Circle in the Square is my favorite for its intimacy and its terrific sight lines. I also love being able to so easily see other members of the audience as I enjoy having their reactions complement my own experience.
Agree with Circle in the Square. It feels so small.
St. James is my favorite to sit in the mezz from those I've sat in the mezz so far. I couldn't believe how close I felt during something rotten!
To be honest, I love most Broadway theaters because most of them feel small and intimate in comparison to the theaters the tours come to in Chicago. If I've been to a lot of shows between New York trips (hasn't happened lately... Thanks work) I'm always pleasantly reminded of how much smaller the theaters feel.... Especially from the mezzanine or balcony. After sitting in the nosebleeds for the color purple, I won't even go to tours unless I can get orchestra or dress circle/front mezz.
My favorites are probably the American Airlines (despite the name) and the Music Box. Beautiful theatres and very intimate.
For me, intimacy is key. I tend to judge every theatre by their nosebleeds (if I've sat in them). Because of that, some of my least favorites are:
Broadway, Lunt-Fontanne, Golden (even though it's a small theatre, the rear-mezz feels like miles away), Neil Simon, Richard Rodgers, Studio 54
^Those are all theatres where I've sat in the nosebleeds and felt too far away. On the other hand, there are many theatres where I've sat far away and still felt very close: like the Winter Garden, Circle in the Square, Cort, Schoenfeld, Hayes, Longacre.
I love Circle in the Square, for the reasons Cupid listed. I also agree with ChiTheaterFan about the St. James mezz. It felt like the perfect way to see American Idiot (especially with that enormous set).
The thing is, besides being an utter toad of a human being, Riedel usually has the least knowledge of the topic in the room. He doesn't usually understand the content or approach of a show, and is always completely and unfailingly socially ignorant, which makes it really infuriating when Susan can't get a word in edgewise. A definitive mansplainer; it's always painful when he has female guests. I watch the show sporadically when I really want to see a guest, because it's the only theatre talkshow we have, but it would be so much better without this hateful clown in a dadcoat. (thanks ScaryWarhol)
American Airlines (mostly because of my backstage experiences there), Cort, Majestic, and Booth.
"Mostly, I loved the size of these people's emotions. Nobody has emotions this size anymore. Outsized emotions. Operatic emotions. Kushemski and Vanda are like Tristan and Isolde, they're Paolo and Francesca. Nobody's in total thrall like this anymore. Nobody's overcome by passion like this, or goes through this kind of rage." Thomas, Venus in Fur