Nederlander Theatre

208 West 41st Street, New York, NY 10019

Nederlander Theatre Information, Shows and Tickets

Directions & Box Office

  • Directions: By subway, take the A/C/E to 42nd Street, walk south on Eight Avenue and then turn left onto 41st Street. Or take the 1/2/3 to 42nd Street, walk south on Seventh Avenue and then make a right onto 41st Street.
  • Entrance: 41st Street between 7th and 8th avenues The Nederlander Theatre is located on the south side of 41st Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenue.
  • Box Office Hours:
    Monday - Saturday:
    9am - 8pm
    Sunday:
    9am - 10pm

Best Seats In The House

  • Seats: 1232

The best views are from the center orchestra and the front mezzanine. However, many theater fans will argue that you can't beat the first two rows, which are sold for a deeply discounted price on the day of performance in a lottery. The Nederlander was the first to begin this "rush" policy, which allows people to see a Broadway show for an affordable price.

Though the majority of seats in the theater offer a clear, unobstructed view, the seats are small and may have limited legroom. The first row of the mezzanine is not recommended, as there is a large horizontal bar that can get in the way of the viewing experience. The acoustics in the mezzanine are especially bad on the far left and far right.

Nederlander Theatre Seating Chart

Nederlander Theatre Seating Chart

Parking for Nederlander Theatre

The closest parking garages for Nederlander Theatre are located at:

One Parking 1411
136 W 40th Street
New York, NY 10019
212-221-9827
ICON Global Parking
143-145 W 40th Street
New York, NY 10019
212-221-9485

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: The Nederlander Organization

Official Ticketer: Ticketmaster

Notes:

The theatre is named after the same organization that owns it. It has more recently been known as the theatre where productions go to die, as last last hit show to have resided here was Rent in 1996 and since then most shows at this theatre have closed with financial losses, although many of them appeared to be quite promising.

Elevator: No

Escalator: No

Now Playing The Who's Tommy

  • Previews Began: March 8, 2024
  • Opens: March 28, 2024
  • Show Closes: Open ended
Rock musical based on The Who's 1969 album, 1975 movie and 1993 Broadway stage show of the same name about an impaired child who overcomes his physical shackles and becomes …more
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Upcoming Shows

Our Town

  • Previews Begin: September 18, 2024
  • Opens: October 10, 2024
  • Show Closes: Open ended
Modernist metatheatrical play about a fictional American town in 1901, from the perspective of everyday people, as told by the town’s theatre stage manager …more
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Previous Shows

Shucked

  • Opened: April 4, 2023
  • Show Closed: January 14, 2024
Set in the Deep South, a young couple puts their wedding on hold to help save their small town. as the woman leaves home in search of someone who can …more

A Christmas Carol

  • Opened: November 21, 2022
  • Show Closed: January 1, 2023
Musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novella, about a elderly miser who regains his holiday spirit after being visited by ghosts. All roles are performed by just one actor, Jefferson …more

Mr Saturday Night

  • Opened: March 31, 2022
  • Show Closed: September 4, 2022
Bankable Broadway star Billy Crystal brings his talents back to the boards in the bio-musical of fictional comedian Buddy Young Jr., in a show that encompasses the life stories of …more

The Lehman Trilogy

  • Opened: October 14, 2021
  • Show Closed: January 2, 2022
Musical covering the rise and fall of the Lehman Brothers Investment Bank and questions the American financial system, capitalism, wealth and materialism …more

Harry Connick, Jr. - A Celebration of Cole Porter

  • Opened: December 12, 2019
  • Show Closed: December 29, 2019
Modern presentation of legendary Broadway composer Cole Porter’s treasured musical catalog, presented by Harry Connick Jr in his signature style. …more

Pretty Woman The Musical

  • Opened: August 16, 2018
  • Show Closed: August 18, 2019
Adapted from the iconic 1990 film, this Musical tells the story of down-on-her-luck Hollywood prostitute who meets a wealthy businessman. …more

War Paint

  • Opened: April 6, 2017
  • Show Closed: November 5, 2017
War Paint is a new musical that comes to Broadway after a record-breaking run at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. The musical tells the story of two competing cosmetics empires in the …more

Motown The Musical (2016)

  • Opened: July 12, 2016
  • Show Closed: July 31, 2016
Motown the Musical is a recent-revival of the 2013 jukebox musical featuring some of the best songs from the Motown music catalog. The show is thin in dialog but contains …more

Disaster

  • Opened: March 8, 2016
  • Show Closed: May 8, 2016
Disaster takes place aboard a floating casino boat that is sequentially struck with a series of catastrophe including an earthquake, a gigantic tidal wave, an inferno and a huge swarm …more

Amazing Grace

  • Opened: July 16, 2015
  • Show Closed: October 25, 2015
Amazing Grace is an uplifting new musical arriving on Broadway in summer 2015. The musical premiered in fall 2014 at Chicago’s Bank of America Theatre, where it demonstrated that audiences …more

Honeymoon in Vegas

  • Opened: November 18, 2014
  • Show Closed: January 15, 2015
Honeymoon in Vegas is the story of Jack Singer who is terminally afraid of marriage, until he gets up the guts to ask his girlfriend Betsy to be his one …more

Newsies

  • Opened: March 29, 2012
  • Show Closed: August 24, 2014
Set at the turn of last century in New York City, Newsies tells the story of newsboy Jack Kelly as he leads his young compatriots on a strike. …more

Rent

  • Opened: April 29, 1996
  • Show Closed: September 7, 2008
Rent is a ground breaking modern day musical set in New York City's East Village and is based on the well known opera La Bohème …more

Nederlander Theatre History

The Nederlander Theatre, originally known as the National Theatre, was designed by architect W.H. McElfatrick and constructed by theater impresario David Belasco. It opened its doors on September 1, 1921. The theater was designed in the Beaux-Arts style and featured ornate decorations and a grand interior.

Construction and Opening:

Situated on 41st Street, the Nederlander Theatre marks the southern-most point of the Times Square theater district. As a sign at the front of the building attests, its full name is the David Nederlander Theatre, named in 1980 for the founder of the Nederlander Organization by his sons who currently run it. Originally called the National when it first opened on September 1, 1921, the theater has had many good years under that name.

Early Years:

In its early years, the National Theatre hosted a variety of productions, including plays, musicals, and revues. One of its notable early productions was "Dulcy," a comedy written by George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly, which had a successful run in the 1920s.

Billy Rose Theatre

After spending a couple decades as the Billy Rose Theatre -- during which time early works by groundbreaking playwrights Edward Albee, Harold Pinter, and Tom Stoppard were performed here -- it closed for a year in 1978. The theater was then purchased by the Nederlanders and Cooney-Marsh and refurbished. It was dubbed the Trafalgar at first, but only briefly, before receiving its current name, the Nederlander Theatre.

Theatre Names Over The Years

  1. National Theatre: This Broadway theatre opened as the National Theatre in 1921.
  2. Billy Rose's National Theatre: In the 1952, the theatre was briefly renamed after the famous Broadway impresario Billy Rose.
  3. National Theatre: As a scandal engulfed Billy Rose, the theatre was renamed back to the National Theatre in 1972.
  4. Trafalgar Theatre: In early 1980, the theatre was purchased by the Nederlander Organization and was renamed to the Trafalgar Theatre. This new name only lasted six months.
  5. Nederlander Theatre: In late 1980, the theatre ultimately became the Nederlander Theatre in honor of the Nederlander family, who have been influential in the Broadway theater industry and who now owned the theatre.

Renaming to The Nederlander Theatre:

During its brief time as the Trafalgar Theatre, two prominent shows played there: Whose Life Is It Anyway? and Betrayal.

In 1980, when the National Theatre was renamed the Nederlander Theatre in honor of the Nederlander family, who were prominent figures in the Broadway theatre industry, the public were only lukewarm about the name change. The Nederlander family had been involved in theater management and production for several generations.

Renovations and Changes:

Over the years, the Nederlander Theatre underwent various renovations and updates to modernize its facilities and maintain its historic charm. The theater has a seating capacity of around 1,200, providing an intimate setting for Broadway performances.

Notable Productions:

The Nederlander Theatre has been home to many successful and memorable Broadway productions. Some notable shows that have graced its stage include "Rent," "Movin' Out," "Newsies," and "War Paint," among others. These productions have contributed to the theater's reputation as a venue for top-quality performances.

Legacy:

The Nederlander Theatre, like many other historic Broadway theaters, has played a crucial role in shaping the cultural landscape of New York City and the broader theater community. Its distinctive architecture and rich history make it a cherished part of Broadway's heritage.

Other Famous Shows That Played At This Theatre

Works by distinguished playwrights like Lillian Hellman, Sean O'Casey, Clifford Odets, and Tennessee Williams appeared here. The celebrated songwriting team Lerner & Loewe (who would go on to create the classics My Fair Lady and Camelot) made their Broadway debut at the National Theatre with What's Up?

Orson Welles and John Houseman's Mercury Theatre company brought productions of Julius Caesar and The Shoemaker's Holiday, which featured stars like Joseph Cotten, Vincent Price, and Welles himself, to this theater.

Nederlander Theatre Design

On street block South of the flashy 42nd Street, the Nederlander is the lone theater on 41st street and can often be easy to overlook. For years, the theater was run down and not very exciting - with poor seating, bad audio, a bland brick exterior and a prominent fire escape at the front of the building.

The Nederlander Theatre was ideal for scrappy upstart musicals and the theatre famously found its perfect match in Rent way back in 1995.

The bohemian musical remained its tenant from 1995 to 2008 and the following Rent's departure, the Nederlander finally got a much-needed renovation, but still struggles to this day find another long-term tenant that will pay for its next round of renovations.