Could the Ed Sullivan Theatre return to Broadway? - Page 2

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/27/25 at 11:55am

Makes total sense, thanks! 

[KrupYou]

Posted: 7/27/25 at 2:57pm

ALW has been trying to purchase a Broadway theatre for years. 

[Crusty Bagel]

Posted: 7/29/25 at 12:02am

You can see parts of the theater 

[saxpower]

Posted: 7/29/25 at 1:35pm

Much of the "restored" stained glass would have to be replaced sincie it has Colbert's face and the CBS logo. Easily enough done, but an expense.

Could a new owner buy the building, operate the theatre, and lease the office space?  I think Roundabout did something like that for the Sondheim.

If it did become a Broadway Theatre again, keep the Ed Sullivan name.  He was before my time but I do know he regularly brought broadway performers to his show.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/29/25 at 1:45pm

Crusty Bagel said: "

It’s already had such a long history with CBS, they might just want to keep it and use it for some new morning show or something."

Their morning show just retreated from its Times Square studios back to West 57th. Safe to say they're not investing in any more real estate than necessary, unless they plan to own and lease.

 

[Crusty Bagel]

Posted: 7/29/25 at 1:52pm

They could own it and have one of the big three landlords operate it.  I could also see Disney interested in buying it

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 7/29/25 at 2:25pm

If it does become reintegrated as a Broadway house, I truly hope whoever ultimately owns and operates the space configures it as a flexible theater. We desperately NEED more unconventional Broadway houses.

Any show with unconventional staging must currently cross their fingers that Circle in the Square becomes available, though it's small maximum capacity makes it a financial no-go for so many productions, OR they embark on a costly gut renovation of an existing proscenium house which makes financial success near-impossible (see: Great Comet, Here Lies Love, Cabaret at Kit Kat Club). Imagine if we had a larger Broadway theater that could be easily reconfigured for a thrust stage, or theater in the round, on-stage seating, or any other unconventional, immersive setup? Please Broadway gods (landlords), give us a flex space!

[Crusty Bagel]

Posted: 7/29/25 at 2:30pm

Someone just needs to build a new theater for that. I hope the Ed Sullivan will be restored to its former glory. 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 8/15/25 at 8:13pm

No updates on the future of the theatre (aside from the fact that it can’t be demolished without going through various applications due to its landmark status) but an interesting history with some historic photos:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/ed-sullivan-theater-colbert-history-future-1236340387/#recipient_hashed=370f40e9d87df3a308cc002c99ef16cce2f30802be0086e43b180abaa659155a&recipient_salt=6400d06ee43280284d4875a07c897e4

Updated On: 8/15/25 at 08:13 PM

[Dom P]

Posted: 8/15/25 at 10:29pm

BorisTomashevsky said: "No updates on the future of the theatre (aside from the fact that it can’t be demolished without going through various applications due to its landmark status) but an interesting history with some historic photos:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/ed-sullivan-theater-colbert-history-future-1236340387/#recipient_hashed=370f40e9d87df3a308cc002c99ef16cce2f30802be0086e43b180abaa659155a&recipient_salt=6400d06ee43280284d4875a07c897e4"

Very cool article.

[MezzA101]

Posted: 8/17/25 at 5:46am

Ed Sullivan Theater After Colbert: Last Days for the Late Night Icon

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/ed-sullivan-theater-colbert-history-future-1236340387/

[MezzA101]

Posted: 8/29/25 at 4:13pm

What's Next for The Ed Sullivan Theater After Colbert’s Cancellation?

https://www.thewrap.com/ed-sullivan-theater-whats-next-late-show-stephen-colbert-cancellation-analysis/

[Birdie Boy]

Posted: 8/29/25 at 4:26pm

I can only read the first few paragraphs. Can someone copy and paste it

[Kad]

Posted: 8/29/25 at 4:26pm

MezzA101 said: "What's Next for The Ed Sullivan Theater After Colbert’s Cancellation?

https://www.thewrap.com/ed-sullivan-theater-whats-next-late-show-stephen-colbert-cancellation-analysis/"

If you're only going to be sharing articles on here, can you at least ensure they're not paywalled? Otherwise you're just just promoting subscription sites. 

Updated On: 8/29/25 at 04:26 PM

[schubox]

Posted: 8/29/25 at 4:29pm

Come on all, it’s not that hard 

https://archive.ph/2025.08.29-133500/https://www.thewrap.com/ed-sullivan-theater-whats-next-late-show-stephen-colbert-cancellation-analysis/

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 8/29/25 at 4:30pm

I think MezzA101 has me blocked, but I do give them credit for usually posting unlocked articles (especially from the Times).

Here’s an unlocked version of The Wrap’s Ed Sullivan story. 
https://archive.li/bfnTM

Archive.li unlocks most paywalled articles for anyone who needs it. 

[Birdie Boy]

Posted: 8/29/25 at 4:38pm

So basically, nobody knows what’s going to happen to it.  It doesn’t sound like CBS has entirely shut the door to another late night show possibly coming in. 

[theatrejunkie007]

Posted: 9/2/25 at 11:18am

SFFrontRow said: "Thanks for the beautiful photo of the balcony and the stained glass windows (they were removed and put in storage by the Letterman show).

I have an old theater book and stuff on the internet says this was a 1200 seat theater when it was first opened... it now has 300 or 400 seat capacity. This could be another Helen Hayes or an Amsterdam Theater-type renovation. The stained glass and the ceiling are worth it."

Bring back the stained glass!

[Joyce 9]

Posted: 3/13/26 at 3:29pm

Has anyone heard anything about this?  

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/13/26 at 10:25pm

In the current circumstances, I would assume many/most of us would be vehemently opposed to turning the Ed Sullivan back into a legitimate theatre. Now that Skydance/David Ellison owns CBS through Paramount global, and is converting the former Tiffany network into the Trump QVC network, I would expect that, were they to decide to make the Ed Sullivan into a theatre again (and assuming that's even possible -- something I doubt very much), it would include content restrictions on shows consistent with what they would call an "anti-woke" agenda (essentially making it the Broadway equivalent of the Off-Broadway Sheen Center for Thought and Culture -- as deemed appropriate by its owner, the Archdiocese of New York).

Updated On: 3/13/26 at 10:25 PM

[malcs98]

Posted: 3/13/26 at 10:54pm

HogansHero said: "In the current circumstances, I would assume many/most of us would be vehemently opposed to turning the Ed Sullivan back into a legitimate theatre. Now that Skydance/David Ellison owns CBS through Paramount global, and is converting theformer Tiffany network into the Trump QVC network, I would expect that, were they to decide to make the Ed Sullivan into a theatre again (and assumingthat's even possible -- something I doubt very much), it would include content restrictions on shows consistent with what they would call an "anti-woke" agenda (essentially making it the Broadway equivalent of the Off-Broadway Sheen Center for Thought and Culture -- as deemed appropriate by its owner, the Archdiocese of New York)."

Way to lighten the mood…I still have hope that one of the theatre owners weather it’s Shubert, ATG or Nederlander or hell even MTC, Roundabout or Second Stage will get their hands on it…I mean there is already rumors that the Times Square Church is being evicted so that the Mark Hellinger Theater can return to its original state so I guess anything is possible 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 3/14/26 at 9:53am

Whether it will ever convert back to a conventional live theatre, of course it's 'possible' for the space to physically be converted back. The structure is all still there

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/14/26 at 2:12pm

malcs98 said: "Way to lighten the mood…I still have hope thatone of the theatre owners weather it’s Shubert, ATG or Nederlander orhelleven MTC, Roundabout or Second Stagewill get their hands on it…I mean there is already rumors that the Times Square Church is being evicted so that the Mark Hellinger Theater can return to its original stateso I guess anything is possible"

What you are calling the mood is, unfortunately, reality. To me, lightening the mood translates into ignoring very important things in our world. Far down on that list, but still there, are the economics of making the Ed Sullivan into a legitimate theatre again. While of course anything "may" be possible, not everything is feasible, or realistic. And while I am bursting idea bubbles, the rumors about the church being "evicted" from the Hellinger is probably the easiest one imaginable: the church OWNS the Hellinger; kinda hard to evict yourself, no? 

[Joyce 9]

Posted: 3/14/26 at 2:16pm

They might evict themselves if they feel like they can move the church somewhere else and make money as a landlord.  And of course they can always get someone else to operate it, ATG, Nederlander, Disney already do it with other theaters. 

Updated On: 3/14/26 at 02:16 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/14/26 at 7:09pm

Joyce 9 said: "They might evict themselves if they feel like they can move the church somewhere else and make money as a landlord. And of course they can always get someone else to operate it, ATG, Nederlander, Disney already do it with other theaters."

The established meanings of "evict" do not encompass what you suggest. "Evict" is not a reflexive verb (like, e.g., "Mark Hellinger bathed himself"). The church could move and rent the Hellinger, but every time that this sort of wishful thinking notion comes up, the church has been steadfast in saying that it has no intention of moving. Finally, I am unaware of any situation in which ATG, Nederlander, or the mouse have ever gotten "someone else" to operate a theatre they own. It would be fascinating to hear what you are referring to as this is a subject about which my knowledge is pretty long and deep.