Literally my favorite place in the city. I’m a Theatre nerd and geek. My whole life is Theatre. Staff is friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable. They help you get anything you need. They laugh and joke with you. The books are reasonably priced. They have a pretty big inventory. The cafe is nice but the pastries ain’t that good. You’ll meet a ton of people who are just like you. The atmosphere is relaxing but you don’t have to be completely quiet. Chairs were very comfortable. The decor is INSANE! I give it 1000/10. Go and support playwrights and the theatre community NOWWWWW!!

Wonderful bookshop for artists, comfy and great coffee! Staff is very helpful.

I’ve visited this shop for the first time today (10/17/21). You’ll be asked to show your vaccination card, keep it handy (on phone or hard copy).This shop has got great staffs. Very kind and helpful. I spoke to atleast four different staffs and they were very nice.And now, about the store itself. This is a great place for anyone who has theater, film and tv aspirations. You’ve got everything about movies and theaters here.Including but certainly not limited to, screenwriting, acting, filmmaking, scripts, casting directors and agencies updated details (as of Oct 2021) and so on.Moreover, this shop has a beautifully designed spirals of books that starts from the entrance and ends at other end of the shop.Theyve great taste in placing chairs and cushioned sofas so that you can sit peacefully and spend time reading the books.Plus, they also have a cafe, you can sip a coffee when you read.Definitely a great new addition to the city in the recent times.

I loved The Drama Book Shop before it closed pre-Covid and I love it just as much now that its back. A staple in the Theatre District, DBS is there for all your script needs, some really good iced coffee and pastries, and a relaxing place to sit for a bit and escape midtown. The staff is knowledgeable and pleasant to work with and the store is beautiful.

A beautiful mix of the original shop feel combined with stunning newness.

I took my daughter to the book shop today, she has been a huge fan of Lins since she was introduced to Hamilton by her AP teacher. As soon as we walked in the four white people behind the cash counter turned and looked at us, as if were not suppose to be there. We browsed a little and then my daughter went to section where they had all the pins with Lins face on them. One of the men came where we were, bent down and pretended he was fixing the book which were in pristine condition and didnt need fixing. I tried to get his attention to ask him about the founding father pin, he ignored me and went back to the cash counter. He then sent a guy with a ponytail, he stood in front of us, I then asked him about the pin. He told me they were out of stock. We went to the cash desk, then my daughters eye caught the Hamilton by Ron Chernow book, the inspiration for the musical. We suddenly heard a conversation by the four people at the cash desk, as my daughter picked up the book, one of them mentions that there was a version of something without slavery (I can only assume that they were talking about the book or the musical). It is very un-coincidental that they start discussing slavery in the presence of two Black women. They made our visit very uncomfortable. I am hoping that management and Lin read this post and look into this. We are in 2021 and we are still going through this. Although, the store itself, the way it is designed and put together is very beautiful.

I love love this place. It’s my favorite place to go to in New York the space is amazing the people that work on there are amazing and the selection of books and plays. Everything is a 10/10 if you live in New York or if your visiting I highly suggest going

Pics don’t capture the feel of it—a kind of place you feel lifted sinking into, with plush carpet and leather, gorgeous old posters, and stories galore.

What a delight! Every book for the theatre devotee (or teacher) that is imaginable. Im in love!!!

Had to visit here because of the history, it’s beautiful and the staff are great. loved the collection of theater books they had, it was hard not to buy everything.

Went here for the In The Heights book signing on July 21, and the staff was incredibly friendly. Every interaction with them made me feel welcomed. Just being in the line and them checking on people to see if they were prepared and okay was great, as most places Ive been to for these events have forgotten about people in line and hell broke loose because of it. The interior looks absolutely beautiful, and whoever designed it deserves to have a career on Broadway for design. Because this was a book signing, people were not allowed to purchase any other book, but I saw all the amazing selections, including the books for Memphis and Jersey Boys. And then came the authors. Mrs Quiara and Mr Lin-Manuel were extremely professional and welcoming when I came to the table. With autism, sometimes lines with high-pressure stakes make me panicky, but just being able to talk to them helped me calm down. We chatted a bit about Dave And Busters and the claw machines there. This shop helps to cater to people who speak different languages as well! This shop is a model of Lin-Manuels work ethic. Hard-working, honest, caring, and accommodating! Absolutely recommend if you are in Manhattan or live near the garment district!

I had an amazing experience thanks to the wonderful staff!! I could have stayed there all day, its an actors playhouse and is so inspiring. Special thanks to Delphi for her time and support, and great list of suggestions! When I sat down, I also had the pleasure of meeting Miranda and had a delightful conversation with her. Really appreciate her insight and suggestions! I wasnt sure where to start and they guided me - I was only planning on buying 1-2 plays and ended up with 7! I cant wait to read them.

I love this book shop and cafe. The vibe is amazing. The staffs were so kind as well.

A very inspiring bookshop. helpful staff and calm woody atmosphere.

Lovely sitting setting. Great customer service. It was awesome to see a table full of Banned Books. I bought one!

Cute little drama book store.

Its gorgeous! Usually, Im not a big fan of renovating a traditional stop in a city I visit. However, this renovation is a delight. Roomy, upholstered banquets, cherry woodwork. Great service. Its hard to find published plays in a bookstore, so this is the go-to place. Thank you, Lin-Manuel Miranda for saving it and so lovingly rennovating.

Fantastic store! Super friendly staff. Great coffee and a really fun atmosphere. You can tell the folks that work here not only enjoy what they do but are happy to share.

Great shop large selection. Not touristy. Very down to earth localw. Matching characters.

So cool! A theatre nerds dream store. Spent so much time in there just reading various scripts. Staff was super helpful and kind as well.

Absolutely lovely. Beautiful shop, cozy spots to sit, excellent selection, and very knowledgeable staff. Love this place!

Loved the unique bookstore with everything related to theater and some stand-up comedy as well.

The new store looks STUNNING! And it is as inspiring as it is beautiful. Best place in town for actors and entertainment folks in general, they have plenty of technical books for film and stage. Its also worth mentioning the quality of their cafeteria!THANK YOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS ♡

Super excited this NYC icon has reopened. Check out the book worm sculpture, really cool!👍

Lovely atmosphere and wonderful selection. Cozy nooks and a wonderful Mocha with a friendly staff.

Good PR coffee.. Easy, comfortable, quiet place to hang, read a book, shop around, people watch.... Hey theres Lynn Manuel.. Oh.. Maybe not.

Lovely to be back. So glad it reopened. I stayed going to the original Drama Book Shop decades ago.

Everyone was super friendly and professional. I cant wait to go back!

SOooooo glad to have the Drama Book Shop back and glorious! Theres, like, a giant book tornado, a cafe, and great space and inventory. Get vaxxed and go see

Really cute, chill place full of theatre related literature. Vaccination cards are required

The updated shop is beautiful!! Come for 1 play, leave with 10, and while youre at it enjoy a great cup of coffee.

WOW! Lin Manuel Miranda really did a number on this place...in the most magnificent of ways! It looks absolutely NOTHING like it once did. Thank you for that 🙏🏼👍🏼👏🏼

Friendly staff, lovely decor, and plenty of books to browse. Also plenty of comfortable seating to enjoy your coffee and pastry in.

It was so clean and beautiful! The coffee was amazing and there were so many cool books and plays. A good place to relax!

I did not buy anything personally, but the staff were very helpful to my friend about roles they could do for a monologue and their prices seem reasonable.

It was weird that, when I said I was looking for a certain 1-act play, the salesperson took me to the section, found the book, opened it, told me the page number and handed it to me.Besides not being COVID compliant bc she was not 6 feet away and touching and handing the book to me, I could have had a bot on Amazon do that for me. Maybe I want to browse like your Whyte patrons, Alyssa.

Wonderful book store. Great customer service.

A beautiful new space! It’s inviting and comfortable and there’s a coffee bar!

Cozy atmosphere. Nice collection of theater books.

I was only here for a short time but it was a very pleasant experience, very helpful and friendly staff. Remember to bring a mask!

Super nice! Everything a theatre person could wish for!!

Such a great vibe and gorgeous displays. I will come back 😍

This city staple has all of your literary theater needs. If your an afficionado, you should stop by

It Felt So good to be back in one of my favorite places in New York

The best bookstore in NYC for all things theatre!!

Great staff and great theater related books.

One of my favorite places in the world.

Thank God this is back! Hooray! Beautiful inside and such a lifeline.

Helpful knowledgeable staff.

Absolutely Enchanting when I walked in the door. Bravo and Thank You ♥️♥️♥️

Best collection of plays, librettos, performance guides, etcetera in NYC.

Cbs 2 is doing a story on its reopening at 5

Such a cute and interesting spot

💯

A great location!

Great resource for all things Theater, Film, Acting etc. Lots of new plays, a really great used book section (check out my pics) and librettos from many Broadway musicals. They have a friendly staff and a helpful INFO desk to help you find what youre looking for!

A delight.

Excellent source of anything theatre, film, and television. Places to read, helpful staff

A true treasure in the city. There is nowhere in the world better for theatregoers. The perfect collection of plays, vocal selections, guides for theatre makers, and history books. Its far and away the best place to meet fellow theatre lovers and theatre makers and to experience unique signings and readings. I cant tell you how much this place means to myself and to the theatre community. I know it sounds cheesy, but its a place in the city where I feel safe and accepted. Theres truly nowhere like it.

This is one of those idiosyncratic gems that is hard to describe and impossible to place a value on. Entering this place immediately brings to mind the decades of tireless creators of this citys staged works that have graced this singular shop. I need this store to exist. I need to see the dozen patrons there at any time I walk in, digesting some batch of words for whatever future purpose. Yes, this review is getting strangely romantic but its because the Drama Book Shop is a romantic place to me. I love what it is and what it symbolizes in New York.

Aaa

You can find everything about acting here is a nice place with nice people

The Drama Book Shop is incredible. Its one of the oldest bookstores in the city, founded in 1917, and its a pillar of the theater community. These folks know theater. Looking for a monologue? Want to learn more about an author? Are you developing a play, looking to get an agent, or wanting to see new work? Go here. I cant recommend them highly enough. Their selection of plays, music, biographies, accent tapes, trade papers, and how-to manuals is only surpassed by the passionate and intelligent people that work here.

I genuinely love this place. I have spent countless hours perusing plays, chatting with staff or other customers, attending classes, or just hanging around enjoying the atmosphere. If you are looking for a specific play, they probably have it. If they dont, they will get it for you. If they cant, it cannot be procured. I am sure I have spent too much money here in relation to my overall budget, but I will definitely be spending more!

This is one of my favorite places in NYC. The staff are friendly and very knowledgeable -- theyre often suggesting new plays for actors to find monologues and scenes from. The selection is the best in town for all books related to theater. Its also the first place I go when I need to get a play or a piece of sheet music on short notice. The discounted section in the back often has out of print plays and books that you cant find anywhere else. If theyre out of stock of a book youd like, theyll order it and put it on hold for you. They encourage you to sit down and read before you purchase a book since all sales are final. I often sit down and read for an hour or two when I find myself midtown with time to spare... funny how this leads to buying more books. A few times a month they have talk backs and book signings with well known playwrights. You can check out their upcoming events on their Facebook page and website.

Nice place. Always something going on.

The absolute best resource for any actor. I can’t believe this will be closing due to rent hikes. Such a travesty. The most friendly staff and theatre space downstairs which has housed many new works and cabarets. They are willing to hold plays if you call ahead. I’ve spent so many hours looking through new and old plays.

I hadnt visited here in years. Stopping back in recently, I was sad to see how much it had declined. I love the idea of a bookstore dedicated to dramatic writing and books on the subject. The layout of the store was easy to understand, and I did leave with tho interesting scripts Id never seen before.

A comfortable space with a friendly staff and the largest variety of plays in the city, the Drama Book Store hosts events supporting theater as well. Feel free to grab a seat and read through your show of choice alongside plenty of enthusiasts. Its a greatly appreciated quiet space in contrast to the hustle of Midtown right outside its door.

Love this store! They have everything you could ever need. The only thing I wish they had were screenplays. Other than that, great service, great prices, definitely visit.

My theater loving daughter enjoyed this book store. I was glad there was some place to sit and wait but was so hot (to be fair, it was really hot out). Seemed like a fun place for regulars... Lots of happy, chatty people on a weekend night!

One of the best spots in the city. I am always amazed at the vast knowledge of the super smart people who are always available to answer your questions, however out there. In fact, the more out there, the more excited they seem to get. If they dont have that one play not in stock, they will order it. Bravo Drama Books!

Very cool shop, bigger than it looks and FULL of useful theatre books. Def worth a go through even if it’s just to get an idea of what’s available, or to be able to say you’ve been there. Staff is knowledgeable and willing to help out, awesome resource overall.

If you are an actor or a wanna be this is the place to go . Charming, unassuming shop that has anything you would fancy in relation to theater scripts. There are also guides to help make you the best in the industry. Patrons are welcome to lounge and relax as long as they want. Nice staff.

Weve brought a group of High School students from New Jersey to this bookshop for the past two years and they loved it almost as much as I do! Very nice staff and a wonderful selection of scripts! :)

A New York institution!! Everything you could want in print relating to theatre, you can probably find here. The staff is super knowledgeable and available to help. One of my favorite places to sit and read! PLUS, theres a rehearsal space in the basement!

1An amazing place for any actor to sit down and just browse plays. The atmosphere is very welcoming and inviting to just allow people to browse, no pressure to buy. The folks who work there know tons about plays and playwrights and are always happy to help and answer questions--even to give advice about selecting monologues or scenes. The plays are reasonably priced, and they have new plays available all the time.

So sad this location has to close. Incredible store with large amounts of plays, scores, and librettos. Any fan of theatre should go to this historic establishment at least once in their lifetime. Chester the dog is also an added perk 😀

Great quality shop! Please support this business. I know its easier to get it on AMAZON, but of you are in the area, stop by. Everyone there is also very knowledgeable!

If you love theater and youre in New York City, you need to go here. Theres a great selection of books on acting and theater, and more plays than you can imagine. It also has a nice quite vibe, so if youre looking to escape the craziness of Times Square for a few minutes, this is a great place to come to.

This is it! The greatest theatre book shop in the world. Youll browse their extensive collection of plays and theatre books alongside working actors and, frequently, a Broadway celeb. If you dont see what youre looking for, the knowledgeable staff will order it for you. If they cant get it, it doesnt exist! Be sure to look for store mascot, Chester the dog, who usually hangs out on the checkout counter.

My favorite in NYC! They have biographies of actors, librettos, scripts and more! Any play, musical, or drama you can think of, they most likely have. It sucks that they will be moving soon.... Please tip and help out as much as you can!

Beautiful drama themes bookstore. Plenty of plays to choose from, as well as novelties, and how-to books on everything from costume design, to directing. Staff is friendly and helpful. They dont mind if you sit down and take a preview of their books either! I highly recommend this store!

Its an older building that houses an incredible amount of books on theatre. From monologue collections, to full plays, to tech theatre and history and critiques; everything youd want to know about theatre is here. Workers seemed to be very knowledgeable as well.

Always a nice variety and always helpful staff. I wish there had been a little more air conditioning as it was almost 90F outside. I love the dog that hangs out!

If you love theater, this is the shop to visit. Great books and magazines and an area to just sit and read and take it all in.

If youre an actor or dramatic artist in the city this place will feel like Olivanders Wand shop. It has a cozy but hallowed feel to it. Helpful, warm staff and a great place to meet fellow performers or pick up a play for class/work.

This is a wonderful store for everything surrounding acting, plays, film, staging, costumes, agents... The people there are very friendly, helpful and extremely knowledgable! I went there for a Bryan Cranston Q&A and signing - it was a very personal and friendly atmosphere/ experience. Much, much better than what Barnes & Nobles does - signings there are very rushed and factory-like. The Drama Book Shop on the other hand, is a very special place. Cannot recommend this place highly enough! ***** Stars

A bit dusty but loaded with theatre-related books. Largely helpful staff though you may come across a cranky one. Special orders not always delivered as promised/on time. They sell out quickly if something is hot or current.

Great assortment of plays and musical scores. Must visit for theatre lovers, especially those who are interested in acting.

The best book store in New York. Vital. One of the essential resources to theatre artists in the city. If this ever vanished, it would be one of the great losses to the theatre since the death of Shakespeare.

The Go To Book Store for theater. Go to this bookstore even if you are not a theater person - they dont make them like this anymore. This is a GREAT book store.

The perennial favorite. Just perfect. When a staff member told us we had 15 more minutes before the store closed, the gathered theater people said, Thank you, fifteen...

A great stop for theatre and theater enthusiasts. Over 100 years old and an amazing selection of plays, as well as musical theater scores, books, and magazines. If you are a performer in the city you must check out DBS.

It has personality. It has a lot of the scripts and books you could be looking for if you are into theater, and to top it all off it is right off of Times Square. The prices arent bad, either. Its a hot spot ;)

The best play selection out there, at very reasonable prices, even for stuff thats hard-to-find! The loyalty punch card is a nice perk, too.

Lots of interesting books from a variety of sub feel and places to hang out and read and great gifts.

Not what I expected. Overall it was a great place to shop. Just wish the staff was a little more welcoming.

As an actor ive found that the Drama Bookstore is a safe haven for Actors.... Everything an actor needs. Ref of Books, how to books, agent directory, and many other info is all their for the actor. The best part of this is the lounge area where you can meet fellow actors that are focused on the same as you.

This place was wonderful! I wish I had known about it before, Ive missed out on years of searching the shelves! Great place to visit if youre a theatre teacher.