Circle in the Square Theatre Capacity
The Circle in the Square Theatre New York has a capacity of 689 seats.Use our interactive seating chart to view 128 seat reviews and 127 photos of views from seat.
Venue Overview
The Circle in the Square was originally founded in 1951 by a collective of directors, actors and producers in Greenwich Village in Lower Manhattan. Over the first 20 years, the theatre group occupied several different locations, staging acclaimed productions of plays by Tennessee Williams, Eugene O'Neill and Thornton Wilder.
The current building in Midtown Manhattan was built in 1970 and is one of two theatres, alongside the Gershwin Theatre, within the Paramount Plaza office tower. The theatre's auditorium was built to replicate the amphitheatres of Ancient Greece and Rome and is one of only two Broadway houses to use a thrust stage – the other being the Vivian Beaumont Theater within the Lincoln Center complex.
The first production at the theatre was a revival of Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra in 1972. Circle in the Square operated as a non-profit producing house for the next 25 years where it mounted several Broadway premieres including Peter Nichols' The National Health, alongside revivals of classic American plays. However, the theatre suffered a string of commercial and critical flops which lead to the founders of the theatre filing for bankruptcy in 1997.
A revitalised Circle in the Square reopened in 1999, now as a receiving house for major Broadway producers and commercial theatre companies. Profits from the theatre are invested into the Circle in the Square Theatre School, which operates within the venue, and offers students training programs in musical theatre and acting.
Notable recent productions at Circle in the Square include the Tony Award-winning revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill starring Audra McDonald, the acclaimed revival of the musical Once on this Island, and the Broadway premiere of Fun Home, which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
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Good value seats
Due to the amphitheatre nature of Circle in the Square, there are no significantly obstructed views from any seats. Seats in the first few rows offer good value and allow you to feel totally immersed in any show at this unique venue. For those on a tighter budget, look for seats at the rear of the venue towards the centre, including row H and J, these offer a clear, if more distant, view of the stage.
Premium seats
The best seats at Circle in the Square are located in rows B, C and D of the orchestra as they are located at a prime distance from the stage. For the best view from these seats, opt for those as close to the middle of the row. The seating offers an ample rake, so you'll enjoy an elevated, uninterrupted view of the stage.
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