Best Broadway Theater in New York: Belasco Theatre

Belasco Theatre

111 W. 44th St., New York, NY 10036

(212) 239-6200

There are 40 Broadway theaters in New York, ranging in size from the smallish Helen Hayes (capacity 597) to the massive Gershwin (capacity 1,933). Our favorite falls somewhere in between, though it seems considerably more intimate than a thousand seats. Indeed, that's one of the reasons we like it—the place actually feels cozy. So cozy that, with its murals and woodwork and gentle lighting, you almost want to live there. Which its famous historical owner once did, in his apartment atop the theater. We'd be happy to move into the Belasco ourselves, certainly now that the ghost of noted impresario David Belasco is said to no longer haunt it. You can feel the history in other ways, too: The venue was home to the Group Theatre in the 1930s, hosting Clifford Odets premieres such as Golden Boy, Waiting for Lefty, and Awake and Sing! Indeed, one of the pleasures of watching Awake and Sing! revived there in 2006 was knowing it was on the same stage as the original 70 years earlier. Broadway prices are ludicrous, but at the Belasco those extra dollars can just seem kind of worth it. 111 West 44th Street, 212-239-6200 (10036)

Source: The Village Voice