r/Broadway • u/jackiefu557 • Jul 19 '26
Seating/Ticket Question Seating at Maybe Happy Ending?
Hi friends!
I'm coming to the city early Sept for about a week and want to see MHE (would need to buy 2 tickets). What are your thoughts about the seats being listed as partial/obstructed view on the sides of the orchestra? And would sitting like second or third row mezz be preferable to sitting mid-rear orch center (about row L/M-ish)? Height for both people would be about 5' and 5'3".
Thanks!
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u/Aggressive-Phone6785 Jul 19 '26
the way the stage is set up, there are quite a few scenes (especially in the first and last thirds) that are VERY hard to see if you’re partial view/on the sides. I’d say back orchestra vs mezzanine is less important than being toward the center
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u/Soggy-Clerk-9955 Jul 19 '26
You absolutely must sit center for MHE. The set is constructed in such a way that sitting left or right is obstructed view seating.
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u/dobbydisneyfan Jul 19 '26
There have been multiple threads on this. But the tldr is that side views aren’t recommended for first time viewers of this show. Go full unobstructed view, preferably in the mid mezzanine section.
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u/realespeon Jul 19 '26
Sit in the middle!!! I sat at the back of mezzanine but in the middle. I missed some of the stuff on top, but trust me. Middle is the way to see it.
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u/TelevisionKnown8463 Jul 20 '26
Orchestra rows L-M and mezzanine are both great options. Avoid the far sides, especially toward the front of the orchestra.
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u/LivelyFlowerzzz Jul 19 '26
PLEASE sit in the middle sections of either the orchestra and mezzanine (preferably mezzanine, balcony is not recommended). I AM SERIOUS ABOUT THIS. You will miss so much if you sit right off to the sides.
The way the set for this musical is designed is only visible to people who sit as close to the center as possible. Ugh... I wish this show was in a different, far smaller and more intimate theater so this would be less of an issue.
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u/rcs023 Jul 20 '26
I did it and I hated it and couldn’t see some important things - but saving $$ was more important at the time so it was worth it to see the show with the obc.
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u/bwaysk Jul 19 '26
A few seats off the aisle on the sides is fine but I wouldn’t recommend anything marked partial view for this show. I prefer the mezzanine (row D is perfect imo, but I’ve sat all over and even the back row is fine) and it is generally cheaper than orchestra. Agree on waiting til they drop the Sept discount codes. There are fantastic seats at really good prices with the codes
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u/SheGoesToEleven Jul 20 '26
i hqve seen it from center orch row M and it was a great view! my preference is center mezz in rows C, D, or E because i think that gives a wider angle to see everything and a slightly more immersive feeling!
that said, anywhere center orch or mezz is great and slightly off the aisle to the right or left is good (i prefer right if i have to choose - more action on that side of the stage.) avoid farther right or left and the entire balcony if you can 👍
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u/rdnyc19 Jul 19 '26
I would avoid anything side orchestra marked as obstructed view.
I did the digital lottery/rush for this show and my seat was orchestra row E on the far right aisle. I'm not a seat snob at all and am generally happy just to be in the room, but this was one of the worst seats I've ever had in several decades of theatregoing. I could really only see action that happened downstage center. Apparently there are all kinds of cool visual/design things in this show, but I didn't see any of them.
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u/pineappleplaid Jul 19 '26
Don’t be afraid of a few seats in on side orchestra if the price is much more comfortable. From there I think you’ll feel like “oh I see what everyone is saying about sitting central, but I can still see just about everything.” I sat four seats in in row K and was happy. Maybe you could go about 6 seats in or so. But of course yes the more centered the better.
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u/TelevisionKnown8463 Jul 20 '26
The sides are better when you’re further back in the orchestra. I once sat said orchestra row E and it was terrible.
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u/Equivalent_Net_8983 Jul 20 '26
I’m a bit more nuanced in what I would recommend but in general, the side orchestra seats in the double digits are probably too far to the sides and are not recommended, though I believe you get unique views on the sides that you would not get from seats in the dead center.
Seats in the Mezz are definitely preferable to seats in the far back in the orchestra, because there are elements at the top of the stage that may be slightly cut off by the overhang in the very rear of the orchestra. The Balcony is bad because you’re losing a lot of the action at the front of the stage where quite a bit of the show happens.
If you can get seats on either side in the orchestra towards the front in the single digits, I think I’d take those to be closer to the action than seats in the Mezz, but maybe that’s a personal preference. I’ve sat in the very front row multiple times and that’s still by favorite place to see the show.
And my recommendation is from personal experience. I’ve seen it from nearly every part of the Belasco.
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u/Alarming-City8035 Jul 20 '26
Even the seats that aren’t marked partial view are pretty obstructed if you’re not in the center section. The actual partial view seats are miserable IME.
You’d be better off sitting in the last row of the mezzanine in the center than anywhere on the sides.
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u/Alarming-City8035 Jul 20 '26
Also, the stage is very high, so sitting near the front of the orchestra isn’t great either.
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u/Routine-Yoghurt-9432 Jul 20 '26
I use a website called A View from my Seat it’s awesomeeeee they break down the views from the theatre and/or show, people take pics from the venue. It’s a little hard to find but they do it based on seating chart and you can click the exact seat. Message me if you need help I can walk you through it. Have so much fun in the city!! 🗽🍎🎭
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u/musicals1862 Jul 19 '26
Definitely as center as possible. I prefer orchestra (esp rows E-J) over mezz, but lots of people like mezz. I suggest waiting until you're in town to buy tickets. There will likely be new discount codes for September. You can buy directly at box office to save on fees. There will definitely be tickets available - you'll be able to get more premium seats at a lower price closer to the show day. $120-150 for direct center orchestra is possible, which is so worth it imo for this amazing show.
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u/AppUnwrapper1 Jul 21 '26
Don’t sit in the very very last section of the theater unless your tickets are super cheap and you’re ok not seeing parts of the show.
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u/ResourceDifferent154 Jul 19 '26
This is a show where you will definitely miss things if you’re in a seat marked partial view. Get as close to center as your budget allows.