Many people mistakenly believe that the front row seats are the best in the entire theatre. These seats often require audience members to crane their necks, and can offer little leg room.
The very best seats in a theatre are often in the central orchestra between rows five and 12. Anything further back and you may face reduced sight lines due to an overhanging mezzanine or balcony.
Beyond the pricey orchestra seats, another great option are seats in front of the mezzanine. Due to the mezzanine overhanging the orchestra anywhere between rows 12 and 20, your seats may even be closer to the stage than more expensive orchestra seats.
If you are seeing a show in a non-traditional venue, such as an arena or smaller "black box" theatre, you will want seats as close to the front as possible. To find out which type of theatre your show is in, you can always ask at the box office or check the seating chart (see Resources below)
Most theatre critics are given seats in the center orchestra around row five. This provides an excellent view of the production and allows critics to get out easily to make deadlines.