Vivian Beaumont Theater in New York – History, Seating Chart & Tickets

A Broadway theatre located within Lincoln Center, the performing arts complex on the Upper West Side. Surrounded by beautiful architecture, it’s the kind of area where you’ll want to dress up a little for your night out.

Address, opening, capacity
Seating chart
Directions to the theater
Map, location
Hotels near the thater
History
Architectural style
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Address, opening, capacity of Vivian Beaumont Theater

Basic Information about the Vivian Beaumont Theater in NYC

Address:	150 W 65th St, New York, NY 10023（ Map） Located on 65 Street, between Broadway and 9th Avenue
Opened:	1965
Capacity:	1,105 seats

Seating Chart of Vivian Beaumont Theater

The Vivian Beaumont Theater has a seating capacity of 1,105 seats, divided into two main sections: Orchestra (1st level) and Loge (2nd level).

*Click to view larger image

Seating Chart of Vivian Beaumont Theater in NYC

Directions to Vivian Beaumont Theater

Access to Vivian Beaumont Theater 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 3-minute walk)

Lines, 66st – Lincoln Centerstation (About a 5-minute walk)

Map, location of Vivian Beaumont Theater

Here is the map of the Vivian Beaumont Theater.

Best hotels near the Vivian Beaumont Theater

Discover the best hotels near the Vivian Beaumont Theater. Stay within walking distance of Broadway and enjoy easy access to shows, restaurants, and attractions.

The list of recommended hotels near the theater:

The Empire Hotel New York

History of the Vivian Beaumont Theater

Created as part of Lincoln Center

The Vivian Beaumont Theater, one venue within the Lincoln Center complex

The Vivian Beaumont Theater opened in 1965 as one of the venues within Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side. Designed with a flexible stage that could be extended into a thrust stage, the Beaumont is the only Broadway theatre located outside the Times Square theatre district.

The theatre is named for actress and benefactor Vivian Beaumont Allen, whose generous support during Lincoln Center’s development led to the venue bearing her name after her death in 1962.

About the repertory model

After opening, productions by director Jules Irving and director-producer Herbert Blau were presented by Lincoln Center’s resident company in a repertory theatre format, rotating different works from night to night rather than running a single title continuously.

This repertory approach, common at major European opera houses, contrasts with the so called stagione system in which a single work is presented for a fixed run (including long runs) or visiting companies rent the venue for specific engagements.

Joseph Papp’s New York Shakespeare Festival

From 1973 to 1977, the Beaumont hosted productions from producer-director Joseph Papp and his company, the New York Shakespeare Festival.

Papp founded The Public Theater in 1954 and created the New York Shakespeare Festival to stage Shakespeare’s works. In 1962, the open-air Delacorte Theater opened in Central Park, and the program became known as “Shakespeare in the Park.”

Since 1962, more than five million people have attended these free summer performances at the Delacorte. Papp also helped launch preservation efforts to protect historic theatres in the Broadway area through initiatives such as Save the Theatres, Inc.

Architecture of the Vivian Beaumont Theater

Thrust stage and proscenium

Designed by Eero Saarinen in collaboration with scenic and lighting designer Jo Mielziner, the Beaumont closed from 1977 to 1980 for renovations to improve stage mechanics and acoustics.

From its inception, the auditorium was engineered as a flexible space: it can function as a traditional proscenium or be extended into a thrust stage that projects toward the audience. Subsequent upgrades refined this modern thrust configuration and enhanced technical systems throughout the house.

What is a thrust stage?

The Beaumont’s original thrust-stage configuration

A thrust stage places the playing area so it extends into the audience, with seating on three sides and no framing arch between stage and spectators. When the Beaumont opened, most Broadway houses used the proscenium format, but Saarinen and Mielziner intentionally employed a thrust-capable design to bring audiences closer to the action.

What is a proscenium arch?

The Beaumont configured in a proscenium-arch layout after renovations

A proscenium arch frames the stage and separates it from the auditorium, so audiences view the performance from one primary direction. At the Beaumont, the original arched seating geometry was retained while the stage house was adapted so the theatre can present either proscenium-style or thrust configurations as needed.

Eero Saarinen, master of the modern arch

Eero Saarinen’s signature approach to sweeping arches

Architect Eero Saarinen is one of the leading figures of 20th-century American architecture.

His work is known for elegant simplicity and dramatic arching forms, seen in projects such as the TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport’s terminal, and the CBS Building.

For the Beaumont, Saarinen collaborated closely with Tony-winning designer Jo Mielziner, whose theatre expertise helped shape the hall’s sightlines, lighting, and stage flexibility.