The James Earl Jones Theatre has a capacity of 1050 seats. Section capacities are 503 Orchestra, 264 Mezzanine and 283 Balcony. Use our interactive seating chart to view 168 seat reviews and 164 photos of views from seat.
The James Earl Jones Theatre, originally the Cort Theatre, first opened in 1912 at 138 West 48th Street, slightly removed from the main bustle of Broadway venues that sit east of 7th Avenue. It was built by and named after John Cort, a Seattle-based actor and producer who headed up the Northwestern Theatrical Association, although ownership transferred to the Shubert Organization in 1927. After a period as a TV studio in the mid-20th century, the theatre was renovated and restored to its theatrical best in 1974. It was renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre in 2022, and is the second Broadway theater to be named after a Black artist, after the August Wilson Theatre.
With its French-inspired design, the James Earl Jones Theatre is the only surviving and active Broadway theater designed by architect Thomas Lamb. From the classic and elegant exterior inspired by 18th century Versailles to Marie Antoinette plasterwork in the lobby, the James Earl Jones Theatre is a handsome and intimate venue which has mainly welcomed intimate plays and drama onto its stage.
Notable productions at the James Earl Jones Theatre include Grace Kelly’s Broadway debut in The Father (1949), Sunday in New York (1961) starring Robert Redford, and Nicole Kidman’s memorable turn in The Blue Room (1998). More recently, the Tony Award-winning Fences (2010) brought Denzel Washington and Viola Davis to the James Earl Jones Theatre, and new play Indecent was a huge success in 2017.
There is a 1,092-seat capacity in the James Earl Jones Theatre, spread across the Orchestra, Mezzanine and Balcony. The Orchestra is the largest section, split into Left, Right and Center; the Mezzanine and Balcony above are similarly laid out, although about half the size. Views are generally very good across all three sections. An excellent view is afforded from the Center Orchestra and the front rows of the Center Mezzanine in particular. On all levels, sightlines are more partial at the sides, with the cheapest seats in the very steep and cramped Balcony.
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The view is great especially for a side seat. Nothing was obstructed from view. However, the seats are quite awful. I am 5'4" and these seats offered no leg room with my shins pressed against the seat in front of me. It does great work to keep you... More
Saw The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window on 31 May 2023
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The view was great. You can see the stage and actors well and without assistance. Being by the aisle was helpful for leg room for a very narrow seat design. The balcony area definitely had one of the more cramped seating arrangements that I've com... More
Saw The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window on 25 May 2023
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This is a wonderfully remodeled theatre that retained so much of its charm while giving a good dose of modernity. Of note, there are small speakers along the balcony overhang which is awesome because mezzanine tickets can often have wonky acoustic... More
Saw Ohio State Murders Ohio State Murders on 14 December 2022
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