The Newton Theatre

Went there for the first time this week. Parking is basically street parking so don’t plan on a parking lot — with that said however, we were able to find a spot on the side street not too far from the building, and it was practically time to start the show (ie we didn’t arrive early). I loved the inside of the theater and the balcony was nice to sit in/​good line of sight. They sell snacks/​drinks and you can bring them in the theater (bonus). The only downside of the entire theater is the womens room had 2 stalls (2!!!) for a place that seats several hundred people (2 stalls!!!). They have this room that is just before the (2!!!) stalls which if redesigned properly, could allow for a couple more stalls. The fact that you have to wait in a line of 20 – 30 women and miss the first 15 minutes of the shows is a sign that there is an issue. Just to add, the two stalls are TINY so if you are even slightly overweight or God forbid handicapped, don’t go to this theater (unless you know 100% you won’t have to use the restroom). Other than the restroom, this theater is very nice and I hope to go to another show there again… I will just have to drink nothing at all prior to going and hope for the best (or use the bathroom in the middle of the performance (it is what it is). I hope the theater is in process of redesigning their restrooms to accommodate the amount of people the theater fits. :)

Really nice, 600 seat hidden gem in Newton, NJ. Clean, in great shape, excellent sound, friendly staff and comfortable seats with orchestra and balcony sections.
They have a small bar in the foyer and you’re allowed to bring drinks inside. Yes!
Parking is on the street or in some nearby lots, all within a relatively short walk from the theater.

Beautiful 600 seat theatre in Sussex County with great sight lines, resonably priced tickets and a very mellow friendly staff. The Leon Russell show last night was perfect (for me). No opening act, Leon Russell and his three piece band started shortly after 8pm and the played straight thru (no walk off, and back for encore). About 1.5 hr show with great stories, great songs and great band! With the video screen above the band, everyone could see all the action. It’s all good…

We saw Leon Russell tonight and had high expectations. I actually purchased front row left seats. Unfortunately for me and my wife as well as many in the left front sections we could not see him due to his being seated the whole performance at his piano on stage right. I forgot that he does not get around and this is not his fault. We spent the whole performance watching the top of his white hat. The possible solution could have been moving the piano to a different spot on the stage or perhaps project him at the piano onto a large screen like many venues do. I was psyched to see him after following him thirty plus years and left very disappointed. I have seen many shows at the theatre and love the venue (usually we seat in the balcony). The music was great but many of us would have loved to see him visually as he sang and played the piano. So for me it’s back to the balcony in the future.
Dr. Paul

With an old looking marquee and an old looking brick building, the look of this theater is very deceiving. You could drive past this place a million times and not know how nice it is inside.
I Went here with my uncle and cousin to see the band «From Good Homes», which is a Phish meets Dave Mathews Band local band. They put on a great show and the theater was very comfortable and accommodating.
The lobby of this theater is very small, but very clean. There is two small bar/​concession stands on each side of the lobby. The only strange part I found about the lobby was that it had a head shop raw incense smell to it.
For the size of the place they could use larger restrooms. The men’s room only one stall and two urinals, because of that during intermission thier was a huge line.
The theater itself is very nice and it looks like it had been renovated not too long ago. The seats could use a little bit more leg room, but I think that it’s the standard size seating.
I would definitely come back again.

Great local theatre. Small, intimate… I’ve seen at least 6 shows there and I’ve never been disappointed with the venue. Support local… check it out sometime.

I hate to use phrases like «gem» and «secret», but the new Newton Theatre really seems to be those things.
Last minute I was able to get some tix for Blues Traveler here last Saturday night. I didn’t have high expectations for the venue because I remembered it as the old twin cinema place with smoking in the balconies and Newton’s finest hanging around when the movie let out. The folks who renovated this place did a phenomenal job! It’s clean and well let in the lobby. The way they moved people in and out was really easy. They set up beer and wine concessions in the lobby, and it seemed to work.
The concert hall is tiny, but the seats were all new and comfortable. Most had cup holders. I had heard people complain about the acoustics, but that’s unwarranted in such a small space. They don’t suck, and that’s good enough for me.
For about $ 60 we got to sit 12 rows from the band. The show itself was really good too — they played a full two hour set. I’m still a little amazed that this once a dump place is now nice and drawing good artists to play here. I’m looking forward to getting back here again soon.

An old friend sent me a message a few months ago, «Southside Johnny is playing The Newton Theatre». I haven’t seen SSJ since the nineties and, for that matter, my high school buddy. But Newton? There are concerts in Newton? I figured WTH, it’s an affordable night out.
The venue is a refurbished movie house in the downtown area of this northwestern Jersey town. With a capacity of about 600 there’s not a bad seat in the place. The small lobby and cramped restrooms just add to the charm of seeing a concert in an early 20^th century theater. I was pleasantly surprised they offered beer and wine on site. The staff was friendly and accommodating as we were directed to our seats in the first row of the balcony. The «balcony» is elevated only about 6 – 8 feet above the sloped orchestra but the sight lines are excellent. Acoustically the layout has everything needed but on this night the sound was a bit off. I suspect this had more to do with the tech team rather than the venue. SSJ even stopped the show at one point to ask them to get it right. It didn’t dampen the night as Southside and the Jukes high-​energy, rock and roll was the reason everyone left smiling. As with any venue in the Garden State, smoking is prohibited but that doesn’t necessarily stop some from lighting up at many shows. I didn’t see anybody sharing a J, but had they, it surely would’ve been overpowered by the stench of Ben-​Gay this night. Southside and the Jukes may be a Shore-​era stand-​by but I was surprised there weren’t a few younger music fans here for the two-​and-​a-​half hour show.
The Newton Theatre is an excellent option for a night out. The concert lineup is a bit grayer than most with the likes of Dave Mason, John Waite and Blue Oyster Cult all scheduled to appear soon. A name like «The Silver Fox Theater» may be more apropos but to their credit they have booked somewhat more contemporary acts such as the Gin Blossoms and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The town itself is not a bustling metropolis nor would anyone describe it as quaint. There are a few decent restaurants nearby and we enjoyed a pre-​show bite and post-​show drink at O’Reilly’s Pub a short walk away. I will definitely continue to check the calendar would love to come back to see a band like The Gaslight Anthem here. Perhaps Johnny Lyon said it best himself. «Newton, New Jersey,» the ageless rocker blurted at the end of the show, «Who knew?»

This place is a good venue for music ever since they removed the wall that divided the movie theater and restored the place to its original state. Ticket pricing varies by artist and refreshments are good. Parking is ample.