Al Hirschfeld Theatre

The Broadway House West of Eighth Avenue

The Al Hirschfeld Theatre is a two-level Broadway house at 302 West 45th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. It is the westernmost Broadway theater and the only one west of Eighth Avenue, which puts it a short walk from the crowds of Times Square. As of October 2026 the house is between long runs: Moulin Rouge! The Musical closed on July 26, 2026, after seven years, and the illusion show Now You See Me Live is scheduled to begin performances on November 11, 2026, for a limited holiday engagement through January 3, 2027.

After that, Paddington The Musical, the London hit that won seven 2026 Olivier Awards including Best New Musical, is announced to begin previews on March 30, 2027, and open April 18, 2027. Schedules change, so confirm dates on the show listings on this page before you plan a trip.

The theater is operated by ATG Entertainment, which merged with the former owner, Jujamcyn Theaters, in 2023. It seats roughly 1,300 to 1,400 people depending on the source and the production's configuration: the Theatre Development Fund lists 1,302, while other references cite 1,404 to 1,424.

Orchestra, Mezzanine and Boxes

The auditorium has two seating levels rather than the three found in some older houses:

• Orchestra (the ground-floor seating closest to the stage), entered from the lobby with no steps from the sidewalk.
• Mezzanine (the single upper level), reached by stairs. ATG's access page counts about 20 steps up from the orchestra; Jujamcyn's older guide counts 27. There is no elevator.
• Boxes at mezzanine height near the proscenium (the arch that frames the stage), set at a sharp angle to the stage.

The mezzanine was extended forward by three rows in a 1996 renovation, so its front rows sit closer to the stage than the original design intended. Because there is only one upper level, even the back of the mezzanine is not as high or as far as the top balcony of a three-level house.

Productions can reconfigure the floor. During Moulin Rouge!, the main floor included premium seats near the stage marketed as Can Can seats. Each new show sets its own map, so check the seating chart attached to your listing rather than assuming the old layout.

Where to Sit, and Which Seats to Question

For most musicals and plays in this house, the best balance of view and sound is the center orchestra from about row E back to the middle of the section, and the first several rows of the center mezzanine. The front mezzanine sees choreography, stage pictures and floor patterns that the orchestra flattens, which matters for illusion shows and large ensemble musicals alike.

• Front orchestra rows put you close to the performers but force you to look up at the stage, and you may lose the back of a deep set.
• Rear orchestra rows sit under the mezzanine overhang (the underside of the upper level). Sound can feel enclosed and the top of tall scenery can be cut off.
• Far-side seats on both levels view the stage at an angle, so action at the near edge of the stage can drop out of sight.
• Box seats are close but sharply angled; they suit repeat visitors more than first-timers.
• Rear mezzanine is the usual value play: the view is complete, if distant.

For an illusion show such as Now You See Me Live, a centered seat matters more than proximity. Effects are staged for a frontal view, and seats far to the side are the most likely to see around the trick or lose part of it.

How Demand Moves at This Theater

Demand at the Hirschfeld follows the production. Limited engagements, such as the holiday run of Now You See Me Live, compress buying into a few weeks, and the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's are the busiest on Broadway. Saturday evenings and holiday matinees usually sell first, while Tuesday through Thursday evenings tend to have the widest seat selection.

Center orchestra and front mezzanine seats usually command the most, rear mezzanine and far-side orchestra the least. Because most inventory on the resale market moves with demand, prices for a new show often shift after opening night reviews and again as a limited run nears its final weeks. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.

Accessibility and Entry

The orchestra is the accessible level. According to ATG, wheelchair, companion and aisle-transfer seats (with armrests that move) are on the orchestra level only, and there is no elevator or escalator to the mezzanine. An accessible single-stall, all-gender restroom is on the orchestra level; the Theatre Development Fund guide places it house left under the stairwell, with other restrooms on upper levels.

• Seating for patrons who are blind, have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing is located near the front of center orchestra (ATG lists row D).
• Assistive devices, including infrared headsets, induction neck loops, audio description and captioning devices, are offered free at the lobby headset booth.
• The GalaPro app provides captions in several languages for participating productions.

As of 2026, ATG states that patrons pass through metal-detector screening at all entrances. Bag rules can change by production, so check the theater's current policy on the ATG access page before you go.

Getting to West 45th Street

The closest subway hub is Times Square-42nd Street, served by the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, S and the A, C and E at the connected 42nd Street-Port Authority station. From there it is a walk of a few blocks north and west to 45th Street past Eighth Avenue. The 50th Street station on the C and E is a reasonable alternative.

Buses that serve the area include the M10, M20, M104 along the avenues and the M42 crosstown. Because the theater sits west of Eighth Avenue, the sidewalk crush on 45th Street is lighter than in the blocks nearer Broadway, and the restaurants on Ninth Avenue are steps away for a pre-show meal. Garage parking in the Theater District is expensive and fills on weekend evenings, so transit or a rideshare dropped on Ninth Avenue is usually faster.

From the Martin Beck to the Hirschfeld

Vaudeville producer Martin Beck opened the theater on November 11, 1924. Architect G. Albert Lansburgh designed it with Byzantine and Romanesque elements and Moorish ornament, and the auditorium is topped by a circular wooden dome painted in red, yellow and green geometric patterns. Its stage, at about 2,914 square feet, was the largest on Broadway at the time. Beck built it without a mortgage, which was unusual for the period.

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated both the facade and the interior as landmarks on November 4, 1987. In 2003 the theater was renamed for Al Hirschfeld, the caricaturist known for his line drawings of Broadway performers; the marquee carries an illuminated version of his self-portrait as an inkwell, and reproductions of his drawings line the mezzanine lounge.

Notable runs include The Teahouse of the August Moon (1953 to 1956), Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods (1987 to 1989), the 1992 Guys and Dolls revival, Kinky Boots (April 2013 to April 2019, winner of six Tony Awards including Best Musical) and Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which played from 2019 to July 2026.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Al Hirschfeld Theatre
• ATG Tickets – Al Hirschfeld Theatre access
• ATG Tickets – Al Hirschfeld Theatre seating
• TDF – Al Hirschfeld Theatre
• Jujamcyn – Theatres at a glance
• Broadway News – Moulin Rouge! to close after 7 years
• Broadway News – Now You See Me Live at the Al Hirschfeld
• Broadway News – Paddington The Musical to open spring 2027
• Wikipedia – Kinky Boots (musical)