Date of visit: April 14, 2026 Show: Chess - The Musical There are so many theatres in the district that it's hard for many of them to stand out, but The Imperial Theatre definitely has the charm that belies its years. A grand old dam of the scene that is over 100 years old, it has been maintained well and our seats in the 11th row for the evening performance of "Chess: The Musical" were excellent. Some of the previous, notable performances include "Les Miserables," "Water for Elephants," and "The Boy from Oz." Leg room was about what you would expect, unfortunately, but that comes with the territory. Ushers down in this section were extra snarky and while it wasn't pointed at me, I could see others not necessarily appreciating the sassiness. read more

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I'd been here before. Many times! ('Pippin' in 1972, 'They're Playing Our Song' '77, I treated my brother to 'Dreamgirls' in 1981 and finally the first run of 'Les Mis' in 1990.) The Imperial is the Shubert organization's 50th venue in NYC. It was constructed in 1923. The auditorium is a NYC designated landmark. The theater is located on 45th Street between 8th Avenue and Broadway. As with other theaters, you initially line up outside. You're then ushered into the narrow lobby, and directed to form two lines till the auditorium doors open. It's an orderly process. I'm a cheapie. I go for cost-effective seats with good visibility. If they've got a mezzanine and balcony I'll spring for the mezzanine. The Imperial's mezzanine is divided front and rear. My seat was dead-center rear mezzanine, and as good as I hoped it would be. As with all these gracious old theaters seats are a bit tight and legroom lacking. I saw 'Chess,' an excellent production -- dynamic singing, staging -- with artistic liberties taken toward historic SALT talks. You don't have to play chess, or even remember the nature of SALT to enjoy the show. Go see it! read more

Imperial Theatre - Taken from my third row rear mezzanine seat. You decide if it's worth the extra $ for front mezz. - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

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I was in the second row rear Mezzanine left (row B seat 104 which does not specify that it's obstructed but it slightly is if you're watching CHESS). CHESS itself is brilliant and kudos to the whole cast and crew for this magnificent production. However...The theater itself though is quite dated, cramped and older with bad soundproofing. You can hear police sirens and cars beeping loudly on the streets which is super distracting! As the actors sang serious songs sometimes all I could hear was the outside noise, I don't know how they don't get distracted either! (But then again they are the pros!) Ushers also often kept whispering and switching places in front of us which was so distracting! Stairways are steep and cramped, you have to be careful going up and down. As is with these older theaters you have to expect that they're not all going to be great but if you plan to go pay more to sit more central away from the walls so you don't get distracted from the outside noise. read more

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We just saw CHESS last night! The show was amazing!!!!! The theatre staff were all fantastic!! I loved seeing them dance up the aisle as the show's music started. They were also diligent on making sure peoples' cellphones were off. read more

Theater is similar to other broadway theaters. Would say I'm ranking this one lower because I didn't like the show that much unfortunately. Very talented cast and Lea Michelle stole the show but I personally didnt love the story line and it was so long. Unfortunately I wasn't as comfortable in these seats as other theaters. Personally I like more non traditional musicals like Hell's Kitchen and maybe happy ending more. If you like musicals you will probably like this one. read more

Imperial Theatre - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

First visit to the Imperial. I loved the experience of seeing the revival of CHESS on Broadway, which was on my best friend's bucket list. I am so happy I was able to experience the show with her. The production was excellent. The theater, however, felt confusing and cramped. Lines for the bar, restrooms, and merch were hard to distinguish, and the space felt crowded. The seats were narrow with limited legroom, which is fairly typical for Broadway, and our front mezzanine seats had a great view. I would return for another great show, if given the opportunity. read more

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Broadway is renowned for its storytelling mastery. From classic tales that have stood the test of time to contemporary stories that reflect today's society, Broadway has it all. This diversity in storytelling not only entertains but also educates and inspires. Shows cover a broad range of themes, allowing audiences to explore different cultures, histories, and perspectives within a few city blocks. Built for the Shubert brothers and opened in 1923, the Imperial Theatre is located on 45th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan. It has hosted various successful theatrical performances ranging from Dreamgirls to Fiddler On The Roof and Les Misérables, which I saw on my first visit. This afternoon my partner and I had the pleasure of seeing the iconic Chess the Musical with a legendary score by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, where power and passion collide, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the staff. The interior was gorgeous, a sight to behold, with recessed ceilings and ornamental panels that graced the walls, which were elaborately decorated with a number of motifs, including florals and geometrics. As it is an older and smaller theatre, the seats were good with little legroom. One can see from pretty much anywhere, as we were in the orchestra section. The story unfolds with the help of an engaging and humorous narrator. The performances of Aaron Tveit, Lea Michele, and Nicholas Christopher were absolutely amazing. The entire cast each excelled in all areas that are included in a musical: acting, dancing, and singing!!! It's a very fresh and captivating revival of a truly great musical with the iconic score that is going to be delivered fabulously. read more

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I love the Imperial simply because it is where my beloved CHESS is finally being revived on Broadway. Who would have thought that would ever happen? Not I. But I am so glad it did, and that I got to see it. I hope you will too. It is great. As far as the theatre itself, however... I found the Imperial itself to be a rather confusing and frustrating experience. There were sections corralled off, but it wasn't easy to tell which line was meant for the bar and which one was for the restroom, or the restroom vs. the merch booth. It felt clustered and claustrophobic in a way I haven't felt in any other theatre. The staff did their best to direct traffic, but the manner in which it was done made me feel like I would be doing something wrong if I didn't immediately head for my seat and stay there. During the intermission, the line for the ladies room on the mezzanine level snaked all the way down the stairs and back up again. Staff were shouting at people that they should know how to line up, "you did this in middle school!". I decided I didn't need to go that bad after all. The seats are old school theatre seats, fairly narrow and not a lot of legroom, but I expect that is pretty much any theatre on Broadway. No complaints there. Our seats in the front row of the mezzanine were great, nothing to obstruct the view. I will certainly return to the Imperial if I get another chance to see Chess or another wonderful show. I'll just better know what to expect next time. read more

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This theater is absolutely stunning and the original theatre for Les Miserables which is one of my all time favorite shows but now it is how to Chess and we were so excited to check this show out. We laughed at so many of the jokes and the vocals were absolutely incredible! Highly recommend seeing this one if your in town! read more

I'm a senior and my friend was hospitalized and they reimbursed my ticket because the lead was out and when they went to scan my ticket the sold one came up and they were so rude to me and I got hit by the door and I just started crying. I work as an usher in Seattle and we treat our customers like gold. Such a traumatic experience. When I asked for a program the rude usher asked to see my ticket. Wtf. So rude. Show was fantastic. read more

Oh boy, okay this isn't related to the play chess but rather the theater it was in, the seats aren't as narrow and tight as the belasco theater but goddamn. claustrophobia people be prepared because while it isn't tight.. the space between seats is so tight together there is pretty much no way you can get up unless you sit in the isle.. in the middle is like just chaotic to get to. The workers there were nice enough but this was an iffy experience for me, play was good. But it just suffers from being way too small of a venue for me to feel like I was 1000 percent. read more

Imperial Theatre - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

My husband and I saw Chess at the Imperial Theatre this past weekend. The theater felt quite a bit larger than some of the theaters I've been to on Broadway, but maybe that's just because - given the cost of seats to Chess - we were up a bit higher than I usually prefer! Overall, the theater is beautiful and pretty in line with the other theaters on Broadway: tight, crowded, chaotic - but worth it for theater! No one chooses which show to see based on the theater, but I'd say this one is right in line. I certainly wouldn't avoid it or anything! Totally fine. read more

Imperial Theatre - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

My aunt and I saw Water for Elephants at the Imperial Theatre last fall. The Imperial was built in 1923 and features a beautiful art deco style. The capacity is around 1450. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online via Telecharge. My aunt and I were lucky enough to get rush tickets at the box office day of the show. Our seats were in the mezzanine and were slightly obstructed. The rows don't have much leg room (as is the case with older theaters). It was extremely chilly because the air vent was directly over our seats. The usher in our section was super nice and allowed us to move closer to the center of our row after the show started. The view was much better and it wasn't as cold. She also hooked us up with extra Playbills because the show was closing in a few months. The staff did a great job of keeping the lines moving, especially for the bathroom and concessions at intermission. The concession stands are located on the first floor. The acoustics were great and the show was so good! Unfortunately Water For Elephants has closed on Broadway, but the tour will be starting next year. Check it out if you have the opportunity! read more

Imperial Theatre - Water For Elephants Digital Marquee - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

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This is a review of the theater as well as my review on the current production of "Chess on Broadway". I was seated in Row M in orchestra when I saw this performance. I enjoyed the songs performed by Aaron Tveit and Nicolas Christopher. The costumes were minimal but still stood out to me. Lighting and set design was a perfect 10/10. I went to see this during a weekend matinee where Lea Michele was replaced by her understudy. Despite it being her first time performing, the understudy did a phenomenal job at portraying Florence. read more

Always a beautiful theatre & the ushers were friendly. I've been waiting for a better version of Chess for years, so I hope to be back at the Imperial Theatre again on my next trip to see the show now that it's been locked down. I know changes have been made. read more

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I got to see Smash at the Imperial Theatre -- and wow, what a night. The theater itself is classic and elegant, but not intimidating. It has that old New York charm, and the staff were very helpful, but with a little new York style attitude of taking no crap ( me I was the one slowing down the line for a picture). Now about Smash: as someone who loved the original TV show, I was honestly unsure about how it would feel on stage -- I was not disappointed. The music, the story, the energy -- it all worked. The cast was incredible. I laughed. I cried. The whole show just reminded me why I love musical theatre in the first place and it felt like how it really is putting on a show . I highly recommend going to the Imperial Theatre. Unfortunately, Smash will be closing June 22, 2025, which I am bummed about, but I look forward to the next Broadway show at Imperial Theatre. read more

Imperial Theatre - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

I was so sad to miss SMASH here, but Chess more than made up for it. Talk about WOW!!!!!!! The voices and dancers were so talented. This was my mothers first Broadway show and she loved it. The theatre itself is gorgeous. Be prepared to be in a tight squeeze. The seating doesn't allow much room. They are comfortable though. read more

Imperial Theatre - Playbill - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

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We need to get a better system for people who are hard of hearing. While my machine worked, I was a little too far away to not get any static. Denver has a wonderful system that you should look into. I was so grateful the people next to me didn't show so I could use their seats because it was a tight squeeze in Mezz. I know these are old theaters but some improvements need to be made to keep Broadway alive. I can't imagine bringing someone over 6' to sit in my section. Their knees would be in the person in front of thems back. read more

Judy, the House Manager, ruined our experience. We had purchased 2 tickets in the morning for a matinee. The box office told us they were not next to one another, but the seats were right in front of one another. They also said as many box offices do, you can check with the house manager to see if it's possible to move closer together?. As volunteers at local theaters in our town we understood and do similar. We arrived at the show. It was one of the top on our list to see in New York and the seats were not directly in front of one another so we waited through intermission to ask the house manager again, as we did in the beginning but Judy told us to check with her at intermission, though that's not what the box office should be telling you. Upon finding Judy at intermission. she stated, "they never told you that" and when I persisted and said, "they did in fact, so we were just checking to see if there were available seats where we can move closer together," not ever once asking for a better seat, just two seats together. She stated that we were lying and her box office people are never telling guest that and she would not be moving us. It was the most uncomfortable, unwelcoming experience. We usually enjoy spending money that we save all year to go see the shows and support live theater and the arts. We do not splurge on restaurants. We do not go to New York to shop... we go to support the live arts and the community that we find within theater so it is shocking and appalling to be called a liar and really dampened our enjoyment of a beautiful show. read more

We came to the city to see a few shows, Smash was at the top of the list and our first show when we came to the city. This was the funniest show and exceeded our expectations! I can't believe it isn't going to play longer! So glad we got to see it! read more

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Loved Water for Elephants. After losing his parents in a tragic car accident, a young man quits Veterinary School at Cornell, jumps a train and joins the traveling circus. Based on the book, the musical weaves a story of heartbreaking loss, friendship, what defines family, cruelty to people and animals and how to find love again. So lucky to get a last minute Rush ticket to watch this spellbinding musical. Love the story, the songs, but especially the circus acts. So interesting how they built the train and the big top which brings the circus to life. The puppetry was amazing. A lion which has no teeth, a cute shaggy dog, a white stallion that is overworked and an Elephant named Rosie. The circus acts are also captivating. Acrobatics. Trapeze. Tightrope walking. Juggling. An evil jealous, abusive ringmaster....and an adorable clown. With a sprinkle of Polish. Zostan!! Life is unpredictable and full of unexpected adventures. Interesting to watch through the eyes of both a young Jacob Jankowski and his older self who runs away from his nursing home to revisit the circus and reflect on his life. Have you ever heard of Rush tickets? Rush tickets started with the musical Rent. They sold same day tickets for the first two rows for $20 each for whomever could get to the box office first. Today, many theaters offer same day Rush tickets either by going directly to the box office or via a digital lottery. Thanks to Sarah for my same day general Rush tickets that were purchased at 4 PM on a Saturday afternoon. $49 for orchestra row B. Cash or credit. Amazing seat for a beautiful Broadway show. read more

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A great theatre with no bad seats in the house. The theatre is a bit small but the seats are very comfortable. Enough space between you and the row in front of you. The acoustics were really great. We saw the Broadway show Smash and it was great!!! read more

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We had seats in the orchestra in row c which had enough leg room compared to other theaters. The restroom was large enough that the preshow line was short and moved quickly. read more

Imperial Theatre - Restroom sign - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

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The Imperial Theater was established in 1923 and is the current playhouse for Water for Elephants. Rich in history and design, this theater holds approximately 1400 seats. The seats were uncomfortable and rather snug in terms of chair width and leg/knee room. In other words, a taller person might feel cramped. The production was wonderful and incorporated many acrobatic scenes which were exhilarating. If you were a fan of the movie, this play will warm your heart. I especially loved how Rosie the Elephant was created with the endearing trumpet sound an elephant makes. On a personal level, I happen to adore Elephants. While the characters and parts of the storyline weren't too strong, the overall production was entertaining. read more

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The Imperial theater is a NYC theater located on 45th Street between Broadway and 8th Ave. it opened in 1923 and has been the home to many popular productions. Inside is nice, gives an intimate feeling although the seats are a bit too close together and if you get a tall person in front of you, like I did, it may be a problem. Was able to get tickets to Water for Elephants and was pleasantly surprised. I wasn't expecting much, but the show totally wowed me from start to finish. The costumes and choreography were excellent. The Circus scenes were intricate and elaborate. The show was predictable especially if you read the book or saw the movie. The show was entertaining but the circus choreography stole the show. read more

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Theater was nice - my sister and I had seats in the mezzanine and had a great view (second row). However, if you have wide hips, you will get bruises. These seats are widely narrow (even had an aisle) so heads up! read more

Judy, the house manager, was incredibly rude and not helpful at all. Nicholas Christopher is amazing in Chess though. Go see it! But avoid Judy the house manager at all costs read more

We were really excited to see Chess, and the check-in and entry process started off great. Once inside, we headed straight for the merch line, which is our usual routine. Unfortunately, one of the staff members called me over to scan my ticket, so I stepped out of line only for her to tell me to go back and get merch first. It was confusing and caused us to lose our spot, though thankfully we weren't pushed too far back. Our seats were easy to find and Act I was wonderful. During intermission, my fiancée tried to use the restroom, but the lines were understandably long. What frustrated us was the inconsistent time calls: staff announced a "5-minute call," and the bell sounded, so she rushed back to her seat to avoid missing the show. But Act II didn't actually begin for another 10-15 minutes, meaning she could've gone after all making the second act kind of uncomfortable for her. After the show, we were excited to stage door, but it wasn't clear where to go. When we asked an employee, we were directed around the block, but we never found any sign of a stage door. We were walking back to double-check when we saw one of the actors leaving, which was heartbreaking since meeting the cast was something we'd really looked forward to and the stage door had already happened. Overall, it felt like there were a lot of staff members trying to manage the crowd, (maybe too many to be honest) but the communication was inconsistent and sometimes contradictory, which created more confusion than clarity. We still loved the show itself, but the overall experience left us disappointed. read more

I've been to hundreds of Broadway shows in New York and have seen numerous theatrical touring productions in the US and UK and can say without a doubt that The Imperial Theatre on Broadway is probably the most miserable theater on the map. Its historic landmark status is no excuse for the Shubert Organization not doing at least a few desperately needed interior renovations in this 1923 building. Bathrooms don't come close to servicing the needs of the audience, areas of egress and ingress are dangerously overcrowded, seats are minuscule and there is zero legroom (literally there is no legroom). A number of the Imperial's ongoing problems would be helped by simply not squeezing as many people into a space clearly designed for far fewer, physically smaller people. But meeting 2025 standards for crowd control let alone comfort, likely means lower grosses and would anyone expect the Shubert organization to voluntarily do that? Unlikely. Even with high priced orchestra tickets, you cannot exhale or really move any part of your body in any way once seated. Making matters worse - and really putting a damper on the evening both times I was there recently -- is the usher staff, which is flat-out awful. Brusque and charmless, the ushers and security staff will order you around, do anything but welcome you, and bark orders like the worst TSA agents. Fitting I guess since the entire theater feels like a terrible back-of-the-plane experience. Also they are oddly strange when it comes to the Playbills they are supposed to hand out. I never received one at Chess, and when I asked later on the look I received from a younger male usher was one of fear and contempt. Is Shubert literally counting every Playbill handed out, then fining its staff for going over? That's the awful vibe they convey. Mezzanine seats by the way, are even tighter, if that's even possible. I was sandwiched between two guys (one of whom was bigger-than-average) and it was so excruciating I planned on leaving during intermission, despite the show itself being very good. Luckily I spotted an empty aisle seat several rows back and could finish out the show there. If you must buy a ticket to see something in this building, always opt for an aisle seat. Use restrooms before you get there and don't bother asking an usher -- for anything. read more

Bad Cinderella was a worthwhile two and a half hours of sheer joy and happiness. The sets and costumes were spectacular--an incredible investment. Everything sparkled and shone. Costumes changed with every scene. Such feast for the eyes. Very flirty plot and dialogue. A lot of visual treats for adults. Cheeky jokes amid the songs. Masterful actors. You will leave smiling and stimulated. Perfect treat against winter blues & seasonal depression. read more

Imperial Theatre - S 101 orchestra view (center) - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

I saw the new show Bad Cinderella here soon after previews opened. One piece of advice if using gps for locating the theater, make sure you put in the address listed on your ticket and not the name of the theater, because it will bring you to the back door and not the entrance. The theater is nice, and the seats were fine. I see a lot of people saying how tight or close they are but I've experienced worse. The bathrooms are on the second floor so if seated in the orchestra, you have to go upstairs. The show was lively, energetic and funny. Upbeat music throughout. If you are looking for more light hearted theater versus serious subject matter or deep emotional stories then this would be a good choice. read more

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We came here for water for elephants. The staff was kind and helpful and lines went quickly. It's a gorgeous theater without a bad seat! For water for elephants I definitely recommend mezzanine seats. In the orchestra I don't think you'd get to see and appreciate all of the acrobatic work. The chandeliers are beautiful! read more

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Shady ticket booth. They tried to sell us seats with overhang as the "best seats available". We visited last month to watch Water for Elephants and planned to buy tickets at their counter. Scott told us he'd look up the best seats available for us, then provided the seat numbers and their total price. We looked up the seating chart on our phone and realized that they were on the ground floor with overhang, and that there were still plenty of open seats in front of them... When we confronted Scott about it, he quickly said he "didn't see the seats in front of those" at first and then said the front ones were actually available. Terrible and deceitful "service". Note: This review is for the Imperial Theatre's shady ticket booth and not the play itself, which was phenomenal. read more

Theatre still existss. Came here with my mom for Les Miserables play! And it was sooo good. Special effects were insane with clouds and smoke and stuff, music made it surreal and melancholy at times, and the plot is obviously based on the book by Victor Hugo tied to the French revolution so is actually legit (unlike some other more fairy tale type musicals or modern type musicals I can think of). One of my all-time ever favorite musicals and phenomenal experience!!! read more

BS +++ The front staff security were unprofessional but it was hot today (7/7/24) so I'll let it slide.   The usher seated us to the wrong place but I had to ask and got corrected.   The view was great.  Water for Elephants was not as good as I expected but the acrobatics was wow!! Thus the 5 stars.  The seat was comfortable.  Bathroom was great.  The exit was chaotic and needs to be organized better.  They shouldn't force Mezz people to go down side steps since it traps them by exiting Orchestra viewers.  I wanted to use restroom and couldn't.  overall theater is beautiful and clean. But go watch Water for Elephants and support Broadway!  Highly recommended!   Trust me - I'm a vegan Boomsauce Scale: BW - basura (trash) BS - basic (come on! Try harder) BS + - better (Yo! That's better) BS ++ - best (alright! Alright! Alrightttt!) BS +++ - Amazing location! now that's boomsauce! read more

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I was there to see Bad Cinderella and the play was family friendly, entertaining and enjoyable. My seats were Sec B Row 2 Seat 1 & 2. My view was not bad except seat 1 is next to the wall. So I could see the stage, but not the whole room. On the plus side, seat 1 has a very small space next to it to put a coat or 2. It is not in the aisle so you cant get out unless asking the other 5 seats out. Another thing to note is that the ushers were kinda unsure where to seat people. I think they were new so maybe it could have been a learning curve. Really though, I'm short and could see clear. If not they have seat pads for kids or smaller height bodies. There is a one stall handicap bathroom and for the other, all access has 14 stalls with a handicapped. The line at halfway was insane but when the bell rings for the show to begin, everyone jumps out line & goes back so chances are you can stay in line without missing anything. Getting to the theater from Penn Station is super easy & is a 14 minute walk. read more

Rudest security I've seen. Had leftovers in a bag and they have a no food policy. I get it, but they are leftovers. I'm not eating during a show. Letting people with Starbucks coffee come through though? I have never seen such an idiotic rule before.. no one is eating their Juniors Cheesecake during the show. There was a family with 3 kids that went to Hershey's factory in Time Square and were told they had to dump their peanut butter cups that they had made. Are you kidding me?? This is absolutely nuts. People come to NY for the experience of food, shows, etc. You've ruined so many people's night. Absolutely ridiculous. Yet, their own staff had Starbucks cups right inside the front door. Come on. If you're going to have such an idiotic rule, lead by example. read more

Last Saturday me and kids saw Water for Elephants at Imperial theater. Heard about the movie, so excited to be at the theater. Stood line outside short, then walked into the theater. Staffs were extremely nice and helpful, especially going in to Women's bathroom at intermission. As a woman I know and experienced the nightmare of that situation. At Imperial it worked well organized. Staffs were so helpful. We had to climb the other stairs, not the stairs near the entrance. Staff told five person only get to space between the stairs and bathroom area. No chaos. Another staff telling who's going which bathroom inside the bathroom. Never seen this much organized women's bathroom situation of the intermission of a show! read more

Imperial Theatre - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

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This is a great small venue, all the seats were a great view. Bad Cinderella just opened with Andrew Lloyd Webber! If u get a chance to check out the show I highly recommend it. The seats were all good. I'm happy I got an aisle seat but it didn't matter. The show was great and there are tons of great restaurants nearby. read more

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It is the ultimate Broadway musical house, in my opinion. It is big, though not hug, by Broadway musical standards and has been home to some of the most amazing technical and artistic breathroughs in our history. If you are unfamiliar with classic Broadway theatres, know this: they are all tight, low legroom, with steep stairs but give a glorious intimacy once inside. Remember, the greats are over 100 years old and standards were simply different back then. read more