Marquees that were never/ took forever to change over

[bdn223]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:49pm

I've wanted to start a thread about this for a while, but I just always find it interesting when marquee's/billboards took forever and/or were never changed over after a production closed.

Four examples that immediately come to mind are:

First is that there is still a Little Memaid marquee hanging on the East side of the Lunt-Fontiane despite the fact the show closed nearly six years ago.

Second is that two of the three Silence the Musical banners/marquess are still hanging on the Electra Theater, with only the center one being replaced by a Fifty Shades the musical banner/ marquee.

Third is the Billboard above the Sondheim has not been used since Bye Bye Birdie played the theater in 2009-2010.

Lastly although this is not a Marquee or Billboard is in the St James, the Balcony lobby is still covered in a photocolage of American Idiots rehearsal process despite 8 other productions having played the theater since American Idiot's closing.

Any other examples?

[cardamon]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 2:03pm

Not sure if it's still there, but for years there was an ad for the Village Gate on Bleecker St, advertising "Jacques Brel" and "Penny Arcade"

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 2:16pm

If people have pictures, it would be great to show them!

And, I'm almost positive Roundabout used the big billboard above the theatre for Anything Goes. I can remember going to NY for the first time since the Sondheim was built, and not knowing where it was, and seeing this giant billboard of Anything Goes above the theatre.

[Bwaydide92]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 2:30pm

I know it hasn't been a super long time, but the Rock of Ages Marquee is still up at the Helen Hayes.

[OrchardAndRivington]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 2:45pm

There is a Fiddler on the Roof poster on the 44th St. entrance to the Minskoff Theatre wind tunnel. It has been painted over with Black paint but you can still see the 2004 Fiddler Art if you look closely. I never understood why Di$ney never put up a Lion King Sign. I know they wanted their Marquee entrance on 45th, but it's a waste of a perfectly good billboard, imo.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 4:31pm

I mentioned it on the recent anniversary thread, but I read once of a large painting of the BAKER STREET poster art on a building that was left up long after that show's disappointing 1965 run, all the way into the early '70's.

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:05pm

I thought I still had a picture of this on my phone, but after looking I sadly don't.

In any case, I did remember walking past the Cort theatre when it was between productions and there wasn't any marquees or posters there. I was able to see, in one of the poster frames, some of the poster for Once On This Island.

[DAME]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:06pm

There was Busker Alley with Tommy Tune. Annie 2.

Updated On: 2/23/15 at 05:06 PM

[temms]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:12pm

"Dance Of The Vampires" was up forever after it closed. I remember "Busker Alley" - the St. James was painted bright yellow and dotted with watercolors of dancing people.

Were there posters up at the theatre for "The Mambo Kings"? I feel like I remember seeing them at the Broadway but my mind may be playing tricks...

[Junior Babcock]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:21pm

For years after it closed there was a sign on the 46th street side of the Edison Hotel announcing OH CALCUTTA.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:44pm

For those who weren't around at the time...

[Smaxie]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:45pm

And there was this...

Updated On: 2/23/15 at 05:45 PM

[OrchardAndRivington]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 6:20pm

I have a photo of the above mentioned Once On This Island Original Cast Album poster hung in one of the Cort Theatre's photo boxes, but I don't know how to post a photo to the Message! If anyone could advise I'll post the pic.

I also have a photo I just found while looking for the Once on this Island one.. of the 7th Ave side of the Winter Garden during the run of Rocky where there is a small white Mamma Mia era sign stating "The Worlds #1 Show!" hanging just under the Red/Black Rocky sign.

Again, if someone could tutor me on how to post photos to Messages, I'd gladly post them.

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 6:39pm

What show painted the front of the St. James like that, Smaxie? I'm having trouble making out what appears to be the title in the picture.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 6:46pm

Busker Alley

Headed to Broadway with Tommy Tune. He broke his leg or foot and the entire show was cancelled & closed on the road. The score was by the Sherman Brothers of Mary Poppins fame.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 8:00pm

Wasn't Mambo Kings JRB?

I'd imagine Rock of Ages will be up for awhile since they are still hammering out details.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 8:05pm

Is The Spider-man Marquee still up? It was last year.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 8:24pm

How were these producers able to paint the fronts of the theatres, if they are landmarks, but in London Andrew Lloyd Webber gets fined? I know this is different countries, but still.

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 8:41pm

IIRC didn't Footloose paint the front of the Richard Rodgers?

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 8:49pm

Oh it was only the lower half...

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 8:51pm

Rent painted the hell outta the Nederlander, but that was an improvement over what it was at the time.

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 8:52pm

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 8:58pm

There's been a new show in the Lyric for nearly seven months now... of course the Spider-Man marquee is down.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 9:01pm

Perhaps the restrictions were more lenient in the mid nineties, when all of these theater paintings occurred?

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 9:06pm

I don't think it's the color of the wall or facade, per say, that's land-marked; but rather the physical structure and architecture of the building. The outside of the Nederlander today looks nothing like it used too in the 90s or earlier, same goes for many other theaters. I'm sure producers were granted express permission by the theater owner/City of New York before slapping a giant yellow-green wall on 41st St.


Updated On: 2/23/15 at 09:06 PM