Broadway Show Girls

The Broadway House Guide

Lyric Theatre

Formerly the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, the Hilton Theatre and the Foxwoods Theatre

  • 1,622 seats
  • 3levels
  • Proscenium stage
  • Opened 1998

Imani's take

Modern house, old bones. The two upper tiers are only eight rows deep each, which keeps them closer than you'd fear in a 1,622-seat room. Dress circle is the sweet spot for anything with big effects.

— Imani Carter, spectacle editor

Where to Sit at the Lyric Theatre

Levels, bottom to top: Orchestra → Dress Circle → Balcony. A large house.

Three levels in a big house

With 1,622 seats stacked over three levels, the top tier is genuinely high and far. The first upper level is the value play; save the top balcony for shows that live in their wide shots — and bring opera glasses.

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

  • Built in 1998 from parts of the old Lyric (1903) and Apollo (1920) theaters
  • Both balconies are eight rows deep; the lower one is called the dress circle
  • Keeps the original 1903 Lyric facade on 43rd Street; domed lobby rotunda with three box offices

Getting There

214 West 43rd Street, New York, NY.

  • 1237NQRWSTimes Sq–42 St · about 0.1 mi away
  • ACE42 St–Port Authority Bus Terminal · about 0.1 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 seatsLongacre Theatre — 1,077 seatsLunt-Fontanne Theatre — 1,505 seatsLyceum Theatre — 922 seatsLyric Theatre — 1,622 seatsLyric TheatreMajestic 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 ATG Entertainment.

Lyric Theatre FAQ

How many seats does the Lyric Theatre have?
About 1,622 seats, across 3 levels (Orchestra, Dress Circle and Balcony). Exact capacity can shift slightly from production to production.
Where is the Lyric Theatre?
214 West 43rd Street, in Manhattan's Theater District. It is operated by ATG Entertainment.
What subway stop is closest to the Lyric Theatre?
Times Sq–42 St (1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, W, S trains), about 0.1 miles away; 42 St–Port Authority Bus Terminal (A, C, E trains), about 0.1 miles away.
Does the Lyric Theatre have a mezzanine?
The house has 3 levels: Orchestra, Dress Circle 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 Lyric Theatre called before?
It has previously been known as the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, the Hilton Theatre and the Foxwoods Theatre.
When did the Lyric Theatre open?
It opened in 1998. Architect: Richard Lewis Blinder (Beyer Blinder Belle) with Peter Kofman.

Nearby Houses

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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.