Mark Hellinger Theatre/Times Square Church question- Page 2

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/4/06 at 11:11pm

Rose, I was actually thinking about the show Coco this evening and wondering if anyone on this board had seen it. What do you remember about it?

Thanks.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 1/4/06 at 11:34pm

I'd love to see it as a theatre again.

Hell, even if Disney bought it I'd be happy. As long as it became a Broadway theatre.

:stands back and gets ready to be attacked:

Updated On: 1/4/06 at 11:34 PM

[myManCape]

Posted: 1/4/06 at 11:57pm

I too would love to see it return to use as a theatre. But if not, I would rather it stay the Time Square Church then be knocked down, or turned into a Ecko Clothing headquaters.

[Madame X]

Posted: 1/5/06 at 11:45am

Those interior shots are beautiful. They bring tears to my eyes...much like how the 'new' Penn Station does every time I walk by it.

[DAME]

Posted: 1/5/06 at 11:49am

Gorgeous theater. The last time I was in there was the Tony Award show that Angela Lansbury hosted. It was the year Les Miz won. I hope it returns to its original purpose some day soon.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/5/06 at 11:49am

Speaking of Coco; Ann Reinking was in the ensemble of this show.

Posted: 1/5/06 at 6:53pm

Dottie,It was a magical night! I was a teenager and it was Chriistmas Eve. I remember there was a guy standing in front of my mother greeting his friends as the Overture was ending. My Mom was getting upset. She knew Hepburn came on at the top of the show. She stood up and yelled at the guy "I've waited my whole life to see this woman - Sit Down! He sat down. And what an entrance! Hepburn was at the top of the stairs,flipped on a light swich and bellowed "My mind's made up!" There she was with around twenty mirrored reflections of her on the side! Amazing! She had such remarkable presence. Couldn't sing a lick - It didn't matter. Her final scene in which she sang "Always Mademoiselle" broke my heart. Reinking was one of the models.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/5/06 at 7:18pm

Thank you, Rose. It was great hearing about that magical experience.

[myManCape]

Posted: 1/5/06 at 8:49pm

im upset no one got my Ecko remark

[andycomposer]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 6:30pm

That looks like a real gem of a theatre. I have always thought of it in connection with My Fair Lady, which must have suited it to perfection. It looks like a match for the most sumptuous house in the West End, which is Her Majesty's.

Posted: 2/7/06 at 7:23pm

My Man...I got the ecko remark.. You are right. The Times Square theatre is being tunred into an Ecko store this year. But from ewhat I understand, it still needs to keep the exterior intact as I believe it may be a landmark. Anyone know about the interior?

[nycdncr]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 7:48pm

just checked the Times Square Church website, and they say nothing of moving out of the Hellinger.

we'll see what happens.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 8:12pm

I just got a newsletter from the church. They don't say anything about moving.

[myManCape]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 8:51pm

The exterior and facade of the Times Sq. are being left alone. I dont know if it is a landmark. From what I remember hearing the interior of the theatre had deteriorated beyond being savable. The seats and carpet were rotting and a lot of the woodwork had been destroyed over the years. However I believe ekco does plan to keep (and restore) the interior architecture.

[Jill S]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 10:05pm

I believe they're just refurbishing the Times Square Church marquee. The signs posted on the doors explain something about that. The church still has multiple services every week - anyone can go in and see the theater when it's open. It's absolutely gorgeous inside and there's nothing rotting or dilapidated about the interior.

[myManCape]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 10:48pm

I was refering to the Time Square Theatre on 42nd Street. The inside of the Times Square Church (Hellinger Theatre) is beautiful.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 12:11am

ooh, does anyone know when you could go in and just take a look around? has anyone done it before?

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 11:07am

I saw "Flamenco Puro" at the Mark Hellinger.

It was a gorgeous theatre, but a dreadfully monotonous show... so I left at intermission and second-acted "Big River."

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 1:15pm

"ooh, does anyone know when you could go in and just take a look around? has anyone done it before?"

On Sunday at about 12 noon, when the church service finishes. You'll see people coming out en masse. Just walk in. People usually are milling around until about 1 pm. If anyone asks, tell them you wanted to look at their table that sells books (which is in the lobby).

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 3:32pm

Made a stop in front of the theatre on a recent trip to NYC and took a picture. It would be great to see the Hellinger as a performance venue again considering its history.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/19/06 at 11:17pm

I was able to stop by the theatre today as church was letting out. It was nice to see, especially since I had not been inside the building since August 1982! The theatre is in wonderful shape and it's a shame that it hasn't been used for a show in ages. Hands down, this is my favorite theatre in NYC. Absolutely gorgeous.

[tim10086]

Posted: 2/19/06 at 11:42pm

I'm intrigued by all of this.

Who was Mark Hellinger? Do you think that if it was put back in the hands of theatre operators, the name would remain?

We have a similar theatre here in Auckland. The Mercury Theatre was a cinema up until 1968, when it began as a professional theatre company. In 1992 it closed and was sold to Equippers Church http://www.equipperschurch.co.nz

As the photos below suggest, they have kept the theatre in awesome condition.

Updated On: 2/19/06 at 11:42 PM

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 2/19/06 at 11:51pm

i was in the Mark Hellinger today as well. It was my first time ever being in that theater. I had only heard good things about how gorgeous it was. Words do not do it justice. I was amazed with the architecture, the colors and the attention to detail. Simply breathtaking. I'm sorry that I was too young to be able to see any show at this theater. Hopefully it will be used at a Broadway house one day in the near future.

[Runner1B]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 1:31am

I remember reading in the NYT in about 1991 that the Nederlanders decided to sell the theatre to the church because the price was good--$14 million--more than they could clear from the property if they continued to operate it as a Broadway theatre.