Marriot Marquis:: Home of 9 to 5

[BRDWYrobb]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 6:48pm

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 6:50pm

Ooh. Thank you.

[wickedfan11]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 6:53pm

I can't wait!! I have tickets for July 3rd!

[legally_popular]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 7:00pm

Yay, so exciting to finally see the marquee up! I can't wait to walk by it next time I'm in the city.
Updated On: 2/2/09 at 07:00 PM

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 7:16pm

Just so you know, it's a marquee. Marquis actually means nobleman or imperial status. :) I used to make the same mistake.

The logo looks great up there and sticks out rather prominently. Looking forward to this show!

Updated On: 2/2/09 at 07:16 PM

[legally_popular]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 7:25pm

^Thank you for the correction. Whoops, guess I got confused with the word Marquis right above it, lol.

But yeah... looks greats!

[winston89]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 7:33pm

I love the marquee. I really do. However, for some reason I mentally pictured the marquee being the logo image with Stephine, Allison and Megan.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 7:37pm

". However, for some reason I mentally pictured the marquee being the logo image with Stephine, Allison and Megan."

I like it better this way. The show is the star!

[legally_popular]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 9:12pm

There'll be other pictures with Stephanie, Megan and Allison outside the theater (hopefully).

What about the playbill? Will it have just the 9 to 5 logo (with or without the boss hanging?) or the one with the 3 ladies on it? What did they have during the LA tryout?

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 9:19pm

Does anyone have pictures of the theatre from the inside? I've always wanted to know what the inside of the theatre looked like

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 9:22pm

I am so excited for this, I'm going April 25th!!!

[Amaranth9]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 9:55pm

"There'll be other pictures with Stephanie, Megan and Allison outside the theater (hopefully)."

I would think so too, legally_popular. Is the Marquee likely to change at some point closer to the show or after opening? I think that it really works as it is, considering how well-known just the numbers and their font is from the movie, but I'm curious if that is a rare occurrence.

With the show having the potential to run a long time, they probably want to try to create a Wicked-type success where the show is the star, as Kelly2 said.

Still, kinda like Wicked, you have to admit that this original cast is a huge draw- maybe even bigger because of Allison and all the Wicked fans who love SJB and Megan. This cast will be hard to live down.

[winston89]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 10:41pm

I mean, the only reason why I thought that the image with the actors would end up being the marquee is because that image was the one I saw the most of when there were articles talking about the show.

[DrVincento2]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 1:22am

Ugliest theater on Broadway...my opinion. Looks like the ugly barns they call theaters in other cities like the Bob Carr in Orlando.

[Actor 7]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 1:30am

Dear Broadway Rob: Thank you for posting the beautiful photo of the Marquee for 9 to 5. Just seeing it gives hope to people who love Broadway, especially during these tough times. If you are the person who posted the West Side Story marquee photos, you deserve many thanks because you take excellent photographs. The other marquee photos of In The Heights, etc. were also very good. Well done, Broadway Rob!

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 1:59am

Yeah, I haven't seen the inside of the theater yet either. I want to though, can't wait for this show!

How is the Minksoff as well?

[heo1128]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 2:30am

I was originally going to catch the first weekend of previews when it was opening in late March and was SO excited. I'm so mad they pushed the preview date back!!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 4:40am

I am sure of any photos, but I can do my best to describe....

First of all, in the Marquis's defense, it DOES have great sight lines from most seats in the house. The stage is very high, so the first two rows are not the greatest, but the entire orchestra has stepped seating (not a standard slope, not stadium style), so you shouldn't a problem seeing, and even the side seats don't seem to chop off the stage. The leg room isn't shabby either.

On the negative side, yes, it is ugly. I appreciate classic architecture and modern architecture and think that both make wonderful spaces.. I love the aura of the old and the potential of the new. The Marquis wasn't designed with appearance sin mind, it seems. The walls are carapeted in red, which can do well for acoustics, but just doesn't look very nice in execution, and the roof is white acoustic paneling.. once again, not done with visual aesthetics in mind.

The larger problem is simply location. It has PRIME Manhattan location, but is hard to find. The box office lobby door is directly under the marquee, which is fine, but the box office is far from the theater. There used to be a nearby escalator that led to theater level (technically the third floor.. though there is no floor 2) and you'd then have to make a few quick turns to be there. They closed that and turned into ATMs at street level. Now you have to exit the box office, cross the underpass driveway for taxi loading, and re-enter the building either from there or from the pedestrian walkway on the opposite side of the entrance lobby and take the escalator up to the theater, which is directly ahead when you step off. The theater lobby is enclosed in glass, so you can watch the ushers working before the house opens, and once that happens, you have to step down about five more steps to get to the merchandise stand, bars, orchestra level doors, or take one of two wide spiral stairs up to the mezzanine level.

I haven't been in the Minskoff since it was renovated and what soul it has was auctioned off for Disney, though I am sure Disney has renovated the house to match the new entry (located in a breezeway under the Viacom office building between 45th and 44th streets) and theater lobby. The theater lobby is easily viewed from across the street as it is two floor tall and completely faced in glass, offering an incredible view of Times Sq. before the renovation, at least, it was comparable to the Gershwin in that you could tell it is in an office building.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 6:22am

Beautiful photos, BRDWYrobb, and wonderful description of the space, broadwayguy2.

I do take issue with one thing you said:

The stage is very high, so the first two rows are not the greatest

I have sat in the front row at the Marquis many, many times (lotto throughout DROWSY's run, and lotto for WHITE CHRISTMAS), a couple times in the center, but usually the last seat all the way on the right or all the way on the left, and the view is perfect. The stage is not too high. You can see everything perfectly from the entire front row of the Orchestra.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 6:49am

Drowsy and White Christmas both used very low show decks. If 9 to 5, like La Cage, Cry Baby, etc use a standard height show deck, it will be pretty high, relatively speaking. What saves it a bit is how wide the orchestra pit usually is.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 6:51am

Ahh, I see. So no one really knows at this point.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 6:56am

I personally didn't see that big of a difference between the stage in The Drowsy Chaperone, Cry-Baby, and White Christmas. Seemed to be the same height to me.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 7:03am

Well, when you are short, three inches makes a difference. Last time I sat front row there, a woman next to me was struggling the entire time... and in a tap heavy show or number, you want to see at least some of the feet.. When an actor is near the lip, it's minor. If they are upstage, you lose a significant part of the lower body...
Like I said, what makes it bearable is how wide the orchestra pit is... If they set narrows that width, you will complain endlessly about the height.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 7:12am

>How is the Minksoff as well?<

Regarding the interior of the Minskoff, the public spaces have some new decortive details.

There are these gold leaf doodads that have been attached to the walls, and new ceiling lighting in the collonade.




A big "Mommy, I want that" Simba or Mufasa head as you leave the theatre:



Interior of the theatre is still pretty basic. All four of the newish Broadway musical houses suck balls, but of the lot, the Minskoff is less austere than the Gershwin, less hideous than the Marquis, and more conducive to a show than the Hilton.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 9:36am

Awesome guys! Thanks for the info on the inside of the Marquis and Minsoff!

I was able to go as far as the glass lobby for the Marquis when I was in NY 2 summers ago. My dad had to use the bathroom, so we decided to check out the hotel's stuff. Then on the (2nd or 3rd floor!) when founds some, and I then saw the theatre's lobby! I love all the show posters on the wall going to the lobby.

I might start a new thread tonight, but if anyone has any pics to insides of other theatres, post them when I create a new thread later tonight