Posted: 11/28/16 at 2:42pm
I'm currently spending some time in Harlem, and these churches - while not maintained very well - are quite gorgeous. They look as though they are built/designed like a theater: stage door, fly space. Were these ever theaters or were they always churches? There is one on 116/5th that is gorgeous.
Posted: 11/28/16 at 4:06pm
Most were! The Lafayette Theatre was probably the most notable (besides the Apollo), on 132nd and 7th, which is where Duke Ellington made his New York debut. They regularly played Broadway shows in the early 1900s, and was the first major theater to desegregate and allow blacks to sit in the orchestra.
I've looked into the one you've mentioned before, but have had trouble finding any info about it. This list is a good place to start if you want more info about other theaters!
http://forgotten-ny.com/2001/01/manhattans-ancient-theatres/
