Directions & Box Office
- Directions: By Subway, take the A/C/E to 42nd Street, walk north on Eight Avenue and then turn right onto 44th Street. Or take the 1/2/3 to 42nd Street, walk north on Seventh Avenue and then make a left onto 44th Street.
- Entrance: 44th street between 7th and 8th avenue The Helen Hayes Theatre is located on the south side of 44th Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenue.
- Box Office Hours:
- Monday - Saturday:
- 10am - 8pm
- Sunday:
- 12pm - 7:30pm
Best Seats In The House
- Seats: 597
With only 597 seats, the Helen Hayes Theatre is small enough that audiences are hard-pressed to find a bad seat.
Because the theatre is more long than it is wide, you probably don't want to sit too far back. The middle of the orchestra and the front mezzanine offer the best views. The side seating is fine for the Helen Hayes Theatre, and there are no obstructed view seats.
Though some seats in the orchestra under the overhang may have a poor view of the very top of the stage, few plays at this theater utilize the upper level space on the stage, rendering this concern insignificant.
Parking for Helen Hayes Theatre
The closest parking garages for Helen Hayes Theatre are located at:
- Champion Show Biz Parking
- 256-262 W 46th Street
New York, NY 10019 - 212-757-7925
- ICON Astor Parking
- 224 W 45th Street
New York, NY 10019 - 212-869-3543
The closest parking is not always the best as it often takes longer to park and retrieve your vehicle as fellow theatre goers have the same idea. A better choice of parking may be the second choice or further away by a couple of Avenues.
Additional Notes
Landlord: Second Stage
Official Ticketer: Telecharge
Notes:
The smallest theater on Broadway.Elevator: Yes
Escalator: No
Now Playing Cult Of Love
- Previews Began: November 20, 2024
- Opens: December 12, 2024
- Show Closes: February 2, 2025
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Upcoming Shows
Purpose
- Previews Begin: February 25, 2025
- Opens: March 20, 2025
- Show Closes: May 25, 2025
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Previous Shows
Mother Play
- Opened: April 25, 2024
- Show Closed: June 16, 2024
Appropriate (2023)
- Opened: December 18, 2023
- Show Closed: March 3, 2024
The Cottage
- Opened: July 24, 2023
- Show Closed: October 29, 2023
The Thanksgiving Play
- Opened: April 20, 2023
- Show Closed: June 11, 2023
Between Riverside and Crazy
- Opened: December 19, 2022
- Show Closed: February 19, 2023
The Kite Runner
- Opened: July 21, 2022
- Show Closed: October 30, 2022
Take Me Out 2022
- Opened: April 4, 2022
- Show Closed: June 11, 2022
Grand Horizons
- Opened: January 23, 2020
- Show Closed: March 1, 2020
Linda Vista
- Opened: October 10, 2019
- Show Closed: November 10, 2019
What the Constitution Means to Me
- Opened: March 31, 2019
- Show Closed: August 24, 2019
Torch Song
- Opened: November 1, 2018
- Show Closed: January 6, 2019
Straight White Men
- Opened: July 23, 2018
- Show Closed: September 9, 2018
Lobby Hero
- Opened: March 26, 2018
- Show Closed: May 13, 2018
Dames At Sea
- Opened: October 22, 2015
- Show Closed: January 3, 2016
Rock of Ages
- Opened: April 7, 2009
- Show Closed: January 18, 2015
Helen Hayes Theatre History
In 1912, producer Winthrop Ames built the littlest theater on Broadway and called it, appropriately, the Little Theatre.
At first the theatre had a mere 299 seats, the idea being to have a space to present more experimental works. Ames had limited success in doing this, and financial troubles forced him to add more seats and eventually to begin leasing the theater to other producers.
In the 1940s and '50s, the Little Theatre stopped presenting legit shows altogether and spent several years as The New York Times Hall and and then later as a TV studio.
1963 Began As A Broadway Theatre Again
It once again became a part of the Great White Way in 1963, spent a brief year as the Winthrop Ames Theatre in 1964 while housing The Subject Was Roses, and then reverted back to being the Little Theatre once more.
1983 Restoration And Renaming
In 1983, after receiving a thorough restoration, it finally became the Helen Hayes Theatre. Hayes, the beloved actress whose stage career spanned much of the 20th century, is often called "the First Lady of the American Theatre." These days, her theater is spoken of with as much fondness as the lady herself by aficionados who appreciate having this rare intimate space on Broadway.
In the quaint but dingy little lobby is a lovely plaque that reads "Dedicated to Helen Hayes, who has given life to the theatre."
Notable Productions At This Theatre
A couple of the greatest playwrights of the early 20th century had shows at the Helen Hayes Theatre (technically it was called the Little Theatre back then).
George Bernard Shaw's The Philanderer and Eugene O'Neill's first full-length play, Beyond the Horizon, both played here. Later notable plays and musicals included Gemini, Torch Song Trilogy, The Nerd, Romance/Romance, Artist Descending a Staircase, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, and Dirty Blonde.
In the last several years, the Helen Hayes has hosted some excellent one-person shows, such as Lynn Redgrave's Shakespeare For My Father, Rob Becker's Defending the Caveman, Say Goodnight, Gracie starring Frank Gorshin, and Golda's Balcony starring Tovah Feldshuh.
Helen Hayes Theatre Design
Although the awning above the entrance says "Helen Hayes Theatre", the building itself still bears the imprint of "The Little Theatre," providing both a reminder and a description of this cozy house.
The theater is the smallest on Broadway, and its intimate design lends well to small plays. The theater has a neo-Colonial design, with an exterior of red brick and white shutters that could probably use a paint job.