Cats Musical Guide | Neil Simon Theatre Seating Chart

Currently playing the 2016 revival of Cats, the Neil Simon Theater is one of the most popular theatres in New York City. Located at 250 West, 52nd Street, the theater is at the heart of the Theater District and easily accessible from all parts of the city. If you’re planning on catching a show of the Cats revival, our Neil Simon Theater seating chart will help you out in more ways than one!

Cats, the fourth-longest running Broadway show has been an undeniable classic since it premiered back in 1982. With showstopping tunes like Memory and The Moments of Happiness, a stellar story, and impeccable stage design, this is one show every Broadway aficionado needs to watch.

Let’s begin our handy Neil Simon Theater seating chart guide.

30-Second Takeaway: Neil Simon Theater

• The Neil Simon Theater falls in the middle of pack when it comes to seating capacity, with a total seat count of 1316.
• The seating section is further divided into two sections, namely orchestra and mezzanine.
• The orchestra section holds 669 seats with rows A to F providing the best look at the stage.
• The second (and only elevated) section, mezzanine, has a total of 627, making it almost as big as the orchestra. The best seats in this section fall in the middle of the front rows between A to G.
• If you prefer a private theatre viewing experience, the Neil Simon Theater has a set of 10 box seats on either side of the stage. The viewing experience isn’t the best from these box seats, though.
• The Neil Simon Theatre is currently playing the 2016 revival of the Broadway classic, Cats.
• Given that Cats is a popular show, the 2016 production has gathered quite a bit of attention from fans of musical theater. With an average occupancy rate of 75% to 85%, the best seats, i.e. front orchestra and front mezzanine sell out fast and if you wait for the last moment to book your tickets, you’ll only get average seats.
• If you’re planning your trip for a future date, you can book your tickets up to 90 days in advance on Headout.
  Headout offers a best price guarantee, which means you can get the cheapest tickets for the hottest Broadway shows of the season.

Which Seats Offer the Best View?

Given that it’s structured like a regular Broadway theatre, Neil Simon offers a lot of predictability when it comes to finding the best seat. The orchestra section, on account of being the closest to the stage, offers some of the best seats in the theatre. Specifically, the center seats (107-110) in Row A are considered the best in the theatre. They also come with the heftiest price tag.

Next up are the front mezzanine seats 112-116 in Row A. The center seats in the next few rows (B-D) are quite good as well and available for cheaper than front row seats.

The corner seats in the middle section of both the orchestra and the mezzanine are a steal too if you can find a good deal on them.

Which Seats/Section Offer the Best Value for Money?

Given that the front row seats are the most expensive too, they are not an option for everyone. But that’s where the middle rows of both sections come into play. Both the orchestra and the mezzanine have decent middle row seats that offer a clean look at the stage and aren’t too heavy on the pockets!

Specifically, Rows H to P in the orchestra and Rows F to M in the mezzanine, fall in the value for money category with average ticket prices falling in the range of $80 to $150.

Navigating the Neil Simon Theatre Seating Chart

Given that the front row seats are the most expensive too, they are not an option for everyone. But that’s where the middle rows of both sections come into play. Both the orchestra and the mezzanine have decent middle row seats that offer a clean look at the stage and aren’t too heavy on the pockets!

Specifically, Rows H to P in the orchestra and Rows F to M in the mezzanine, fall in the value for money category with average ticket prices falling in the range of $80 to $150.

Neil Simon Theater Orchestra

The Neil Simon Theater orchestra has a total of 669 seats spread across three subsection and 25 rows (A-Z).

The three subsections, left, right, and center, each have varying numbers of rows, with center orchestra being the longest. The left and right orchestra seats are odd and even numbered respectively while the center subsection seats are consecutively numbered.

Neil Simon Theater Mezzanine

The mezzanine section houses the only elevated seating in the theatre (apart from the corner box seats). With a total seat count of 627, the mezzanine is divided into five subsections with rows titled from A to U. The center mezzanine is the biggest while the four corner subsections make for around 200 of the total 627 seats.

The left subsections are odd numbered and fall in the range of 1-15 while the right subsections are even numbered (2-16). The center section has seats numbered 101-127, all consecutively.

How Far in Advance Should you Book Cats The Musical Tickets?

If we take the average, the total occupancy for the 2016 revival of Cats on Broadway has been between 75% to 85% for the last couple of months. What this means for the availability of the best seats is that they tend to fill faster than other sections. So, the premium orchestra and front mezzanine seats generally fill up around 3-4 weeks in advance, which means you can’t expect to find the best seats if you plan on booking your seats at the last moment.

Our recommendation would be to book your tickets at least a few weeks in advance if you want the best seats in the theatre. Headout allows you to book seats up to 90 days in advance!

What are the Best Options for Buying Cats Broadway Tickets?

There many ways you can get Cats Broadway tickets. You can book tickets from the official website or wait in line and get discounted TKTS tickets for Cats.

Alternatively, you can check out Headout and get the best price on your Cats Broadway tickets! Headout, is an online concierge for wonderful experiences across the globe! More often than not prices on Headout will be cheaper than those on the official website.

The process of getting your Broadway tickets on Headout is very simple. Select your seat, make your payment, and show up at the theatre on the day of the experience!

How to get to the Neil Simon Theatre?

The Neil Simon Theatre is located in the popular Theatre District near Times Square and is very easy to reach. Located on 250 West 52nd Street, you can find ample parking spaces near the theatre. Bright Management at 354 West 52nd Street or LAZ Parking at 247 West 47th Street are good options for safe parking around Neil Simon Theater.

On the other hand, if you’re taking the subway, there are plenty of options for you. You can either take the C, E to 50th Street and 8th Avenue, 1,9 to 50th Street and Broadway, or N, R to 49th Street and 7th Avenue.

What are the Best Restaurants near the Neil Simon Theatre?

1. Supernova: An airy, window-filled eatery in 226 West 52nd Street, Supernova serves New American fare in modern digs.

2. Russian Samovar: Get a taste of authentic Russian in Broadway at this iconic eatery with live piano music to accompany the delicacies.

3. Victor’s Cafe: Get a taste of Cuban heritage with Victor’s Cuban cuisine and live Cuban music at 236 West 52nd Street.

4. 21 Club: New American fare in a traditional setting and a speakeasy-vibe make the 21 Club a Broadway district regular.

5. The Lamb’s Club: A clubby, art-deco style restaurant in 132 West 44th Street, with cocktails and steaks to die for!

6. Gallaghers Steakhouse: An iconic joint for classic cuts and raw bar items in renovated digs, located on 228 West 52nd Street.

Looking for more options? Our theatre district restaurants guide has everything you’re looking for and more!

What Do You Need To Know Before You Go To The Neil Simon Theatre?

• While the allure of a private theatre viewing experience is great, it doesn’t make for a great experience, at least at the Neil Simon Theater. The seats are too far off in the corner and the sideways look at the stage isn’t the best.
• If you make last minute plans, there are standing room seats available.
• The restrooms at the Neil Simon Theatre are located upstairs and downstairs, however, there are no facilities on the orchestra level.
• The theatre has no elevators or escalators, so if you or someone you’re accompanying isn’t able to climb steps, pick your seat accordingly.
• The main bar of the concession stand is located on the lower lounge.
• The show Cats runs for 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission.

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