If the flashing lights, honking horns and vast crowds haven’t convinced you yet, Times Square is the heart of New York—embodying the fervor of the entire city. New York—renowned for its pulsating theater scene—draws artists and fans alike. As the heart of the metropolis, nowhere does theater beat harder than West Midtown.
West Midtown houses much of the vibrant theater scene on that little street running through Manhattan: Broadway. Theaters reside alongside the skyscraper-high billboards, including the Broadway Theater at 53rd Street—home to Shrek The Musical and its star-packed cast—including Tony Award Winner Sutton Foster.
Down the road on 47th Street and Broadway, the Palace Theater now previews the much-awaited revival of West Side Story. Equipped with a fresh young cast, the recreation of Jerome Robbins’ original choreography, and the infusion of Spanish lyrics and dialogue, Broadway welcomes West Side Story with high expectations.
But not all Broadway theater meeting these expectations lies on the namesake street. Moving westward, August: Osage County at the Music Box Theater (239 W. 45th St.) presents acclaimed acting talent in this drama that captured the 2008 Tony Award for Best Play.
For those musically inclined, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theater (247 W. 44th St.) claims the spot of the longest running show on Broadway—8763 performances and counting. Or if you need your light-hearted Disney fix, The Lion King captivates audiences with its African-inspired melodies and elaborate costumes at the Minskoff Theater (1515 Broadway).
If musical comedy doesn’t suit you, perhaps straight comedy will. The small cast of four in Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps at the Helen Hayes Theater (240 W. 44th St.) produces a humorous staging of the 1935 film.
But who needs Broadway to laugh? Midtown hosts an array of comedy clubs including ComedySportz New York—an interactive improvisation show at the Broadway Comedy Club (318 W. 53rd St.).
Off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway theater thrives at Midtown. The Manhattan Theater Club manages New York City Center at 56th Street and the Samuel J. Friedman Theater (261 W. 47th St.) and commits to producing works—like the current The American Plan and Ruined—and hosting education programs geared towards as a wide an audience as the city’s diversity provides.
Appealing to a varied audience seems to be the new trend, as the New Victory Theater advertises itself as New York’s first theater for kids and families. Ranging from puppet shows to international artist showcases to the current production of Henry V, this 42nd Street located venue embraces theater on a multicultural and innovative level.
Though barely a sampling of all that West Midtown has to offer, there is no doubt that if you wander down Broadway, you will be sure to find all the theater you need.
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