List of Broadway theaters explained

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There are 41 active Broadway theaters listed by The Broadway League in New York City, as well as eight existing structures that previously hosted Broadway theatre. Beginning with the first large long-term theater in the city, the Park Theatre built in 1798 on Park Row just off Broadway, the definition of what constitutes a Broadway theater has changed multiple times.[1] The current legal definition is based on a 1949 Actors' Equity agreement with smaller theaters in New York to allow union members to perform, dividing theater spaces in the city into the system of Broadway and Off-Broadway seen today.[2] [3] Current union contracts clearly spell out if a production is "Broadway" or not, but the general rule is that any venue that mostly hosts legitimate theater productions, is generally within Manhattan's Theater District, and has a capacity over 500 seats is considered a Broadway theater.[4] Previous to this legal demarcation a Broadway production simply referred to a professional theatrical production performed in a theater in Manhattan, and the theaters that housed them were called Broadway theaters.

While Broadway theaters are colloquially considered to be "on Broadway", only two active Broadway theaters are physically on Broadway (the Broadway Theatre and Winter Garden Theatre).[5] The Vivian Beaumont Theater, located in Lincoln Center, is the furthest north and west of the active theaters, while the Nederlander Theatre is the southernmost and the Belasco Theatre is the easternmost space. The oldest Broadway theaters still in use are the Hudson Theatre, Lyceum Theatre, and New Amsterdam Theatre, all opened in 1903, while the most recently constructed theater is the Lyric Theatre, built in 1998. The largest of the Broadway theaters is the 1,933-seat Gershwin Theatre, while the smallest is the 597-seat Hayes Theater.

The beginning of Broadway theater can be traced to the 19th-century influx of immigrants to New York City, particularly Yiddish, German and Italian, who brought with them indigenous and new forms of theater. The development of indoor gas lighting around this same time period allowed for the construction of permanent spaces for these novel theatrical forms. Early variety, burlesque, and minstrelsy halls were built along Broadway below Houston Street. As the city expanded north, new theaters were constructed along the thoroughfare with family-friendly vaudeville, developed by Tony Pastor, clustering around Union Square in the 1860s and 1870s, and larger opera houses, hippodromes, and theaters populating Broadway between Union Square and Times Square later in the century. Times Square became the epicenter for large scale theater productions between 1900 and the Great Depression.

There is no standard date that is considered the beginning of Broadway-style theatre.[6] A few landmarks that are considered the beginning of the Broadway era include the 1866 opening of The Black Crook at Niblo's Garden, considered the first piece of American style musical theater,[7] [8] the 1913 founding of the Actors' Equity Association, the union for New York Theater performers, and the 1919 Actors' Equity Association strike which gave actors and performers the recognition of a "fully legitimate professional trade". Mary Henderson in her book The City and the Theatre breaks down theater on the street Broadway into three time periods. "Lower Broadway" from 1850 to 1870, "Union Square and Beyond" from 1870 to 1899, and "Times Square: the First Hundred Years" (1900–2000). The current official Broadway/Off-Broadway division began with the 1949 Actors' Equity agreement.

Active Broadway theaters

The current definition of a Broadway theater is based on the 1949 Actors' Equity agreement dividing Broadway from Off-Broadway, but in the general psyche Broadway theaters are considered theatrical houses which host productions that can be nominated for Tony Awards.[9] The American Theater Wing and The Broadway League, as presenters of these awards, have sole discretion to include or omit theaters from the list of Tony-eligible houses, but use the same standards and criteria as Actors' Equity does. The four main underlying criteria these organizations use to determine a Broadway theater are:

The following list contains the 41 theaters listed on the Internet Broadway Database, which is run by The Broadway League, that are considered active Broadway theaters and can host productions eligible for Tony Awards.

Theater
former name(s)
AddressOpenedCapacityOwner/operatorProductionsImage
FirstLongest run[10] Current
Al Hirschfeld Theatre
Martin Beck Theatre (1924–2003)
19241424ATG EntertainmentMadame PompadourKinky BootsMoulin Rouge![11]
Ambassador Theatre
New Ambassador Theatre (1980)
Ambassador Theatre (1921–1980)
19211125Shubert OrganizationChicagoChicago[12]
August Wilson Theatre
Virginia Theatre (1981–2005)
American Academy of Dramatic Arts (1953–1981)
ANTA Playhouse (1950–1953)
WOR Mutual Radio (1943–1950)
Guild Theatre (1925–1943)
19251228ATG EntertainmentCaesar and CleopatraJersey BoysCabaret[13]
Belasco Theatre
Stuyvesant Theatre (1907–1910)
19071018Shubert OrganizationA Grand Army ManDead End[14]
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre
Royale Theatre (1940–2005)
John Golden Theatre (1934–1940)
Royale Theatre (1927–1934)
19271078Shubert OrganizationPiggyGreaseThe Outsiders[15]
Booth Theatre1913766Shubert OrganizationButterflies Are Free[16]
Broadhurst Theatre19171186Shubert OrganizationMisallianceAmadeus[17]
Broadway Theatre
Cine Roma (1937–1939)
B.S. Moss's Broadway Theatre (1935–1937)
Broadway Theatre (1933–1935)
Earl Carroll's Broadway Theatre (1932–1933)
B.S. Moss's Broadway Theatre (1930–1932)
Universal's Colony Theatre (1926–1930)
B.S. Moss's Colony Theatre (1924–1926)
19241761Shubert OrganizationMiss SaigonThe Great Gatsby[18]
Circle in the Square Theatre1972840IndependentMourning Becomes Electra[19]
Ethel Barrymore Theatre19281096Shubert OrganizationI Love My Wife[20]
Eugene O'Neill Theatre
Coronet Theatre (1945–1959)
Forrest Theatre (1925–1945)
19251066ATG EntertainmentMayflowers[21]
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
Plymouth Theatre (1917–2005)
19171079Shubert OrganizationCome from AwayThe Notebook[22]
Gershwin Theatre
Uris Theatre (1972–1983)
19721933Nederlander OrganizationVia GalacticaWickedWicked[23]
Hayes Theater
Helen Hayes Theatre (1983–2018)
Little Theatre (1965–1983)
Winthrop Ames Theatre (1964–1965)
Little Theatre (1959–1964)
New York Times Hall (1941–1959)
Anne Nichols' Little Theatre (1936–1941)
Little Theatre (1912–1936)
1912597Second Stage TheaterGeminiJob[24]
Hudson Theatre
Savoy Nightclub (1981–1987)
Hudson Theatre (1903–1981)
1903975ATG EntertainmentCousin KateState of the UnionOnce Upon a Mattress[25]
Imperial Theatre19231443Shubert OrganizationMary Jane McKaneLes MisérablesWater for Elephants[26]
James Earl Jones Theatre
Cort Theatre (1912–2022)
19121084Shubert OrganizationPeg O' My Heart[27]
John Golden Theatre
Theatre Masque (1927–1937)
1927805Shubert OrganizationPuppets of PassionAvenue QStereophonic[28]
Lena Horne Theatre
Brooks Atkinson Theatre (1960–2022)
Mansfield Theatre (1929–1960)
Lew Fields' Mansfield Theatre (1928–1929)
Mansfield Theatre (1926–1928)
19261094Nederlander OrganizationWaitressSix[29]
Longacre Theatre19131091Shubert OrganizationAre You a Crook?Children of a Lesser God[30]
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Globe Theatre (1910–1957)
19101519Nederlander OrganizationBeauty and the Beast[31]
Lyceum Theatre
New Lyceum Theatre (1903)
1903922Shubert OrganizationBorn YesterdayOh, Mary![32]
Lyric Theatre
Foxwoods Theatre (2010–2014)
Hilton Theatre (2005–2010)
Ford Center for the Performing Arts (1998–2005)
19981622ATG EntertainmentRagtimeHarry Potter and the Cursed ChildHarry Potter and the Cursed Child[33]
Majestic Theatre19271645Shubert OrganizationRufus LeMaire's Affairs[34]
Marquis Theatre19861612Nederlander OrganizationShirley BasseyMe and My Girl[35]
Minskoff Theatre19731710Nederlander OrganizationIrene[36]
Music Box Theatre19211009Shubert Organization Music Box Revue (1921)Dear Evan HansenSuffs[37]
Nederlander Theatre
Trafalgar Theatre (1979–1980)
Billy Rose Theatre (1959–1979)
National Theatre (1921–1959)
19211235Nederlander OrganizationSwordsRent[38]
Neil Simon Theatre
Alvin Theatre (1927–1983)
19271467Nederlander OrganizationFunny FaceHairsprayMJ the Musical[39]
New Amsterdam Theatre19031747Disney Theatrical GroupAladdin[40]
Palace Theatre19131743Nederlander OrganizationMiss CivilizationBeauty and the Beast[41]
Richard Rodgers Theatre
46th Street Theatre (1932–1990)
Chanin's 46th Street Theatre (1925–1932)
19251400Nederlander OrganizationHamiltonHamilton[42]
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
Biltmore Theatre (1925–2008)
1925650Manhattan Theatre ClubEasy Come, Easy GoHair[43]
Shubert Theatre19131460Shubert OrganizationHamletHell's Kitchen[44]
Stephen Sondheim Theatre
Henry Miller's Theatre (1998–2010)
Kit Kat Klub (1998)
Club Expo (1994–1997)
City (1991–1994)
Shout (1985–1991)
Xenon (1978–1984)
Avon-at-the-Hudson (1972–1978)
Park-Miller Theatre (1970–1972)
Henry Miller's Theatre (1918–1970)
19181055Roundabout Theatre Company[45]
St. James Theatre
Erlanger's Theatre (1927–1932)
19271709ATG EntertainmentHello, Dolly![46]
Studio 54
CBS Studio No. 52 (1946–1977)
CBS Radio Playhouse No. 4 (1942–1946)
New Yorker Theatre (1939–1942)
Federal Music Theatre (1937–1939)
Palladium Theatre (1936–1937)
Casino de Paris (1933–1936)
New Yorker Theatre (1930–1933)
Gallo Opera House (1927–1930)
19271006Roundabout Theatre CompanyLa BohèmeCabaret[47]
Todd Haimes Theatre
American Airlines Theatre (2000–2023)
Selwyn Theatre (1918–2000)
1918740Roundabout Theatre CompanyInformation Please[48]
Vivian Beaumont Theater19651080Lincoln Center TheaterDanton's DeathContact[49]
Walter Kerr Theatre
Ritz Theatre (1921–1990)
Robert F. Kennedy Children's' Theatre
1921945ATG EntertainmentMary Stuart / A Man About TownHadestownHadestown[50]
Winter Garden Theatre
Cadillac Winter Garden Theatre (2002–2007)
Winter Garden Theatre (1911–2002)
19111526Shubert Organization La Belle Paree / Bow-Sing / TortajadaCats[51]

Existing former Broadway theaters

There are eight theaters that once were considered Broadway houses that are still standing but no longer present Broadway theatre performances.[52]

Theater
former name(s)
AddressOpenedLast Broadway productionCurrent useOwner/operatorclass=unsortableImageclass=unsortable
Edison Theatre
The Edison Ballroom (1991–present)
The Arena Theatre (1951–1991)
Edison Theatre (1931–1951)
19311991
Those Were the Days
Event spaceHotel Edison[53]
Ed Sullivan Theater
CBS Studio No. 50 (1950–1967)
CBS Radio Playhouse No. 1 (1936–1950)
Manhattan Theatre (1936)
Billy Rose's Music Hall (1933–1936)
Manhattan Theatre (1931–1933)
Hammerstein's Theatre (1927–1931)
19271936
Help Yourself
Television studioCBS[54]
Empire Theatre
Laff Movie (1942–1954)
Eltinge 42nd Street Theatre (1912–1942)
19121931
First Night
Movie theaterAMC Theatres[55]
Liberty Theatre19041933
Masks and Faces
Event spaceLiberty Theater Catering & Events[56]
New Victory Theater
The Victory (1942–1995)
Theatre Republic (1910–1942)
Belasco Theatre (1902–1910)
Theatre Republic (1900–1902)
19001930
Pressing Business
Off-Broadway
Theatre for Young Audiences
New 42nd Street[57]
Sony Hall
The Diamond Horseshoe
Century Theatre (1978–1982)
Mayfair Theatre (1970–1978)
Stairway Theatre (1970)
Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe (1938–1970)
19381982
Waltz of the Stork
Concert venueBlue Note Entertainment Group[58] [59]
Times Square Church
Mark Hellinger Theatre (1949–1989)
51st Street Theatre (1940–1949)
Hollywood Theatre (1930–1940)
Warner Brothers Theatre (1930)
19301989
Legs Diamond
Nondenominational churchTimes Square Church[60]
Times Square Theater19201933
Forsaking All Others
vacantNew 42nd Street[61]

Demolished Broadway theaters

Before the Tony Awards era the definition of "Broadway Theater" was more subjective. Variety, burlesque, minstrelsy halls, vaudeville, opera houses, hippodromes, and theaters all laid claim to the moniker. There are multiple historic moments considered the beginning of Broadway theatre as a style including:

The Internet Broadway Database lists all large venues in the general Theater District or Broadway areas of their time. The following lists organize all 95 demolished venues which hosted legitimate theater and appear on the Database. The theaters are organized into four lists based on when their last theatrical production opened compared to the three moments that may be considered the beginning of Broadway theatre. All theaters are listed by the name in use when their last theatrical production took place.

Post-1949 agreement

The 1949 Actors' Equity agreement is the largest defining moment in the classification of Broadway theaters. It granted smaller theaters in New York the ability to hire union members to perform, as long as they were paid a "token salary", alongside non-union members in their houses. This new union contract laid out a legal division between Broadway and the newly defined Off-Broadway theaters. The following list notes the 19 theaters that housed Broadway productions after this agreement went into effect and have since been demolished.

Theater
former name(s)
OpenedLast theatre productionDemolishedclass=unsortable
48th Street Theatre
Windsor Theatre (1937–1943)
48th Street Theatre (1912–1937)
19121951
Jotham Valley
1955[63]
Bijou Theatre
Bijou Theatre (1965–1982)
Toho Cinema (1965)
D. W. Griffith Theatre (1962–1965)
CBS Studio No. 62 (1951–1962)
Bijou Theatre (1917–1951)
19171981
Passionate Ladies
1982[64]
Center Theatre
RKO Center (1933–1934)
RKO Roxy Theatre (1932–1933)
19321950
Howdy, Mr. Ice of 1950
1954[65]
Central Theatre
Club USA (1988–1998)
Movieland (1980–1988)
Forum 47th Street Theatre (1975–1980)
Forum Theatre (1965–1975)
Odeon Theatre (1958–1965)
Holiday Theatre (1951–1958)
Gotham Theatre (1944–1951)
Central Theatre (1934–1944)
Columbia Theatre (1934)
Central Theatre (1918–1934)
19181956
Debut
1998[66]
Empire Theatre18931953
The Time of the Cuckoo
1953[67]
George Abbott Theatre
54th Street Theatre (1958–1965)
Adelphi Theatre (1944–1958)
Yiddish Arts Theatre (1943–1944)
Radiant Center (1940–1943)
Adelphi Theatre (1934–1940)
Craig Theatre (1928–1934)
19281970
Gantry
1970[68]
Harkness Theatre
RKO Colonial Theatre (1931–1974)
Hampden's Theatre (1925–1931)
New Colonial Theatre (1917–1925)
Keith's Colonial Theatre (1912–1917)
Colonial Theatre (1905–1912)
Colonial Music Hall (1905)
19051977
Ipi Tombi
1977[69]
Helen Hayes Theatre
Folies-Bergere (1911–1955)
Fulton Theatre (1911)
19111981
I Won't Dance
1982[70]
International Theatre
Columbus Circle (1945)
International Theatre (1944–1945)
Park Theatre (1935–1944)
Theatre of Young America (1934–1935)
Cosmopolitan Theatre (1923–1934)
Minsky's Park Music Hall (1922–1923)
Park Theatre (1911–1922)
Majestic Theatre (1903–1911)
19031949
The Young and Fair
1954[71]
Latin Quarter
Princess Theatre (1980–1983)
22 Steps (1979–1980)
Cine Lido (1963–1979)
Latin Quarter (1942–1963)
Cotton Club (1936–1942)
Ubangi Club (1935–1936)
Palais Royal (1900–1935)
19131986
Mayor
1989[72]
Metropolitan Opera House
New Opera House (1883–1890)
18831954
A Midsummer Night's Dream
1966[73]
Morosco Theatre19171981
The Moony Shapiro Songbook
1982[74]
New Apollo Theatre
Academy Theatre (1983–1996)
New Apollo Theatre (1979–1983)
Apollo Theatre (1920–1979)
Bryant Theatre (1910–1920)
19101983
The Guys in the Truck
1996[75]
New Century Theatre
Jolson's 59th Street Theatre (1943–1944)
Molly Picon Theatre (1943)
Jolson's 59th Street Theatre (1942–1943)
Venice Theatre (1934–1942)
Shakespeare Theatre (1932–1934)
Central Park Theatre (1931–1932)
Jolson's 59th Street Theatre (1921–1931)
19211954
The Azuma Kabuki Dancers and Musicians
1962[76]
Playhouse Theatre19111967
The Impossible Years
1969[77]
President Theatre
Mamma Leone's restaurant (1956–1988)
Erwin Piscator's Dramatic Workshop (1955–1956)
President Theatre (1943–1955)
48th Street Theatre (1938–1943)
Show Shop (1938)
American Show Shop (1937–1938)
Acme Theatre (1937)
Artef Theatre (1934–1937)
President Theatre (1934)
Midget Theatre (1933–1934)
Caruso Theatre (1933)
Hindenburg Theatre (1932–1933)
President Theatre (1929–1932)
Edyth Totten Theatre (1926–1929)
19261954
Stockade
1988[78]
Rialto Theatre19161982
Blues in the Night
2002[79]
Vanderbilt Theatre19181954
Ruth Draper
1954[80]
Ziegfeld Theatre19271965
Anya
1966[81]

Post-1919 actors' strike

The 1919 Actors' Equity Association strike was a turning point for the profession of acting in New York City. Actors' Equity, the union for performers and actors, founded only a few years earlier in 1913, used this month-long strike to cement acting as a "fully legitimate professional trade", where the performers produced labor for a now-official industry, Broadway theatre.[62] The following list notes the 34 theaters that housed Broadway productions after this strike ended but closed before the 1949 Actors' Equity agreement.

Theater
former name(s)
OpenedLast theatre productionDemolishedclass=unsortable
39th Street Theatre
Nazimova's 39th Street Theatre (1910–1911)
19101926
Laff That Off
1926[82]
44th Street Theatre
Weber and Fields' Music Hall (1912–1913)
19121945
On the Town
1945[83]
49th Street Theatre
Cinema 49 (1938–1940)
49th Street Theatre (1921–1938)
19211938
The Wild Duck
1940[84]
American Music Hall
American Theatre (1893–1908)
18931939
The Girl from Wyoming
1932[85]
Astor Theatre19061925
June Days
1982[86]
Avon Theatre
CBS Radio Playhouse No. 2 (1934–1954)
Avon Theatre (1929–1934)
Klaw Theatre (1921–1929)
19211934
Tight Britches
1954[87]
Belmont Theatre
Theatre Parisien (1919–1920)
Belmont Theatre (1918–1919)
Norworth Theatre (1918)
19181940
Mum's the Word
1951[88]
Broadway Theatre
Metropolitan Concert Hall (1880–1888)
18801929
Broadway Fever
1929[89]
Casino de Paris
Century Grove (1911–1926)
Century Promenade (1909–1911)
Cocoanut Grove Theatre (1909)
19091928
The Optimists
1930[90]
Casino Theatre18821930
Faust
1930[91]
Casino Theatre
Casa Manana (1936–1939)
French Casino Theatre (1933–1936)
Casino Theatre (1932–1933)
Earl Carroll Theatre (1922–1932)
19221933
Melody
1990[92]
Century Theatre
Century Opera House (1913–1915)
Century Theatre (1911–1913)
New Theatre (1909–1911)
Millionaires' Theatre (1909)
19091926
The Student Prince
1930[93]
Charles Hopkins Theatre
Embassy 49th Street Theatre (1982–1987)
World Theatre (1935–1982)
Westminster Cinema (1934–1935)
Charles Hopkins Theatre (1926–1934)
Punch and Judy Theatre (1914–1926)
19141932
Housewarming
1987[94]
Civic Repertory Theatre
Haverly's 14th Street Theatre (1880–1926)
14th Street Theatre (1867–1880)
Theatre Français (1866–1867)
18661936
Bitter Stream
1938[95]
Concert Theatre
Elysee Theatre (1948–1985)
Cort's 58th Street Theatre (1946–1948)
Rock Church (1943–1946)
Concert Theatre (1942–1943)
Fine Arts (1938–1942)
Filmarte Theatre (1936–1938)
Cort's 58th Street Theatre (1935–1936)
John Golden Theatre (1926–1935)
19261942
Of V We Sing
1985[96]
Criterion Theatre
Vitagraph Theatre (1914–1916)
Criterion Theatre (1899–1914)
Olympia Theatre: Lyric (1895–1899)
18951920
The Letter of the Law
1935[97]
Daly's 63rd Street Theatre
Experimental Theatre (1936–1938)
Gilmore's 63rd Street Theatre (1934–1936)
Park Lane Theatre (1932–1934)
Recital Theatre (1932)
Coburn Theatre (1928–1932)
Daly's 63rd Street Theatre (1922–1928)
63rd Street Music Hall (1921–1922)
Cort's 63rd Street Theatre (1921)
63rd Street Music Hall (1914–1921)
19141941
Ghost for Sale
1957[98]
Fay's Bowery Theatre
Thalia Theatre (1879–1929)
Bowery Theatre (1828–1879)
New York Theatre (1826–1828)
18261929
Under the Gaslight
1929[99]
Fifth Avenue Theatre
New Fifth Avenue Theatre (1873–1877)
St. James Theatre (1870–1873)
Gilsey's Apollo Hall (1868–1870)
18681935
Bertha, the Sewing Machine Girl
1939[100]
Gaiety Theatre
Embassy Five Theatre (1978–1982)
Victoria Theatre (1943–1978)
Gaiety Theatre (1908–1943)
19081932
Collision
1982[101]
Garrick Theatre
Theatre du Vieux Columbier (1917–1919)
Garrick Theatre (1895–1917)
Harrigan's Theatre (1890–1895)
18901930
Winter Bound
1932[102]
George M. Cohan's Theatre19111933
The Dubarry
1938[103]
Hippodrome Theatre19051936
Jumbo
1939[104]
Jardin de Paris
New York Roof (1905–1907)
Cherry Blossom Grove (1900–1905)
Winter Garden Theatre (1895–1900)
Olympia Theatre: Roof Garden (1895)
18951911
Ziegfeld Follies of 1911
1935[105]
Knickerbocker Theatre
Abbey's Theatre (1893–1896)
18931929
Sweet Land of Liberty
1930[106]
Lewisohn Stadium of City College of New York19151936
The Tsar's Bride
1973[107]
Lyric Theatre19031934
Gypsy Blonde
1934[108]
Maxine Elliott's Theatre
CBS Studio No. 51 (1949–1960)
CBS Radio Playhouse No. 5 (1944–1949)
WOR Mutual Radio (1941–1944)
Maxine Elliott's Theatre (1908–1941)
19081948
Ballet Ballads
1960[109]
Mercury Theatre
Artef Theatre (1940–1942)
Mercury Theatre (1937–1940)
Comedy Theatre (1913–1937)
Collier's Comedy Theatre (1910–1913)
Comedy Theatre (1909–1910)
19091939
Tell My Story
1942[110]
Nora Bayes Theatre
Lew Fields' 44th Street Roof Garden (1913–1918)
19131939
First American Dictator
1945[111]
Princess Theatre
Cinema Verdi (1952–1955)
Little Met (1948–1952)
Cinema Dante (1947–1948)
Princess Theatre (1944–1947)
Labor Stage Theatre (1937–1944)
Reo Cinema (1930–1937)
Assembly Theatre (1929–1930)
Princess Theatre (1929)
Lucille La Verne Theatre (1928–1929)
Princess Theatre (1913–1928)
19131947
Virginia Reel
1955[112]
Sam H. Harris Theatre
Cohan and Harris (1916–1921)
Candler Theatre (1914–1916)
19141933
Pigeons and People
1996[113]
Waldorf Theatre19261933
Dangerous Corner
1968[114]
Wallack's Theatre
Wallack's Theatre (1924–1940)
Frazee Theatre (1920–1924)
Harris Theatre (1911–1920)
Hackett Theatre (1906–1911)
Lew M. Fields Theatre (1904–1906)
19041930
Find the Fox
1997[115]

Post-1866 Black Crook production

In 1866 The Black Crook opened at Niblo's Garden, a theater on Broadway, near Prince Street. While there are strong arguments against it, this piece is considered the first piece of American-style musical theater.[116] Whether or not it is truly the first musical, The Black Crook marks a turning point where Broadway became less about the variety, burlesque, and minstrel shows of the past, and began to be known more for the large-scale book musical which still reigns today.[117] [116]

The following list notes the 30 theaters that housed Broadway productions after The Black Crook opened but closed before the 1919 Actors' Equity strike.

Theater
former name(s)
OpenedLast theatre productionDemolishedclass=unsortable
Abbey's Park Theatre
New Park Theatre (1874–1876)
18471882
Divorçons
1882[118]
Academy of Music18541912
The Girl from Brighton
1926[119]
Bandbox Theatre
Adolf Philipp's Fifty-Seventh Street Theatre (1912–1914)
19121917
Nju
1969[120]
Barnum's New American Museum
Buckley's Opera House (1953–1965)
Chinese Rooms (1950–1953)
18501866
Jack and Gill Went Up the Hill
1868[121]
Bijou Theatre
Brighton Theatre (1878–1881)
18781912
The Truth Wagon
1915[122]
Broadway Theatre
Wallack's Lyceum Theatre (1852–1861)
Brougham's Lyceum Theatre (1850–1852)
18501868
A Flash of Lightning
1869[123]
Circle Theatre19011910
The Chocolate Soldier
1954[124]
Daly's Theatre
Broadway Theatre (1876–1879)
Wood's Museum and Metropolitan (1868–1876)
Banvard's Museum (1867–1868)
18671912
The Drone
1920[125]
Garden Theatre
Madison Square Garden (1880–1890)
Gilmore's Garden (1870?–1880)
1870?1917
Three Plays for a Negro Theater
1925[126]
Grand Opera House
Pike's Opera House (1868–1869)
18681915
Jack's Romance
1960[127]
Herald Square Theatre
New Park Theatre (1883–1894)
18831908
The Worth of a Woman
1915[128]
Hoyt's Theatre
Madison Square Theatre (1879–1891)
Daly's Fifth Avenue Theatre (1869–1879)
Brougham's Theatre (1868–1869)
Fifth Avenue Opera House (1865–1868)
18651912
Everywoman
1908[129]
Koster and Bial's Music Hall
Bon Ton (1920–1924)
Koster and Bial's Music Hall (1879–1920)
Bryant's Opera House (1870–1879)
18701901
Nell Gwynne
1924[130]
Lyceum Theatre18851902
The Girl and the Judge
1902[131]
Madison Square Roof Garden18901908
Ski-Hi
1925[132]
Manhattan Theatre
Standard Theatre (1878–1897)
Eagle Variety (1875–1878)
18751907
The Mills of the Gods
1909[133]
New Bowery Theatre18591867
Little Boy Blue
1866[134]
New Theatre Comique
Globe Theatre (1870–1881)
Worrell Sisters' New York Theatre (1867–1870)
New York Theatre (1866–1867)
Lucy Rushton's New York Theatre (1865–1866)
Athenaeum (1865)
18651868
Pickwick Papers
1884[135]
Olympia Theatre
Loew's New York (1915–1935)
New York Theatre (1913–1915)
Moulin Rouge (1912–1913)
New York Theatre (1899–1912)
Olympia Theatre: Music Hall (1895–1899)
18951914
The Traffic
1935[136]
Niblo's Garden18291894
A Tale of Corsica
1895
Olympic Theatre
Laura Keene's Theatre (1856–1863)
18561879
Assommoir
1880[137]
Paradise Roof Garden
Venetian Terrace Roof Garden (1899–1900)
18991903
Punch, Judy & Company
1935[138]
Princess Theatre
Hermann's Gaiety Theatre (1890–1902)
San Francisco Music Hall (1875–1890)
Jack's Theatre
Theatre Comique
Jonah Theatre
18751907
A Doll's House
1907[139]
Savoy Theatre
Schley Music Hall (1900)
19001910
Children of Destiny
1933[140]
Star Theatre
Wallack's Theatre (1861–1880)
18611901
The Convict's Daughter
1901[141]
Theatre Comique
Wood's Minstrel Hall (1862–1869)
18621872
Ixion
1872[142]
Victoria Theatre
Rialto Theatre (1916–1935)
Victoria Theatre (1899–1916)
18991904
Lew Dockstader's Minstrels
1915[143]
Wallack's Theatre
Palmer's Theatre (1888–1895)
Wallack's Theatre (1882–1888)
18821915
The Doctor's Dilemma
1915[144]
Weber's Music Hall
Weber and Fields' Broadway Music Hall (1896–1906)
Imperial Music Hall (1892–1896)
18921913
Alibi Bill
1917[145]
Winter Garden Theatre
Burton's New Theatre (1856–1859)
Laura Keene's Variety House (1854–1856)
Metropolitan Hall (1851–1854)
Jenny Lind Hall (1850–1851)
Tripler Hall (1850)
18501867
The Merchant of Venice
1867[146]

Pre-musical

The following list notes the 12 theaters that housed Broadway productions from the beginning of theater in New York City but closed before the opening of The Black Crook.

Before the advent of the musical there were multiple theaters in New York that claimed the moniker of "Broadway", including an 1847 theater named the Broadway Theatre.[147] While most early theaters were short-lived and housed touring productions from Europe, that changed with the construction of the Park Theatre in 1798. These newly constructed, long-term theaters grew in number through the nineteenth century, clustered around Broadway, and began hosting a wide array of ethnic and new forms of entertainment.

Theater
former name(s)
OpenedLast theatre productionDemolishedclass=unsortable
American Theatre
Broadway Boudoir (1860–1864)
Fellow's Opera House (1854–1860)
18541864
The House That Jack Built
1866[148]
Anthony Street Theatre
Pavilion Theatre (1816–1820)
Olympic Theatre (1814–1816)
18001820
Virginius
1821[149]
Barnum's American Museum18411865
The Green Monster
1865[150]
Booth's Theatre18691838
The Outlaw
1965[151]
Broadway Theatre18471856
King Charming
1859
Burton's Chambers Street Theatre
Ferdinand Palmo's Opera House (1844–1848)
18441860
The Romance of a Poor Young Man
1876[152]
John Street Theatre
Theatre Royal (1775–1777)
John Street Theatre (1767–1775)
17671796
Edwin and Angelina
1797[153]
Nassau Street Theatre
Van Dam Theatre (1750)
New Theatre (1732–1750)
17321754
King Lear
1758[154]
National Theatre
Italian Opera House (1833–1839)
18331853
Uncle Tom's Cabin
1841[155]
Olympic Theatre18371848
A Glance at New York In 1848
1854[156]
Park Theatre
New Theatre (1798–1799)
17981848
Met-A-Mora
1848[157]
Richmond Hill Theatre
New York Opera House (1834–1849)
Italian Opera House (1832–1834)
Richmond Hill Theatre (1831–1832)
18311832
The Hunchback
1849[158]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Swift, Christopher. The City Performs: An Architectural History of NYC Theater . [New York City College of Technology], CUNY. 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  2. Kaiser, DJ. The Evolution of Broadway Musical Entertainment, 1850–2009: Interlingual and Intermedial Interference . AllTheses and Dissertations (ETDs). 1076. 2013. p. 10. Retrieved March 28, 2020
  3. https://books.google.com/books?id=JSEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44 Equity to Aid Off B'way Orgs
  4. Pincus-Roth, Zachary. Ask Playbill.com: Broadway or Off-Broadway—Part I :Examining the differences between Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. Playbill. February 8, 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  5. https://www.playbill.com/article/how-to-tell-broadway-from-off-broadway-from-com-110450 How To Tell Broadway From Off-Broadway From...
  6. Kaiser, DJ. The Evolution of Broadway Musical Entertainment, 1850–2009: Interlingual and Intermedial Interference . AllTheses and Dissertations (ETDs). 1076. 2013. pp. 6–7. Retrieved March 28, 2020
  7. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/niblos-garden-1311 Niblo's Garden
  8. Everett, William A., Laird, Paul R. Historical Dictionary of the Broadway Musical . . Rowman & Littlefield. p. xi. November 12, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2020
  9. Halston, Julie. Theatre 101: A Users Guide to Going to the Theatre . Theater Development Fund. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  10. Web site: Broadway Theatres . 2023-01-20 . . 2023-01-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230121043802/https://www.playbill.com/broadway-theatres . live .
  11. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/al-hirschfeld-theatre-1262 Al Hirschfeld Theatre
  12. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/ambassador-theatre-1036 Ambassador Theatre
  13. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/august-wilson-theatre-1179 August Wilson Theatre
  14. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/belasco-theatre-1360 Belasco Theatre
  15. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/bernard-b-jacobs-theatre-1346 Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre
  16. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/booth-theatre-1071 Booth Theatre
  17. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/broadhurst-theatre-1076 Broadhurst Theatre
  18. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/broadway-theatre-1496 Broadway Theatre
  19. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/circle-in-the-square-theatre-1106 Circle in the Square Theatre
  20. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/ethel-barrymore-theatre-1147 Ethel Barrymore Theatre
  21. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/eugene-oneill-theatre-1158 Eugene O'Neill Theatre
  22. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/gerald-schoenfeld-theatre-1327 Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
  23. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/gershwin-theatre-1369 Gershwin Theatre
  24. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/hayes-theater-1238 Hayes Theater
  25. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/hudson-theatre-1206 Hudson Theater
  26. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/imperial-theatre-1208 Imperial Theatre
  27. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/cort-theatre-1120 James Earl Jones Theater
  28. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/john-golden-theatre-1265 John Golden Theatre
  29. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/brooks-atkinson-theatre-1256 Brooks Atkinson Theater
  30. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/longacre-theatre-1240 Longacre Theatre
  31. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/lunt-fontanne-theatre-1174 Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
  32. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/lyceum-theatre-1245 Lyceum Theatre
  33. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/lyric-theatre-1156 Lyric Theatre
  34. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/majestic-theatre-1252 Majestic Theatre
  35. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/marquis-theatre-1259 Marquis Theatre
  36. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/minskoff-theatre-1275 Minskoff Theatre
  37. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/music-box-theatre-1283 Music Box Theatre
  38. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/nederlander-theatre-1286 Nederlander Theatre
  39. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/neil-simon-theatre-1035 Neil Simon Theatre
  40. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/new-amsterdam-theatre-1294 New Amsterdam Theatre
  41. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/palace-theatre-1317 Palace Theatre
  42. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/richard-rodgers-theatre-1098 Richard Rodgers Theatre
  43. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/samuel-j-friedman-theatre-1069 Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
  44. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/shubert-theatre-1352 Shubert Theatre
  45. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/stephen-sondheim-theatre-1197 Stephen Sondheim Theatre
  46. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/st-james-theatre-1145 St. James Theatre
  47. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/studio-54-1165 Studio 54
  48. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/todd-haimes-theatre-1349 Todd Haimes Theatre
  49. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/vivian-beaumont-theatre-1377 Vivian Beaumont Theater
  50. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/walter-kerr-theatre-1342 Walter Kerr Theatre
  51. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/winter-garden-theatre-1391 Winter Garden Theatre
  52. Culwell-Block, Logan. 9 Former Broadway Theatres Still Visible Today . Playbill. July 6, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  53. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/arena-theatre-1046 Arena Theatre
  54. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/ed-sullivan-theatre-1182 Ed Sullivan Theatre
  55. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/empire-theatre-1142 Empire Theatre
  56. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/liberty-theatre-1235 Liberty Theatre
  57. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/new-victory-theatre-1336 New Victory Theatre
  58. https://www.sonyhall.com/about/ About
  59. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/century-theatre-1092 Century Theatre
  60. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/times-square-church-1202 Mark Hellinger Theatre
  61. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/times-square-theatre-1365 Times Square Theatre
  62. Segrave, Kerry. Actors Organize: A History of Union Formation Efforts in America, 1880–1919. . McFarland & Company. Jefferson, N.C. 2008. p. 147.
  63. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/48th-street-theatre-1016 48th Street Theatre
  64. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/toho-cinema-1065 Toho Cinema
  65. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/center-theatre-1481 Center Theatre
  66. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/movieland-1089 Movieland
  67. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/empire-theatre-1144 Empire Theatre
  68. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/george-abbott-theatre-1123 George Abbott Theatre
  69. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/harkness-theatre-1412 Harkness Theatre
  70. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/helen-hayes-theatre-1154 Hellen Hayes Theatre
  71. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/international-theatre-1251 International Theatre
  72. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/latin-quarter-1226 Latin Quarter
  73. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/metropolitan-opera-house-1563 Metropolitan Opera House
  74. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/morosco-theatre-1278 Morosco Theatre
  75. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/academy-theatre-1045 Academy Theatre
  76. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/new-century-theatre-1220 New Century Theatre
  77. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/playhouse-theatre-1324 Playhouse Theatre
  78. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/erwin-piscators-dramatic-workshop-1141 Erwin Piscator's Dramatic Workshop
  79. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/rialto-theatre-1337 Rialto Theatre
  80. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/vanderbilt-theatre-1371 Vanderbilt Theatre
  81. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/ziegfeld-theatre-1393 Ziegfeld Theatre
  82. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/39th-street-theatre-1287 39th Street Theatre
  83. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/44th-street-theatre-1384 44th Street Theatre
  84. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/cinema-49-1017 Cinema 49
  85. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/american-music-hall-1039 American Music Hall
  86. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/astor-theatre-1049 Astor Theatre
  87. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/cbs-radio-playhouse-no-2-1222 CBS Radio Playhouse No. 2
  88. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/belmont-theatre-1314 Belmont Theatre
  89. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/broadway-theatre-1078 Broadway Theatre
  90. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/casino-de-paris-1111 Casino de Paris
  91. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/casino-theatre-1085 Casino Theatre
  92. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/casa-manana-1137 Casa Manana
  93. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/century-theatre-1292 Century Theatre
  94. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/embassy-49th-street-theatre-1334 Embassy 49th Street Theatre
  95. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/civic-repertory-theatre-1003 Civic Repertory Theatre
  96. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/elysee-theatre-1216 Elysee Theatre
  97. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/criterion-theatre-1403 Criterion Theatre
  98. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/dalys-63rd-street-theatre-1025 Daly's 63rd Street Theatre
  99. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/fays-bowery-theatre-1073 Fay's Bowery Theatre
  100. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/fifth-avenue-theatre-1453 Fifth Avenue Theatre
  101. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/embassy-five-theatre-1164 Embassy Five Theatre
  102. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/garrick-theatre-1491 Garrick Theatre
  103. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/george-m-cohans-theatre-1171 George M. Cohan's Theatre
  104. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/hippodrome-theatre-1305 Hippodrome Theatre
  105. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/jardin-de-paris-1404 Jardin de Paris
  106. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/knickerbocker-theatre-1029 Knickerbocker Theatre
  107. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/lewisohn-stadium-of-city-college-of-new-york-1356 Lewisohn Stadium of City College of New York
  108. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/lyric-theatre-1247 Lyric Theatre
  109. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/cbs-studio-no-51-1267 CBS Studio No. 51
  110. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/artef-theatre-1117 Artef Theatre
  111. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/nora-bayes-theatre-1011 Nora Bayes Theatre
  112. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/cinema-verdi-1330 Cinema Verdi
  113. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/sam-h-harris-theatre-1082 Sam H. Harris Theatre
  114. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/waldorf-theatre-1378 Waldorf Theatre
  115. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/anco-cinema-1233 Anco Cinema
  116. Reside, Doug. Musical of the Month: The Black Crook . Musical of the Month. New York Public Library. June 2, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2020/
  117. Clarke, Kevin.Talking With Joshua William Gelb About “The Black Crook” In 2016 . Opretta Research Center. October 7, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  118. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/abbeys-park-theatre-1642 Abbey's Park Theatre
  119. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/academy-of-music-1030 Academy of Music
  120. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/bandbox-theatre-1051 Bandbox Theatre
  121. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/barnums-new-american-museum-1634 Barnum's New American Museum
  122. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/bijou-theatre-1064 Bijou Theatre
  123. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/broadway-theatre-1548 Broadway Theatre
  124. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/circle-theatre-1105 Circle Theatre
  125. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/dalys-theatre-1559 Daly's Theatre
  126. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/garden-theatre-1167 Garden Theatre
  127. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/grand-opera-house-1549 Grand Opera House
  128. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/herald-square-theatre-1199 Herald Square Theatre
  129. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/hoyts-theatre-1248 Hoyt's Theatre
  130. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/bon-ton-1643 Bon Ton
  131. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/lyceum-theatre-1315 Lyceum Theatre
  132. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/madison-square-roof-garden-1250 Madison Square Roof Garden
  133. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/manhattan-theatre-1357 Manhattan Theatre
  134. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/new-bowery-theatre-1552 New Bowery Theatre
  135. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/new-theatre-comique-1639 New Theatre Comique
  136. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/loews-new-york-1401 Loew's New York
  137. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/olympic-theatre-1227 Olympic Theatre
  138. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/paradise-roof-garden-1183 Paradise Roof Garden
  139. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/princess-theatre-1588 Princess Theatre
  140. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/savoy-theatre-1494 Savoy Theatre
  141. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/star-theatre-1558 Star Theatre
  142. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/woods-minstrel-hall-1633 Wood's Minstrel Hall
  143. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/rialto-theatre-1374 Rialto Theatre
  144. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/wallacks-theatre-1320 Wallack's Theatre
  145. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/webers-music-hall-1383 Weber's Music Hall
  146. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/winter-garden-theatre-1542 Winter Garden Theatre
  147. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/broadway-theatre-1497 Broadway Theatre
  148. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/american-theatre-1630 American Theatre
  149. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/anthony-street-theatre-1044 Anthony Street Theatre
  150. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/barnums-american-museum-1595 Barnum's American Museum
  151. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/booths-theatre-1072 Booth's Theatre
  152. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/burtons-chambers-street-theatre-1570 Burton's Chambers Street Theatre
  153. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/john-street-theatre-1218 John Street Theatre
  154. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/nassau-street-theatre-1303 Nassau Street Theatre
  155. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/national-theatre-1553 National Theatre
  156. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/olympic-theatre-1316 Olympic Theatre
  157. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/park-theatre-1554 Park Theatre
  158. https://www.ibdb.com/theatre/new-york-opera-house-1339 New York Opera House