. on the M5 and M7 lines.
James Earl Jones Theatre seating plan
