Beaches follows two women who meet as children under a boardwalk and stay tangled together for thirty years, and it is engineered end to end to take an audience apart - the 1988 film with Bette Midler did exactly that to a generation. A stage score gives the friendship the duets the film could only gesture at. It plays the Majestic, the West 44th Street house that held Phantom of the Opera for over three decades.
What to expect
A book musical in the 1,600-seat Majestic Theatre, a large Shubert house with a deep orchestra. The material is unapologetically emotional and builds toward its final act, so bring tissues rather than scepticism. Matinee audiences skew calmer and the house is easier to get into.
Good to know
- The Majestic is at 245 West 44th Street; A/C/E to 42nd St-Port Authority or 1/2/3 to Times Sq
- The Majestic is a large house - front mezzanine often beats rear orchestra for sightlines
- The story deals with illness and loss; go prepared for a heavy final act
- Matinees are typically the easiest performances to book
- Rush and lottery options are commonly offered; check the box office
- Accessible seating and assistive listening are available on request
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Common questions
Is this based on the Bette Midler film?
Both come from Iris Rainer Dart's novel; the 1988 film with Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey is the best-known version of the story.
Where is the Majestic Theatre?
245 West 44th Street - the house that ran The Phantom of the Opera for more than three decades.
Is it a sad show?
Yes. The story follows a friendship across decades and ends on genuinely emotional ground.
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