How One Clever Pun Could Live in a Theater for 5 Years

One of the most iconic buildings in New York is putting the fun in fundraising, and they want your best puns to help make it happen.

The Egg at Empire State Plaza, currently under a $19.5 million renovation, is letting the community to get a little creative with a brand-new seat-naming contest. When the venue’s main stage, the Hart Theatre, reopens in 2026, one lucky winner’s witty phrase will be engraved on an armrest plaque for five whole years.

You don’t have to donate to take a crack at this one. Just submit your best “egg-cellent” pun, joke, or clever phrase.

Chair Naming Requirements

Your entry can be no more than 75 characters total, split into three lines (25 characters per line). Think: “Dedicated to Humpty Dumpty / May The Egg Never Fall.” Just keep it clean. If it's hateful or profane, it will be scrambled and tossed.

Read More: PSL Season Arrives Early in New York—Here’s When

The winning seat plaque (a $500 value!) comes with ultimate bragging rights and an egg-themed prize bundle, complete with a tote bag, keychain, egg-shaped musical shaker, and other fun merch.

How to Name a Chair

Want in? You have until Friday, August 15, 2025, to submit your idea online. The Egg’s staff will pick the winner. P.S., the prize doesn’t guarantee you tickets to any shows or the ability to sit in your named seat. It’s all about the glory of knowing your joke is immortalized in one of New York’s coolest performing arts venues.

This playful contest is part of The Egg’s larger Seat Naming Campaign. Donors who want a guaranteed plaque can still purchase one. $500 “Supporter” plaques will be displayed for five years, while $1,000 “Benefactor” plaques (closer to the stage!) last a full decade. Every donation is tax-deductible, and all proceeds help support the venue’s renovations, including improved accessibility, upgraded lighting, new seats, and fresh nods to The Egg’s original mod design.

Read More: NY Opens Free Hotline to Help Residents Report Discrimination

So, whether you’ve got a cracking good pun or a sentimental memory to share, now’s the time to let your creativity hatch. Who knows? Your words could live in The Egg for the next five years.

Want to submit your idea or learn more about the campaign? Visit The Egg’s Seat Naming Contest page.