Broadway Show Girls

The Broadway House Guide

Neil Simon Theatre

Formerly the Alvin Theatre

  • 1,467 seats
  • 2levels
  • Proscenium stage
  • Opened 1927

Imani's take

Big musical room up on 52nd, a touch north of the crush. One balcony with boxes, domed ceiling, 1,467 seats. Front balcony is my seat here.

— Imani Carter, spectacle editor

Where to Sit at the Neil Simon Theatre

Levels, bottom to top: Orchestra → Balcony. A large house. Boxes: boxes at the upper level.

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

  • Originally the Alvin — a mash-up of its builders' first names, Alex and Vinton
  • Mezzanine-level lounge

Getting There

250 West 52nd Street, New York, NY.

  • CE50 St (8 Av) · about 0.1 mi away
  • BDE7 Av (53 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 seatsLongacre 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 seatsNeil Simon TheatreNew 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.

Neil Simon Theatre FAQ

How many seats does the Neil Simon Theatre have?
About 1,467 seats, across 2 levels (Orchestra and Balcony). Exact capacity can shift slightly from production to production.
Where is the Neil Simon Theatre?
250 West 52nd Street, in Manhattan's Theater District. It is operated by Nederlander Organization.
What subway stop is closest to the Neil Simon Theatre?
50 St (8 Av) (C, E trains), about 0.1 miles away; 7 Av (53 St) (B, D, E trains), about 0.15 miles away.
Does the Neil Simon 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 Neil Simon Theatre called before?
It has previously been known as the Alvin Theatre.
When did the Neil Simon Theatre open?
It opened in 1927. 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.