Hayes Theater: Broadway's Smallest Stage, Biggest Heart

The Hayes Theater is one of New York's premier venues for live entertainment. Located at 240 W 44th Street, New York, NY 10036, this broadway theater has a capacity of 597 and has been a fixture of the city's cultural landscape since 1912.

History of Hayes Theater

The Helen Hayes Theater opened in 1912 as the Little Theatre, designed by Ingalls and Hoffman for impresario Winthrop Ames. At 597 seats, it is Broadway's smallest theater, a distinction that has become its greatest asset. The original 299-seat configuration was expanded in 1920 when Herbert J. Krapp added a balcony, nearly doubling capacity.

The theater was renamed the Helen Hayes Theatre in 1983 after the beloved actress, following the demolition of the original Helen Hayes Theatre on West 46th Street. The neo-Georgian exterior reflects Ames's vision of an intimate theatrical space modeled on the small playhouses of London's West End.

Despite its size, the Hayes has hosted some of Broadway's most celebrated productions. Torch Song Trilogy, Harvey Fierstein's groundbreaking trilogy about gay life in New York, won the Tony for Best Play here in 1983. Other notable runs include Gemini (a five-year run), Xanadu (2007), Rock of Ages (a nearly four-year run), and The Humans, which won the Tony for Best Play in 2016.

What's On at Hayes Theater

The Hayes Theater hosts intimate Broadway plays and musicals that benefit from its close-quarters staging.

• Mother Play (Plays)

• The Cottage (Plays)

• Becky Shaw (Plays)

Browse all plays in New York on tickadoo.

Seating and Accessibility

The theater seats 597 across two levels: Orchestra and Mezzanine. Every seat feels close to the stage. Center Orchestra is ideal, but even the Mezzanine provides an intimate experience given the theater's compact size.

Wheelchair-accessible seating is available in the Orchestra. Assistive listening devices are available. Accessible restrooms are on the ground level.