Belasco Apt?

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 9/26/04 at 12:54am

In Broadway Beat, Melissa said something about 'the apartment.' Could someone please explain this?

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 9/26/04 at 12:59am

Its a penthouse on the top floor of the theatre. It belonged to the "eccentric" broadway producer David Belasco. a little fact about it was, it housed a world-class porn collection while david belasco occupied it. the penthouse is now supposed to be haunted, after theatre workers reported laughter and footsteps around the place late at night.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 9/26/04 at 1:27pm

I think this is so interesting. I have a facination for ghost stories. Is it possible to get up there?

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 9/26/04 at 1:41pm

The last I heard was that Belasco's ghost stopped making apperances or disturbances after Oh Calcutta played the theatre. (But if what you say about the porn collection is true then I find it hard to believe that Calcutta scared the ghost away.).... I think it was Tom Hewitt who said something about hoping to ressurect the ghost of Belasco with Dracula.....wonder if they have or if the....well I'll leave the Dracula bashing alone(J/k). Regardless it would be interesting if they offered tours of the penthouse as I know I would definitly love to check it out. Anyone here ever have a run in with Belasco's ghost or any other theatre ghost? guess I could make that a seperate thread...in fact I will.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 9/26/04 at 1:55pm

Interesting.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 9/26/04 at 2:19pm

My source comes from SHOW people magazine.

[magruder]

Posted: 9/26/04 at 2:33pm

They really can't run tours through the apartment. What hasn't been said is that the Shubert Organization ruined the apartment by running all of the building's air conditioning equipment through it, essentially destroying it. The interior of that theatre has been maimed and mishandled over the years. There is elegant wood panelling that has been slathered with white paint. The two missing side boxes were cruelly snapped off for the original production of The Rocky Horror Show and never restored. The beautiful Everett Shinn murals have been allowed to deteriorate and turn murky and grimy. The distinctive octagonal Tiffany fixtures in the orchestra and mezzanine levels were either taken down or stolen, and rather than restore or replace them, the owners have left them uncovered with bare bulbs. Even with all of what's missing or neglected, it is still a strange and wonderfully atmospheric theatre. It's amazing the theatre still retains any character at all, given the poor condition in which the Shubert Organization keeps it.

Updated On: 9/26/04 at 02:33 PM

[Sant]

Posted: 9/26/04 at 2:38pm

I was in Belasco theatre for the first time in August and I was amazed by how beautiful it is! I didn't see any signs of the auditorium being in a poor condition - the exterior of the house is a different story.

[Britt0913]

Posted: 9/26/04 at 2:42pm

There's also something written about the Belasco Theatre in this book I got from Barnes and Noble. It says that every opening night Belasco's ghost would sit in his private box and watch the show, up until "Oh, Calcutta". It also said that his ghost has been known to materialize in the alley where the stage door is located.

I know there's more written about it, but I don't have the book with me right now. I'll check back later.

[magruder]

Posted: 9/26/04 at 2:48pm

The interior is cleverly disguised and covered to mask the disfigurements. Red drapes cover the gaping holes where the boxes once were. The antique filament bulbs in the overhead light fixtures distract you from the fact that the decorative Tiffany coverings are missing. Then, there is the corroded marquee, the missing exterior light fixtures, the painted over exterior windows. It still is a fun theatre to visit, but it has been really badly treated by its owners.

[mominator]

Posted: 9/28/04 at 6:01pm

I don't know but the last time I wasin the Belasco I thought I may have seen "something" up in the Mezz.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 9/28/04 at 6:21pm

like what?

[mominator]

Posted: 9/28/04 at 6:52pm

That is just it, I am not quite sure. It wasfter "Six Dance Lessons.." Dave ad I had fron row seats and since there was NOONE in the mezz or the boxseats, I thought it was odd that something caught my peripheral vision (which really is quite good, my kids hate me for it!). Just something moving around up in the box area.
It wasn't until later on I found out that it was supposedly haunted.

[showstopper]

Posted: 9/28/04 at 8:57pm

ooooh noooo now I'm too scared to go see Dracula. I don't like ghost stories at all.

[capnkidd]

Posted: 9/29/04 at 4:58pm

lots of actors & stagehands have seen david belasco & the lady in blue many times since "oh calcutta!".Don't know where that story came from....

[Britt0913]

Posted: 9/29/04 at 5:04pm

I remember reading that when FRANKIE AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE was playing at the Belasco Edie Falco was believed to have had a run in with one of the spirits. She said how she smelled a heavy woman's perfume while leaving the stage from the matinee, thinking that maybe it was someone in the audience with a lot of perfume. But then she smelled it again when she went on for the evening performance.

(Sometimes a particular scent is very indicative of a spirit or ghost)

[capnkidd]

Posted: 9/29/04 at 6:00pm

magruder,
not to get personal,but just curious....are you in the business?You often have very inside info.Bravo,too,for your speaking the truth about the belasco-such a beautiful theatre,and it's just not getting the treatment it deserves...