Broadway Show Girls

The Broadway House Guide

Lena Horne Theatre

Formerly the Mansfield Theatre and the Brooks Atkinson Theatre

  • 1,069 seats
  • 2levels
  • Proscenium stage
  • Opened 1926

Imani's take

Named for Lena Horne, which, yes, I think about every time I walk under that marquee. Raked orchestra, one big upper level, a manageable 1,069 seats — a good room for a first Broadway show.

— Imani Carter, spectacle editor

Where to Sit at the Lena Horne Theatre

Levels, bottom to top: Orchestra → Balcony. A mid-size house. Boxes: box seats near the front at the upper level, under murals.

One balcony over the orchestra

Two levels only, so the balcony is the whole upper house — its front rows are some of the best seats in the building for anything with choreography or a big set. The last rows of the orchestra sit under the overhang — fine for a play, a little boxed-in for a big musical.

About those boxes

Box seats look glamorous and sit at a hard angle to the stage — expect to lose part of the far side of the set. Buy them to be seen, not to see.

Our rule of thumb

For a play, get close and center. For a spectacle, get high and center. Partial-view seats are discounted for a reason — check the seat map before you buy.

Still torn? Carmen's orchestra vs. mezzanine vs. balcony breakdown and our cheap-tickets playbook apply to every house.

Good to Know

  • Spanish Revival design
  • The first Broadway theater named for a Black woman

Getting There

256 West 47th Street, New York, NY.

  • CE50 St (8 Av) · about 0.15 mi away
  • NQRW49 St · about 0.15 mi away

Distances are straight-line from the station's mapped center; big complexes like Times Square have many entrances, some closer. Check the MTA for service changes.

Schematic map of Broadway theaters, 41st to 54th StreetEach dot is a Broadway house placed by its street address, almost all between Sixth and Eighth Avenues. North is up.54535251504948474645444342418th Ave7th Ave6th AveBroadwayTimes SqAl Hirschfeld Theatre — 1,404 seatsAmbassador Theatre — 1,125 seatsAugust Wilson Theatre — 1,225 seatsBelasco Theatre — 1,016 seatsBernard B. Jacobs Theatre — 1,100 seatsBooth Theatre — 800 seatsBroadhurst Theatre — 1,218 seatsBroadway Theatre — 1,763 seatsCircle in the Square Theatre — 776 seatsEthel Barrymore Theatre — 1,058 seatsEugene O'Neill Theatre — 1,108 seatsGerald Schoenfeld Theatre — 1,079 seatsGershwin Theatre — 1,933 seatsHayes Theater — 597 seatsHudson Theatre — 970 seatsImperial Theatre — 1,457 seatsJames Earl Jones Theatre — 1,092 seatsJohn Golden Theatre — 800 seatsLena Horne Theatre — 1,069 seatsLena Horne TheatreLongacre Theatre — 1,077 seatsLunt-Fontanne Theatre — 1,505 seatsLyceum Theatre — 922 seatsLyric Theatre — 1,622 seatsMajestic Theatre — 1,681 seatsMarquis Theatre — 1,612 seatsMinskoff Theatre — 1,710 seatsMusic Box Theatre — 1,025 seatsNederlander Theatre — 1,235 seatsNeil Simon Theatre — 1,467 seatsNew Amsterdam Theatre — 1,702 seatsPalace Theatre — 1,648 seatsRichard Rodgers Theatre — 1,400 seatsSamuel J. Friedman Theatre — 650 seatsShubert Theatre — 1,502 seatsSt. James Theatre — 1,709 seatsStephen Sondheim Theatre — 1,055 seatsStudio 54 — 1,006 seatsTodd Haimes Theatre — 740 seatsWalter Kerr Theatre — 975 seatsWinter Garden Theatre — 1,600 seatsN ↑ · Vivian Beaumont: Lincoln Center, W 65th St (off map)

Accessibility

We have no sourced detail on this house’s accessible routes yet. Broadway houses must offer wheelchair and companion seating, and assistive-listening devices are widely available; book accessible seats directly with the official seller or through Nederlander Organization.

Lena Horne Theatre FAQ

How many seats does the Lena Horne Theatre have?
About 1,069 seats, across 2 levels (Orchestra and Balcony). Exact capacity can shift slightly from production to production.
Where is the Lena Horne Theatre?
256 West 47th Street, in Manhattan's Theater District. It is operated by Nederlander Organization.
What subway stop is closest to the Lena Horne Theatre?
50 St (8 Av) (C, E trains), about 0.15 miles away; 49 St (N, Q, R, W trains), about 0.15 miles away.
Does the Lena Horne Theatre have a mezzanine?
The house has 2 levels: Orchestra and Balcony. Ticket sellers often label the first upper level the “mezzanine” even where the architecture calls it a balcony, so check the seller’s seat map for exact section names.
What was the Lena Horne Theatre called before?
It has previously been known as the Mansfield Theatre and the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
When did the Lena Horne Theatre open?
It opened in 1926. Architect: Herbert J. Krapp.

Nearby Houses

All 41 Broadway theaters →

Pack for the Upper Levels

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Sources

Facts checked 2026-10-09. Seat counts are approximate and can change with each production's configuration. The opinions are Broadway Show Girls'; spot an error?Tell us.