August Wilson Theatre

A 52nd Street House Named for a Playwright

The August Wilson Theatre is a two-level Broadway house at 245 West 52nd Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, operated by ATG Entertainment. As of October 2026 it is home to Paranormal Activity, a new stage thriller inspired by the film franchise, written by Levi Holloway and directed by Felix Barrett, which began previews August 14, opened August 25, 2026, and is booked as a limited engagement through January 3, 2027. Check the listings on this page for current dates, since limited runs can extend or close early.

The theater seats about 1,225; references cite figures between 1,215 and 1,228. It opened in 1925 as the Guild Theatre and has carried four names. In October 2005 it was renamed for August Wilson, the Pittsburgh playwright of the ten-play American Century Cycle, making him the first Black theatrical figure to have a Broadway theater named for him.

Orchestra and Mezzanine, With No Boxes

The auditorium is simple to read, which helps first-time buyers:

• Orchestra (the ground-floor seating) is on a raked floor, meaning it slopes down toward the stage so each row sees over the one in front.
• Mezzanine is the single upper level. ATG lists it as 15 steps above the orchestra and 25 steps up from the main lobby, with no elevator. Jujamcyn's older guide divides it into a West Mezzanine and an East Mezzanine, reached by separate stairs of 19 and 22 steps.
• No box seats. The original 1925 design left boxes out on purpose to keep the room intimate, so there are no sharply angled side boxes to worry about.

A bar called the Vault Bar is reachable from the orchestra level. Because the house has only two levels, the back of the mezzanine is closer to the stage than the upper balcony of a three-tier theater.

Picking Seats at the August Wilson

For most productions, the best seats are in the center orchestra from roughly the fifth row to the middle of the section, and in the first several rows of the center mezzanine. With no boxes and a moderate width, the house has fewer severe side angles than many older theaters, but the usual Broadway trade-offs still apply.

• Very front orchestra means looking up at the stage; you gain intimacy and lose the full stage picture.
• Rear orchestra rows sit under the mezzanine overhang (the underside of the upper level), which can trim the top of the set and dull the sound.
• Outer seats on either level see the stage at an angle, and scenery near the side walls of the set can block part of the action.
• Rear mezzanine is the value choice: a full view from a distance, best near the center.

For Paranormal Activity, which relies on sudden darkness, loud sound and stage illusions, a centered seat matters more than being close. Effects of this kind are built for a frontal view, and the middle of the house gets the sound design as intended. The production recommends it for ages 15 and up and warns of high tension, strong language, loud noises, sudden darkness and themes of horror and graphic violence.

When Seats Go Fastest

A limited engagement concentrates demand. For a horror title, the weeks around Halloween are an obvious peak, and the holiday stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year's is the busiest period on Broadway generally. Friday and Saturday evenings sell first; Tuesday through Thursday evenings usually leave more choice. As of fall 2026 the schedule lists no Monday performances.

Center orchestra and front mezzanine seats usually draw the most demand. Resale prices tend to move after opening reviews and again as a limited run approaches its final weeks, when buyers who waited compete for what is left.

Accessibility, Entry and Getting There

The orchestra is the accessible level. According to ATG, a stair lift with a 500-pound capacity provides direct access from the front of the theater to the orchestra, and the alternative accessible entrance has six steps. Wheelchair, companion and aisle-transfer seats are in the orchestra, and seating for patrons with low vision or hearing loss is in orchestra row D. A single-stall, all-gender accessible restroom is on the orchestra level. Infrared headsets, neck loops, Bluetooth Auracast audio and cochlear-implant-compatible headphones are offered free.

As of 2026, ATG states that all entrances use metal-detector screening. Policies can change, so review the ATG access page before you go.

For transit, take the C, E or 1 train to 50th Street and walk two blocks north to 52nd Street. The M20 and M104 buses stop at Eighth Avenue and West 52nd Street. Several other Broadway houses sit on the same blocks, so expect crowded sidewalks right before and after curtain.

Guild Theatre, ANTA, Virginia, August Wilson

The Theatre Guild opened the house on April 13, 1925, as the Guild Theatre, with C. Howard Crane and Kenneth Franzheim as architects. The facade was designed as a variation on a 15th-century Tuscan villa, with stucco walls and a loggia, and the original auditorium seated only about 914 to 934. The theater became the ANTA Playhouse, later the ANTA Theatre, in 1950, then the Virginia Theatre in 1981, and took its current name on October 16, 2005. The Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the facade a New York City landmark in 1985.

The August Wilson era opened with Jersey Boys, which won four Tony Awards including Best Musical and ran from November 6, 2005, to January 15, 2017, for 4,642 performances. Later tenants included Mean Girls (April 2018 to March 2020) and the revival of Funny Girl (April 2022 to September 2023). Earlier hits under the Virginia name included City of Angels and Smokey Joe's Cafe, which ran 2,036 performances.

Sources

• Wikipedia – August Wilson Theatre
• ATG Tickets – August Wilson Theatre access
• Jujamcyn – Theatres at a glance
• New York Theatre Guide – August Wilson Theatre
• BroadwayWorld – Paranormal Activity arrives on Broadway
• Broadway Direct – Paranormal Activity
• IBDB – Paranormal Activity
• Wikipedia – August Wilson
• Wikipedia – Jersey Boys
• Wikipedia – Mean Girls (musical)
• Wikipedia – Funny Girl (musical)