Although the CIBC Theatre (formerly the Private Bank Theatre and Bank of America Theatre) is beautiful, its seating chart (i.e., seat views) can be so challenging that it makes the theatre one of the least desirable venues for enjoying a show.
Despite this, many of the most successful musicals of all time, including The Book of Mormon and Hamilton, have performed there in recent years. Currently, the musical Parade is playing at the CIBC Theatre. We have cheap Parade tickets at a great price.
The theatre plays host to multiple shows per year, and you can find a complete CIBC Theatre event schedule at the bottom of this blog.
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CIBC Theatre Interactive Seating Chart
Hover over any section for a row breakdown
Orchestra Seats at CIBC Theatre
Any seat in the center orchestra from rows A to V will provide you with an excellent view of the stage; however, the best seats for the best views are in the center orchestra between rows E and P.
Side Orchestra seats obstructed & unobstructed views:
The majority of seats in the side orchestra sections offer a fabulous, unobstructed view. However, you need to be cautious of two things:
- The higher the seat number, the closer you are to the side, which increases the likelihood of obstructed views.
- POLES: On our Bank of America seating chart, you’ll see red circles; these indicate columns that’ll obstruct your view.
- Left Orchestra: there’s a pole in Row U between seats 4 and 8; thus, anyone sitting in seats 2-6 in Rows V to ZZZ will have an obstructed view.
- Right Orchestra: there’s a pole in Row U between seats 3 and 7; thus, anyone sitting in seats 1-5 in Rows V to ZZZ will have an obstructed view.
Pro Tip: I would prefer to sit one row further back in exchange for a seat one seat closer to the inside aisle (i.e., seat 14 in Row M versus seat 16 in Row L).
Reviews from users who saw the Book of Mormon: 1: Sat in row S, seat #19 of the orchestra, and 2: Sat in the last row (ZZZ) of the side orchestra:
“We sat on the outside aisle, and unfortunately, we couldn’t see the stage in its entirety and missed some of the action directly on the right. There is a slight overhang from the balcony, but I didn’t find it obstructed my view; rather, it was the way the set is placed that further obstructed it. You really can’t see the side of the stage that you are sitting on unless you are close to the inside aisle.”
“I could see 85% of the play. The overhang of the above section prevented me from seeing the upper portion of the stage (only 5% of the play took place here).
There is a column roughly in the center of the aisle that makes viewing a little more difficult. I was seated fairly far to the left in the theatre’s leftmost row, where a column partially obstructed the centre of the stage. Had I been farther right (one or two seats closer to the aisle), the column wouldn’t be as much of an issue.”
Dress Circle Seats at CIBC Theatre
Quick summary: getting as close to the middle is very important; however, the rows are even more critical. Seats between rows A and C are good, while those between rows D and E are okay but somewhat obstructed. Seats between rows F and H are typically obstructed.
With that said, here are two entirely different reviews from two other users sitting in similar seats:
“I sat in row F of the Dress Circle, the seats were great, and we really enjoyed them. The show was very well done, and the cast was amazing.”
“I sat in the dress circle (Row G, seats 229 and 231) and I had terrible views. There were things we couldn’t see at the top and bottom of the stage, and the seats seemed to be staggered so everyone had someone else’s head directly in front of them.”
Seat views in the dress circle can be entirely different, depending on which dress circle section and row you are in. The Center Dress Circle section hangs over the orchestra sections at row S, while the Side Dress Circle hangs over the orchestra at row L. This means the side sections offer a dramatic viewing angle, leading people to lean over the railing and sit as tall as possible. Seat quality and sight lines will depend entirely on the people sitting in front of you.
If you are sitting in row C or closer, you’ll avoid these problems. But you are most likely better off sitting in a low row number in the Center Mezzanine or Center Balcony sections.
Mezzanine Seats at CIBC Theatre
Most people who sit in the mezzanine seats in the CIBC Theatre say that even though the theater tickets weren’t marked obstructed, they really are. Here are two other helpful reviews:
“I had to sit on the edge of my seat to see all of the show, especially when the actors were using the front of the stage. The top part of the setting was also not visible.”
“I sat in row K, seats 305-31,1, which were under the balcony overhang. You can see the entire width of the stage, and just have to sit up REALLY TALL to see the things happening near the front of the stage.”
Sitting in a lower row is more important than sitting closer to the center of the venue in the Mezzanine section. If you can’t get a ticket in a row better than K, definitely look for seats in the Balcony.
Balcony Section at CIBC Theatre
The CIBC Theatre has three levels, with the balcony at the top. The view from the balcony sections (regardless if you are in the center or not) has extreme viewing angles. Like many other seats and sections within this venue, you’ll miss a portion of the stage.
If things are taking place in front of the curtain line, there’s a good chance the people in front of you will block your view. This is because even the people in the front row need to move to see the stage, which then exacerbates the problem for everyone behind them, compounding the situation for all.
It’s also worth mentioning that the acoustics in the balcony are slightly worse than those in the rest of the CIBC seating options, but only marginally so.
Reviews from users who sat in the balcony section:
“Well, the pitch (of the seating) is fairly extreme & there were times when it was difficult to see the actors because they were partially blocked from the set above them. Not horrible, but worth mentioning.”
Box Seats at CIBC Theatre
The boxes are laid out like this:
DCRBX3 Row BX3 (seats 1,3 & 5,7 & 9,11) is the lowest box on the left-hand (box 3). DCRBX4 is parallel on the right-hand side (box 4).
DCRBX1 Row BX1 (seats 201 to 215) is the next box up on the left-hand side (box 1). DCRBX2 is parallel on the right-hand side (box 2).
MZRBX5 BX5 (seats 1 to 11) is the highest box and is on the left-hand side in line with the other mezzanine sections (box 5). MZRBX6 BX6 is the equivalent box, but is on the right-hand side (box 6).
CIBC Theatre Box Seats Review
“I was in the box seats, and I really enjoyed being so close and being able to see into the pit. My 6 ft boyfriend also appreciated the extra legroom since the seats are kind of movable. The big downside of the box seats in this theatre is that about 1/8 of the stage (the back corner) is entirely blocked from view.”
Accessible Seating at CIBC Theatre
There are accessible seats available at each price level of the theatre, accommodating up to three guests at the same price. Additionally, the CIBC Theatre features elevators to the mezzanine and balcony levels, but once you reach these levels, you will encounter steep steps to your seats. Therefore, it’s recommended to sit in the orchestra level if you require accessible seating.
Complaints About CIBC Theatre
- Because the seats are generally uncomfortable throughout the building, people tend to lean forward over the railings, further obscuring viewing lines.
- There are many exit doors, so there’s a draft, which can make it feel cold.
- It can take up to 20 minutes to exit the theatre.
- Getting food & drinks takes a long time.
Other Suggestions and Recommendations
- We recommend checking your coat, as some seats have limited legroom and can get crowded.
- Instead of beating the rush out, just wait for the crowds to dissipate.
Conclusion
If you’re debating about buying tickets for Hamilton that have a “Limited” or “Obstructed” view, and you really can’t afford to spend a couple of extra bucks, it’s still worth going and buying tickets.
What you’ll say when you leave: “Hamilton was absolutely incredible!”
What you won’t say: “I can’t wait to go back to the Bank of America Theatre!”
It’s all about expectations…we’re just trying to make it clear.
How to Get Cheap CIBC Theatre Tickets
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If you haven’t used TickPick before, you can sign up using the link below to receive $10 off your first purchase. If you have any questions about CIBC Theatre tickets, please don’t hesitate to submit a request here.
Comments
46 responses to “CIBC Theatre Interactive Seating Chart with Seat Views”
I just sat in row E in the center of the balcony for Book of Mormon and it was the worst seat in any theater I have ever sat in in my life. Every seat in that balcony should be sold as obstructed view (ours were not considered obstructed view). I am so so so very glad I haven’t gotten my tickets for Hamilton yet. That theater has NO business selling anything in that balcony unless they deem it obstructed. At one point, my husband just sat back (his neck tired and strained from craning it forward) and sighed, “I guess I’m just going to imagine it is a radio show.”
Yes, our seat were that bad. Waste of time and money to sit in that balcony! Beware!
For the Hamilton show, there are several dates that still have either BX1 or BX2 seats available (depending on the day, it’s a mixture of seats within the eight on either side). Do you have any recommendations on those seats? Are there better ones in either section and is one side better than the other? We already saw Hamilton in New York with seats close to the center in the Mezzanine so it’s okay if we miss a little bit of the action on either side of the stage. I just don’t want a really obstructed view.
Hi Lindsey, I’m going to refer to what my colleague and company owner, Brett, had to say regarding the box seats below. In terms of obstruction, any listings for tickets that have either a limited or obstructed view would have to provide that information for buyers in their notes before a buyer buys those tickets.
How do the box numbers work in the Bank of America?
The boxes are laid out like this:
DCRBX3 Row BX3 (seats 1,3 & 5,7 & 9,11) is the lowest box on the left hand (box 3). DCRBX4 is parallel on the right hand side (box 4).
DCRBX1 Row BX1 (seats 201 to 215) is the next box up on the left hand (box 1). DCRBX2 is parallel on the right hand side (box 2).
MZRBX5 BX5 (seats 1 to 11) is the highest box and is on the left hand side in line with the other mezzanine sections (box 5). MZRBX6 BX6 is the equivalent box but is on the right hand side (box 6).
there are dcrbx1 seats 201 & 203 for Hamilton on ticketmaster $177 would we be able to see?
If you had a choice between Orchestra Center row S seats 109/110 or Mezzanine Left Center row G seats 305/307, same cost, which would you choose?
I would personally take the orchestra center tickets because here is less chance of an obstructed view than in the mezzanine. For the most part, any seat in the center orchestra from row A to V will provide you with an excellent view of the stage
Hello everyone! This blog is so helpful! I purchased tickets MEZZ Row A seats 5 and 7, would it have been better to go with Orch-C Row S, or Row R Seats 113/114? I am really short, so it is usually hard for me to see over people in most theaters.
So I just bought Balcony Left tickets Row L for Book of Mormon, since they were on the 25 on 25 sale. I’ve seen the show before, but I’m bring someone that hasn’t. How terrible will our view be?
Brett or Nick, I have 2 sets of tickets for Hamilton. Center orchestra row Z 112 and 113. And Dress circle right, row F 222 and 224. From other pics I’ve seen online me it seems like the dress circle seats will be frustrating with lots of heads in the way. Would it be better to keep the orchestra and be a little further back but have maybe a better experience?
Mark, personally I would stick with the orchestra cause they are center and that row for the dress circle can be a little obstructed, especially that it is on the right.
Any thoughts on: Section ORCH-R, Row K, Seat 18-20 for face value ($177/ea)
Hey Nick or Brett,
What do you guys think?
Thanks!
Hi! Sorry, I was wondering if anyone knew how obstructed the view for Row X Seat 107 might be?
Hey Brett, I am new to this whole ticket buying thing for a show at a Theater and found your blog very helpful when scrambling to find tickets for Hamilton that wouldn’t break the bank and would give a decent view. I consider myself fortunate to have been able to buy tickets for a show in the center orchestra row z, seats 120 and 121. I know I am in the way back and will have the overhand as an obstruction with a couple poles, but from your perspective, are these seats worth keeping or should I re-sell?
Jason, it’s a tough call depending on how much you paid for the tickets and how obstructed the view will actually be. It really depends on where the poles are located with how limited the view will actually be. Wouldn’t hurt to give the venue a call to see if they have a better idea on this obstruction and go from there on whether or not to resell or keep the tickets you have
Would L-Mezz, Row A, seats 15, 17 be better/worse than Orch-R, Row F, seats 14,16 if both are the same price? This is for Hamilton. Thanks so much for this blog – amazing!
You would likely be closer in the orchestra section, but some like being elevated for viewing purposes. Something to think about though, some reviews suggest that it can be difficult to see from some seats in the mezz depending where you are. Keep in mind too, the seats in the orchestra could be difficult to see the stage depending how far over you are from the center.
Yes, thank you! I’m not sure which set of seats would actually afford a better viewing angle. Initially, I thought the height would be preferable, especially b/c it’s the front row, but I am not sure…hmmm. Both sets are very far over to the sides of the theater…
I’ve got Orch -R, Row F, Seats 14-16, so I’m trying to figure out just how obstructed the view is. I’m poking around the web to find out…
If you find out more, please write back here !
Thx,
First of all, thanks for the super informative post. This was really helpful through the ticketing process.
Wanted to ask for some clarification about the obstruction on the far sides of the orchestra. Just scored some Hamilton tickets in Orch-R (seats F14-16, G16-18) for my wife and I and my parents. I can certainly understand that we might miss some things on far stage left, but is it bad enough that we should hold out for other tickets? From what I’ve heard, Hamilton is a fairly “front and center” type show – for the amount that we would likely miss sitting in these seats, is it worth looking elsewhere? I was kinda thinking we lucked out given that tickets just a few seats over are going for $500, but what are your thoughts?
Thanks!
Its tough to say how “obstructed” the seats will actually be. I would recommend contacting the venue directly as they could provide much more detail on how obstructed the seats may be. From there, it’s up to you if its worth spending more money on seats that have no obstruction or settle for cheaper seats that might have a limited view.
That sounds smart, I’ll give them a call.
Again, I’m hoping that, since the seat right next to ours is a “premium” (ie, $500) ticket, it really can’t be that bad.
If you wouldn’t mind posting what the theater says, I would appreciate the info.! I think we’re looking at the same sets of seats!
🙂
OK, talked with the box office. They were actually quite positive about those tickets, said that I should be quite happy with them, especially for the price. They said that, as limited view seats go in that theater, those are some of the best as the more truly obstructive elements are poles/overhangs that you would have to worry about further back in the crowd or up high. As expected, they said that you’ll miss a bit of the stuff far stage left (if you stick with the right side of the orchestra), but that most shows that book into a long, narrow theater like that are aware of that and ensure that they don’t put important action in those back corners.
I also talked to the Richard Rodgers theater in NYC where it’s currently playing (as they have a better idea of the show blocking), and they confirmed that those tickets should be fine as it’s mostly a front-and-center type show. He did say, unfortunately, that the left side of the orchestra is a bit better than right side for a couple of scenes, but reiterated that the sides are just fine and that you won’t miss anything important.
Overall, I feel much better. The Broadway in Chicago folks commented as well that it really is a steal considering that you’re VERY close to premium territory. I hope this helps alleviate the concerns of some others with similar tickets – I think we’re going to be fine. October can’t come soon enough!
You are the best! Thanks so much for doing all the dirty work – with 3 little kiddos now at home for the summer, it’s really hard for me to do anything on the phone. Great news!
We actually bought both sets of seats, the ORCH and the MEZZ, for different nights. Figured we could sell one set when we found out which would work best. I’m so excited – thanks again for the info. It’s really nice that you came back and filled us in on all you found out! Very much appreciated!!
We have orchestra center seats row x seats 107 and 117 for Hamilton (couldn’t get them them together). How obstructed are our views or what concerns should we be prepared for? Are these descent seats? Thank you in advanced for the help!
I have these seats and was wondering the same thing as well, if someone could help us out?
Hi – Any seat in the center orchestra from row A to V will provide you with an excellent view of the stage. With row x just two rows behind, I can’t imagine the view to be that obstructed
Thank you so much for the information and they reply, Nick. I was only concerned about the pillars on row W of the map. Apparently, the pillars are directly in front of our seats. I wasn’t sure if they would be difficult to see around them. I guess we will keep our fingers crossed and enjoy the show. Thank you again for your support and quick responses to those less experienced at this venue!
I found this page after buying my “Hamilton” tickets. Mine are not in a shaded area, but behind a yellow shaded area. I couldn’t find the notation for what yellow meant. Mine are Orchestra Row H 14-16 (so far left on the map…not ideal). What do you think of these seats? I’m coming into town from Toronto and they weren’t cheap so I want to make sure they’ll be okay.
Hi,
I just bought tickets to Hamilton. Dress Circle Left Center Row E, Seats 231 & 233. It says obstructed view, I’m just wondering how much that means and if we’ll be able to see everything.
Thoughts?
I want tickets to Hamilton, but the only seats I can find are in Mezz Left row C seats 13, 15,17. Is this worth it, or should I just not bother?
How limited are the views from The Private Bank Theater in Chiacgo for Mezzaine rows c and d seats 13 and 15?
Hi Rob – It’s tough to say exactly how obstructed they are, but it is not a desirable seat. It may be difficult to see the action taking place in the front of the stage, as well as the top part of the stage set up.
Hi Brett,
As I’m sure you’re aware, Hamilton tickets went on sale yesterday. Since I didn’t have much time for decision-making, I bought tickets for ORCH-L row Q seats 9-11. I’m sure I could re-sell them if they’re really that bad, but of course I’d prefer to see the show! Do you think I’ll have a good view? Additionally, is there enough of an incline in the seats for me to be able to see over someone in front of me?
Thanks!!
Hi Sam – If you noticed on the map at the top of the post, the dress circle overhang just cuts in front of seats 13-15 in row Q. That being said I think it is worth using those seats to go, the incline shouldn’t be a huge issue. If you had seats 17-21 I would probably advise relisting for sale.
What about Orch-R, Row L, seats 20 and 22? Different charts say different things about whether the overhang actually affects these seats. I realize that I might not see 100% of the opposite side of the stage, but other than that, are they decent seats?
Hi there – I would say those seats will provide a solid view of the stage.
Unfortunately, I could only get my hands on Dress Circle seats for Hamilton. I have Dress Circle row E (center) and Dress Circle Row D (left). I’m assuming the center seats will be better?
Hi Sam – I agree, the center seats should be a better view.
Hello. We are researching tickets to buy for “Hamilton” and will pay for the very best seats. My question: is there any row in orchestra center that begins a steeper rise from the rows in front of it? For example, in the Richard Rogers theatre, it is row L, I believe. Also, based on the diagram, it looks like row J begins the first staggered seats. So we are thinking about rows J, K, L, or M, seats 106, 107. What do you think? Also, if we are able to get orchestra (right or left) aisle seats in, say, Row L, Seats 2 and 4, do you think that’s just as good or even better? From the diagram it seems that the side seats aren’t quite as cramped, but maybe that’s just the diagram. Would appreciate a quick answer–anyone.
Hi Marilyn, there shouldn’t be any significant rise from one row to the next, but you could always contact the box office for any intricate details about seating such as that. Center orchestra would generally be preferred by most, but the first few seats in a orchestra side would certainly offer a great view, as well. In terms of the spacing of seats, that shouldn’t differ between side and center sections.
Thanks for your very fast response!
You’re very welcome!
Hello! I was wondering which seats would be better: Mezzanine Left Center Row A Seat 301, or Orchestra Center Row N Seat 114. My two concerns are this. If I sit in the Orchestra, a tall person may sit in front of me and I can’t see. If I sit in the Mezzanine, that bar will obstruct some of my view. Should I just go for first row mezz so I don’t have anyone in front of me?
Wondering about tickets in Orchestra R, row v 2 & 4 – this is very close to an obstructed view = worried as I haven’t been here before (used to attend PPAC RI) and am surprising my Mom who really needs a good evening out – would suck if these tickets are hard to see – especially for the price. This is for The Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder. Any feedback is great, thaks!