New Century Theatre: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 00:31, 26 January 2012

The New Century Theatre was a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 932 Seventh Avenue at West 58th Street in midtown Manhattan.

The house, which seated 1700, was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp for the Shuberts, who originally named it Jolson's 59th Street Theatre after Al Jolson, who opened the venue with a Sigmund Romberg musical called Bombo on October 6, 1921. Two years later, it hosted the American premiere of Stanislavski's Moscow Art Theatre.

The theatre underwent several name changes over the next several years. As the Central Park Theatre, it was operated as a movie house. It then became the Shakespeare Theatre, the Molly Picon Theatre, the Venice, and twice reverted to Jolson Theatre, honoring Jolson, before finally being refurbished and reopened as the New Century on April 8, 1944.

Its place in theatrical history was established in 1937 when Orson Welles and his acting troupe marched their production of The Cradle Will Rock into the theatre and performed it from seats in the audience in defiance of Actors Equity.

In the late 40s and early 50s, NBC used the New Century for live television programs performed before a studio audience. The theatre was shuttered in 1954 and demolished in 1962.

Notable productions

1923: Three Sisters; The Cherry Orchard; Irene
1924: The Student Prince
1929: Naughty Marietta
1932: A Midsummer Night's Dream
1937: The Cradle Will Rock
1944: Follow the Girls
1947: High Button Shoes
1948: Kiss Me, Kate
1950: Out of This World by Cole Porter
1951: Jose Greco Ballet
1953: Carnival in Flanders

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 The '''New Century Theatre''' was a legitimate [[Broadway theatre]] located at 932 Seventh Avenue at West 58th Street in midtown [[Manhattan]].
-The house, which seated 1700, was designed by [[architect]] [[Herbert J. Krapp]] for the [[Shubert Organization|Shuberts]], who originally named it Jolson's 59th Street Theatre after [[Al Jolson]], who opened the venue with a [[Sigmund Romberg]] [[musical theatre|musical]] called ''Bombo'' on October 6, 1921. Two years later, it hosted the [[United States|American]] premiere of [[Stanislavski]]'s [[Moscow Art Theatre]].
+The house, which seated 1700, was designed by [[architect]] [[Herbert J. Krapp]] for the [[Shubert Organization|Shuberts]], who originally named it '''Jolson's 59th Street Theatre''' after [[Al Jolson]], who opened the venue with a [[Sigmund Romberg]] [[musical theatre|musical]] called ''Bombo'' on October 6, 1921. Two years later, it hosted the [[United States|American]] premiere of [[Stanislavski]]'s [[Moscow Art Theatre]].
-The theatre underwent several name changes over the next several years. As the Central Park Theatre, it was operated as a movie house. It then became the Shakespeare Theatre, the [[Molly Picon]] Theatre, the Venice, and twice reverted to its original name honoring Jolson before finally being refurbished and reopened as the New Century on April 8, 1944.
+The theatre underwent several name changes over the next several years. As the Central Park Theatre, it was operated as a movie house. It then became the '''Shakespeare Theatre''', the [[Molly Picon]] Theatre, the Venice, and twice reverted to '''Jolson Theatre''', honoring Jolson, before finally being refurbished and reopened as the New Century on April 8, 1944.
 Its place in theatrical history was established in 1937 when [[Orson Welles]] and his acting troupe marched their production of ''[[The Cradle Will Rock]]'' into the theatre and performed it from seats in the audience in defiance of [[Actors Equity]].