Although Broadway can offer a great experience and plenty of entertainment, it’s far from the only theater in New York City. So today I wanted to shine a light on some other, equally deserving, theaters that you can check out if you’re in the area!
My tip: This is the complete list of Off-Broadway Shows in NYC.
BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
This theater is stunning to look at, with an extravagant and elegant design completed at the turn of the 20th century. And it features performances worthy of the space, between concerts and other productions. Adele has even performed in this spot!
The address for this theater is 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11217.
Atlantic Theater Company (Linda Gross Theater)
The Linda Gross Theater is the main theater of the Atlantic Theater Company and houses not only award-winning plays; but also art exhibitions and community classes. It boasts 199 seats, all in all.
And it’s located at 336 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011.
Atlantic Stage 2
The Atlantic Stage 2 is another theater owned by the Atlantic Theater Company, but this one is a smaller black box theater. Overall it can seat 98 people, and the space is used for a variety of purposes… Banner shows, presentations, readings, and even workshops.
If you’re interested in visiting then you can find the theater at 330 W 16th Street, New York, NY 10011.
Cherry Lane Theater
Cherry Lane Theater has a great amount of significance because it’s the oldest off-Broadway theater to continuously run since its opening. Which, in case you’re wondering, was in 1924. Today, it continues to be a performing arts theater that holds 179 seats.
This piece of history is located at 38 Commerce Street, New York, NY 10014.
Classic Stage Company
Classic Stage Company is similar to the previous item on the list, because it too, is a long-standing off-Broadway theater. It’s been open for 55 years. And during those years, it’s earned (and continues to earn) numerous awards for the fantastic entertainment it offers.
So if this sounds like a place you’d enjoy visiting, head to 136 E 13th Street, New York, NY 10003.
Daryl Roth Theater
The Daryl Roth Theater hosts various products, in addition to containing a cabaret bar downstairs. This theater can hold a whopping 500 people, if they’re standing. And even if patrons aren’t willing to stand, there are 299 seats. So, as you can see, it’s a fairly large theater.
And you can visit for yourself at 101 E 15th Street, New York, NY, 10003.
Astor Place Theater
This theater is within a historical building, one of four in a row that were built in 1831. So there’s a lot of history, as well as fantastic shows to be found here. And additionally, there are 281 seats which means there’s plenty of room.
Astor Place Theater can be found at 434 Lafayette Street in Manhattan (the NoHo section).
Connelly Theater
Yet another building with a lot of history, the one that now houses the Connelly Theater used to be an orphanage in the 1870s! But now it’s known for hosting independent productions, such as those put on by Bedlam and Ars Nova.
Connelly Theater is located at 220 E 4th Street, New York, NY 10009.
Metropolitan Opera House
The Metropolitan Opera House is located within the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex, and is a theater that hosts many hit productions. And a fun fact about it, is that it’s actually the largest purpose-built opera house in the world! It contains 4,000 seats!
The address for this theater is 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023.
New York Theater Workshop
The New York Theater Workshop has been hosting plays and musicals for forty years, and continues to do so to this day. In addition to this, they care deeply about the art of theater. And they always make sure to support artists through various workshops and plentiful opportunities to share their talent.
You can find this theater residing at 79 E 4th Street, New York, NY, 10003.
Irish Repertory Theater
This award-winning theater is known for hosting productions that focus on the Irish or Irish-American experience, as well as for featuring Irish/Irish-American playwrights and other talent. Overall it offers a unique, specific, and even educational off-Broadway experience.
The address of this theater is 132 W 22nd Street, New York, NY 10011.
St Ann’s Warehouse
St Ann’s Warehouse features musical performances as well as theater, and has been a performing arts institution for many years now. Their new location can also hold up to 700 people, so it’s quite spacious and well designed to allow performers all the room they need to put on a memorable performance.
The theater is located at 45 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
Lucille Lortel Theater
Lucille Lortel Theater is passionate about off-Broadway productions, as well as making sure that there’s more equality in the theater and performing business. Additionally, the building that houses the theater is a little slice of history and hasn’t been significantly remodeled since 1926.
The address for this theater is 121 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014.
Vineyard Theatre
This theater is known for the bold, risk-taking it explores. And it’s true that Vineyard Theatre supports art that might not otherwise be featured in more traditional settings, which makes it very unique. They specifically focus on the core theater, but sometimes mix it with other forms of performing.
It can be found at 108 E 15th Street, New York, NY 10003.
Westside Theatre
The Westside Theatre stands out from the other theaters mentioned on this list so far, because it actually has two stages. An upstairs one, as well as a downstairs one. And each stage can accommodate quite a few people; 270 seats for the upstairs stage, and 249 for the bottom one.
This unique theater can be found at 407 W 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036.
Stage 42
Stage 42 is an off-Broadway theater that is actually near Broadway itself. So it’s conveniently placed if you’re staying around that area. And as for the theater itself… It contains stadium-style seating that gives you great views of the stage, no matter where you are. Which is a nice change compared to some other theaters.
If you’re interested in visiting Stage 42, head to 422 W 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
The Mckittrick Hotel
This is another theater that stands out from the list, because its entertainment is given in the form of interactive performances. Plus, the location itself is very unique; as the theater is placed in a five-story warehouse that’s functioning as a pseudo-hotel. And in case that wasn’t enough to intrigue you, they also have a bar.
If this sounds like something you’d like then the address is 530 W 27th Street, New York, NY 10001.
The Flea Theater
The Flea Theater is a theater with a message; since they specifically try to support people of color and those with varying sexualities. All in all, the shows they put on could be anything from new American entertainment to experimental and new performances.
They can be found at 20 Thomas Street, New York, NY 10007.
The Players Theatre
The Players Theatre, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, is a historic and versatile performing arts venue. With spaces including a main stage for Off-Broadway productions, an intimate 50-seat theater, rehearsal studios, and the iconic Cafe Wha?, the Players Theatre offers a diverse range of experiences, making it a vibrant hub for arts and entertainment in this historic neighborhood.
You can find this theatre at 115 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012.
The Shed
The Shed is actually far more than an off-Broadway theater, in fact, it’s a cultural center! So it not only incorporates performing arts, but visual arts and pop culture as well. And The Shed is involved with these projects from beginning to end; they commission, produce, and present much of their entertainment.
The Shed is located at 545 W 30th Street, New York, NY 10001.
54 Below
54 Below is a little more casual than some of the other options we’ve discussed today, because instead of being a traditional theater… It’s a supper club that features three cabaret shows per night. But this can offer visitors a very interesting experience, and they serve excellent food there!
So if you’re interested, head on over to 254 W 54th Street, New York, NY 10019.
Broadway Comedy Club
Another location that isn’t a classic theater, is the Broadway Comedy Club. Which features not one, but two, different showrooms! This theater is extremely popular, due to its mix of American and international comedy. There’s something for everyone there.
So if you’re a fan of comedy, you can find this theater at 318 W 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019.
Duke on 42nd Street
Duke on 42nd street is a black box theater with customizable options for the productions they host, which makes it easier for the producers to create the most optimized shows possible. For instance, this theater is kitted with 200 retractable seats! And additionally, it contains a wrap-around gallery for more viewing space.
It also has a fantastic location… 229 W 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
Minetta Lane Theater
Minetta Lane Theater is a busy off-Broadway theater! They host everything from the standard plays to Broadway workshops, and even film shoots. Furthermore, the space features orchestra seating as well as space on a balcony. This gives the theater an impressive capacity of 391.
If this interests you, then you can visit the theater at 18 Minetta Lane, New York, NY 10012.
Playwrights House
This theater is unique, because their main focus is developing new playwrights. As the name of the theater suggests. So the work they display is often adventurous, and a bit different, as they help foster the new generation of contemporary American playwrights. Therefore, if you’re interested in taking in “new” work… this is the place for you.
And you can find Playwrights House at 416 W 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space
This off-Broadway theater prides themselves on shaking things up. So they feature mainly thought provoking works, and constantly strive to challenge their audience. Plus, they actually have two theaters so that they can give their audience even more content. It’s safe to say, there’s plenty to see here!
You can find this space at 511 W 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019.
York Theatre Company
The York Theatre Company sets itself apart by not only looking to bring the industry into the future, but also focusing on rediscovering and reimplementing theatrical “gems” from the past. Plus, they make a special effort to make their shows accessible for everyone with less costly performances.
Their Theatre at St. Jeans is located at 150 E 76th Street, New York, NY 10021.
WP Theater – (McGinn/Cazale Theater)
WP Theater is a theater company, and McGinn/Cazale Theater is its main location. They produce shows there in three out of four seasons. And their company has an inspiring mission to produce works written by those that identify as female in order to give them additional representation.
So if you want to support that mission as well as enjoy some well-written shows, you can find this theater at 2162 Broadway (at 76th Street), New York, NY 10024.
The Theater at Madison Square Garden
This is easily one of the largest off-Broadway theaters, with it containing 5,500 seats. It has a long history, and has evolved as a theater over time. Most recently, Hulu signed a sponsorship deal a few years ago and now hosts holiday themed shows once a year. But of course, there are plenty of shows throughout the year as well.
So if you’d like to visit this venue yourself, head to 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001.
Lincoln Center Theater – Claire Tow Theater
The Lincoln Center Theater has been around for many years now, and has always made it a priority to keep the cost of admissions as low as possible. But as the Claire Tow Theater proves, this doesn’t mean they sacrifice quality. The shows are entertaining, and the theater itself is stunning!
So if you’d like to visit this theater, its address is 150 West 65th Street, New York, NY 10023.
Lincoln Center Theater – Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater
The last off-Broadway theater on this list is also owned by Lincoln Center Theater, and is named the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. Obviously this theater has the same values as the previous one, since it’s part of the same company. And it shares the same beautiful building as the LCT’s other theaters. It’s simply another venue option for you!
So the address is once again at 150 West 65th Street, New York, NY 10023.
