Address, opening, capacity of Circle In The Square Theatre
Basic Information about the Circle In The Square Theatre in NYC
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Address: |
1633 W 50th St, New York, NY 10019（
Map ）
Located on 50 Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue
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Opened: |
1972 |
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Capacity: |
776 seats |
Seating Chart of Circle In The Square Theatre
The Circle In The Square Theatre has a seating capacity of 776 seats.
*Click to view larger image
View from the seat of Circle In The Square Theatre
You can view real seat photos from inside the the Circle In The Square Theatre to see the stage from sections. These images help you choose the seating option that best suits your Broadway experience.
Orchestra Side, The last row
A bit hard to see because the seats are lit with blue lighting.
Directions to Circle In The Square Theatre
Access to Circle In The Square Theatre are most commonly by taking the New York City Subway (MTA).
The area around the theatre becomes very crowded close to showtime, so whether you are arriving by subway or taxi, please allow extra time to reach the venue.
Nearest Subway Station:
Lines,
50 Ststation (About a 5-minute walk)
Lines,
50 Ststation (About a 3-minute walk)
Map, location of Circle In The Square Theatre
Here is the map of the Circle In The Square Theatre.
Best hotels near the Circle In The Square Theatre
Discover the best hotels near the Circle In The Square Theatre. Stay within walking distance of Broadway and enjoy easy access to shows, restaurants, and attractions.
The list of recommended hotels near the theater:
History of the Circle in the Square Theatre
Opened as a sister theater to the Gershwin
The Circle in the Square Theatre opened on November 15, 1972. It was built inside Paramount Plaza alongside the newly constructed Gershwin Theatre (opened November 29, 1972). The project was led by the non-profit Circle in the Square Theatre company and architect
Allen Sayles.
Paramount Plaza Tower, completed in 1970, was designed primarily to house the Capitol Theatre cinema and the Gershwin Theatre. Two years later, the Circle in the Square Theatre was added as a separate venue, though
each theater is fully divided by walls.
The Capitol Theatre itself was designed by Thomas W. Lamb, who also built many early 20th-century Broadway theaters and cinemas. Although the Capitol closed in 1968, Paramount Plaza remains a 669-foot (204-meter) skyscraper with theaters, the Circle in the Square Theatre School, a cinema, offices, restaurants, and direct subway access.
Originally a cabaret in Greenwich Village
Before moving to Paramount Plaza, Circle in the Square Theatre first existed in Greenwich Village. It was founded in 1951 by producer Theodore Mann along with director Jose Quintero, actor Jason Wingreen, dancer Eileen Cramer, and actress Emily Stevens.
At the time, the group lacked a theater license, so Mann obtained a cabaret license instead. Together with staff and actors working as waiters, they ran it as a nightclub featuring
dance and comedy shows. For several years it presented piano concerts and cabaret acts rather than full theater productions.
From Off-Broadway to Tony Award-winning productions
In 1960, Theodore Mann relocated Circle in the Square Theatre to Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village and founded the
Circle in the Square Theatre School, which began with just 15 students. The theater company not only staged plays but also trained future actors and staff.
Productions such as Thornton Wilder’s
Our Town were staged here, and in 1971 the venue was officially registered as an Off-Broadway theater. This recognition paved the way for its move to Paramount Plaza.
At its new home, Circle in the Square Theatre hosted the musical
Fun Home (April 19, 2015 – September 10, 2016). The show made history as the first Broadway musical with a lesbian protagonist and achieved major acclaim, winning five Tony Awards including Best Musical and earning seven nominations in 2015.
It was also nominated for Best Musical Theater Album at the 2016 Grammy Awards, marking the company’s full arrival on Broadway.
Architectural style of the Circle in the Square Theatre
Allen Sayles’ vomitorium and thrust stage design
Architect Allen Sayles designed the Circle in the Square Theatre with inspiration from ancient Roman and Greek theaters. Unlike the common Broadway
proscenium arch style, this theater places the stage at the center and incorporates
vomitoria: tunnel-like passageways between stairways, the only Broadway theater to do so.
With 776 seats surrounding the stage, there is no barrier between audience and performers, creating an intimate and immersive experience.
What is a vomitorium?
A vomitorium is an entrance or exit passage that runs beneath or through seating areas in an arena or circular theater. It allows large crowds to exit quickly after a performance. On stage, it can also serve as an entrance for actors, providing direct access between the stage and backstage.
The design dates back to ancient Roman theaters, many of which can still be seen across Italy. The word is sometimes confused with the Roman custom of “vomitorium” dining rooms where elites would purge food between meals, though in theaters it refers strictly to the architectural passageway.
The only Broadway theater with a “thrust stage”
The
thrust stage used at Circle in the Square differs from typical Broadway theaters: there is no proscenium frame, and the audience surrounds the stage on three sides. While Vivian Beaumont Theatre once had a similar setup, it was later rebuilt, leaving Circle in the Square as the
only Broadway theater with a thrust stage today.
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