Eugene O'Neill Theatre

The Eugene O'Neill Theatre is a Broadway playhouse in Manhattan with 1,108 seats arranged in a traditional proscenium layout designed by Herbert J. Krapp. The lobby leads through a narrow corridor to the balcony, while the orchestra level opens directly from the 49th Street entrance.

The playhouse opened on November 24, 1925, as part of the theater expansion during the Roaring Twenties and was originally called the Forrest Theatre. The name changed in 1959 to honor the playwright who had died four years earlier.

Named after America's most important playwright, the venue continues to stage works that reflect his focus on working-class life and human struggle. Many productions blend his thematic concerns with contemporary Broadway staging.

Performances typically run on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons as well as several evenings each week. The entrance sits right on Broadway just before the intersection with 49th Street and is easy to reach on foot from either nearby subway station.

The theater was among the first Broadway houses to install full air conditioning, which was uncommon for summer performances at the time. The cooling system from the 1930s allowed the venue to run continuously even during hot months.

Location: Manhattan

Inception: November 24, 1925

Architects: Herbert J. Krapp

Official opening: November 24, 1925

Capacity: 1108

Website: https://jujamcyn.com/theatres/eugene-oneill

GPS coordinates: 40.76110,-73.98580

Latest update: December 17, 2025 09:10