| The Theater Center | |
| Address: | 210 West 50th Street |
| City: | New York City |
| Country: | United States |
| Owner: | Catherine Russell |
| Capacity: | Jerry Orbach 199 |
| Type: | Off-Broadway |
| Opened: | May 22, 2006 |
| Production: | The Fantasticks, Perfect Crime |
The Theater Center (known as The Snapple Theater Center until 2016) is an off-Broadway theater on 50th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It has two stages.[1]
The complex was built by actress and producer Catherine Russell in partnership with Snapple, marking Off-Broadway's first such corporate sponsorship.[2] It opened as the Snapple Theater Center on May 22, 2006, with Wendy Kaufman, "the Snapple Lady," ceremonially lighting the marquee.[3] Long-running play Perfect Crime (starring Russell) transferred to the Theater Center upon the facility's opening, and a revival of The Fantasticks was mounted that summer.[4]
In 2007, the space in which The Fantasticks was performed was named in honor of actor Jerry Orbach, who starred as El Gallo in that show's original production in 1960.[5] In 2012, the other space was named for producer Anne L. Bernstein.[6]
In May 2016, the theater dropped "Snapple" from its name and became "The Theater Center".[7] [8]
The Fantasticks closed in June 2017.[9] [10] Various other productions came to the Jerry Orbach thereafter. In 2021, Perfect Crime was the first live stage production in New York City to receive approval from Actors' Equity to resume performances after theatres were shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] In January, 2022, thieves stole copper pipes from the building, disabling the plumbing and heating and necessitating the cancellation of twelve performances of Perfect Crime.[12], Perfect Crime continues its run in the space.[13]
It is a 20000square feet state of the art entertainment center consisting of two theaters with a total seating capacity of 398, rehearsal studios, contemporary lobbies, WiFi, two bars with cabaret-style seating and two merchandise stands. There are two stages, the Anne L. Bernstein Theater and the Jerry Orbach Theater.[14] [15]