Imperial Theatre
249 West 45th Street, New York, NY 10019
Directions & Box Office
- Directions: By Subway, take the A/C/E to 42nd Street, walk north on Eight Avenue and then turn right onto 45th Street. Or take the 1/2/3 to 42nd Street, walk north on Seventh Avenue and then make a left onto 45th Street.
- Entrance: 45th Street, between 7th and 8th Ave The Imperial Theatre is located on the north side of 45th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue.
- Box Office Hours:
- Monday - Saturday:
- 10am - 8pm
- Sunday:
- 12pm - 6pm
Best Seats In The House
- Seats: 1417
None of the 1,417 seats in the Imperial Theatre are classified as having an obstructed view, but because of its large size, the best seats are in the mid to front orchestra and the front mezzanine.
Steep Rake on Mezzanine
The mezzanine is steeply raked, so even the cramped rear section has a pretty clear view, just so long as the people in front of you aren't leaning too far forward. The boxes have an acceptable view, but you're likely to miss a little of the action happening on the side of the stage closest to you.
Imperial Theatre Seating Chart
Gallery
Parking for Imperial Theatre
The closest parking garages for Imperial Theatre are located at:
- Champion Parking On West 45
- 251 West 45th Street
New York, NY 10036 - 212-819-1866
- West 46 Street Garage LLC
- 303 West 46th Street
New York, NY 10036 - 212-664-0064
The closest parking is not always the best as it often takes longer to park and retrieve your vehicle as fellow theatre goers have the same idea. A better choice of parking may be the second choice or further away by a couple of Avenues.
Additional Notes
Landlord: Shubert Organization
Official Ticketer: Telecharge
Notes:
Classic Broadway musicals Gypsy, Cabaret, Fiddler on the Roof, and Oliver! played here.Elevator: No
Escalator: No
Now Playing Water For Elephants
- Previews Began: February 24, 2024
- Opens: March 21, 2024
- Show Closes: Open ended
Get Tickets
Previous Shows
Bad Cinderella
- Opened: March 23, 2023
- Show Closed: June 4, 2023
Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations
- Opened: March 21, 2019
- Show Closed: January 16, 2022
Ruben & Clay's Christmas Show
- Opened: December 11, 2018
- Show Closed: December 30, 2018
Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812
- Opened: November 14, 2016
- Show Closed: September 3, 2017
Les Miserables
- Opened: March 23, 2014
- Show Closed: September 4, 2016
Billy Elliot
- Opened: November 13, 2008
- Show Closed: January 8, 2012
Imperial Theatre History
To get a sense of the evolution of the Broadway musical in the 20th century, one need only to look at the list of past tenants at the Imperial Theatre, which first opened its doors in 1923.
Nearly all the great songwriters of the early musical theatre were represented, as Rudolf Friml, George and Ira Gershwin, Sigmund Romberg, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, Irving Berlin, Frank Loesser, Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg all had shows here.
Top Musicals at The Imperial Theatre
The Imperial Theatre then ushered in some of the most beloved musicals of Broadway's Golden Age, such as Gypsy, Oliver! and Fiddler on the Roof. In the modern era, it has been home to unexpected collaborations like Marvin Hamlisch and Neil Simon's They're Playing Our Song and the ABBA/Tim Rice musical Chess
These Broadway shows all lead up to the flagship of the Euro-musical era, Les Miserables, which originally opened at the Broadway Theatre, but then transferred to the Imperial, where it then stayed for over 12 years.
Other Musicals at the Theatre
Although The Imperial Theatre has almost exclusively presented musicals over the years, some of the the more notable ones inlcuded Rose-Marie, Oh, Kay!, The New Moon, On Your Toes, Louisiana Purchase, One Touch of Venus and Annie Get Your Gun,
The theatre has had a litany of other successful shows including Call Me Madam, The Most Happy Fella, Jamaica, Gypsy, Oliver!, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Zorba, Pippin, Dreamgirls, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and of course Les Miserables.
In the post-Les Miz era, the Imperial Theatre has been home to the Hugh Jackman vehicle The Boy From Oz, a musical version of the Steve Martin movie Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, High Fidelity, Coram Boy, the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama August: Osage County, and the West end and Broadway classic Billy Elliot.
Imperial Theatre Design
The Imperial Theatre has an exceptionally long entrance and lobby area, which, with its marbled gray and white tiled floors and mauve tiled walls, looks as much like an upscale hotel as a theater. It is one of the more spacious theaters on Broadway, and has bathrooms with enough stalls that you've got a fighting chance of getting in and out before intermission ends.
Unlike most Broadway houses, the Imperial's stage door is not on the same street as the entrance, so autograph hounds will have to go around to 46th Street after the show if they want to see their favorite stars. The theater typically houses ambitious musicals and large productions, and the large design reflects this.