Museum of Broadway? Museum of Theatre?

Hello. I did a search and found a similar thread.. which was begun by someone named CapnHook (dated 12-31-03). It bears repeating... There's a Museum of Television and Radio and other great museums in NYC. Has there ever been a concerted effort to formally establish a Museum of Broadway... Museum of Theatre? There's so much theatre history in NYC. It would be another fantastic place to visit. Imagine a place where you could buy Broadway memorabilia..... listen to Broadway stars of the past and present recall their glory days... in audio and video form. A place to memorialize Broadway performers whose lives ended way too short. A place to remember those fabulous theatre houses that have been felled by the wrecking ball. Imagine all of the Broadway associated materials that people have collected over the years that don't have a proper repository for future use and display.
The possibilities are endless...Something worthwhile, for sure. from RC in Austin, Texas

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I think that is a beyond fantatsic idea. And I hope someone who has the means to make it happen hopefully takes notice. Maybe some letters to the mayor/govenor would help?

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Years ago, maybe late 70s or early 80s, there was a Broadway museum that was located in the Minskoff Theatre breezeway. It wasn't a huge place, but it had some nice costume and picture displays that gave you a quick history of Broadway and some of the landmark musicals. I can't remember when it closed, or if the space is now used for shows at the Minskoff.

More recently, there was talk of turning a Broadway theatre over permanently to become a sort of virtual reality Broadway experience. I think the house that was under discussion was the Lyceum. That idea always seemed a bit too mummified for my taste.

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There was a small exhibit at the lincoln center library too which was really nice although rather small.

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As someone going into museum studies, I have to say that something like that would be my dream job.

I'm so glad I got to go to the Theatre Museum in London right before it closed. It was fantastic!

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Actually there IS a theatre museum in New York- it just doesn't have a permanent gallery space yet. They have an admin office on 7th Ave. and are collaborating on exhibitions with other museums until they find their own home. I worked at The Theatre Museum this summer and had an absolutely amazing time, I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in museum work and/or theatre getting involved with this organization. You can check out the website, www.TheTheatreMuseum.org, or just e-mail the president, Helen Guditis, at hmguditis@thetheatremuseum.org. She would seriously be thrilled to have more people volunteering and is great with coordinating internship work for students.

The Theater museum project you refer to has been around for almost 15 years with Helen Guditis trying to find funding and space for it. It has had many different groups of backers, producers, and boards of directors. It has investigated using theaters such as the Belasco to be turned over to become a museum. It has looked at other space and other alternatives. It doesn't seem to have pulled it off yet.

Meanwhile, its other projects such as annual awards for people of distinction in the theater in various categories, in-school theater programs, and individual theater exhibits around town have been highly successful. These projects are quite valid but I wouldn't hold my breath for seeing a theater museum on Broadway...it didn't work in London, and it is doubtful that after almost two decades of trying that it is going to happen in New York City in the foreseeable future - unless it gets a big sponsor who could do it on a large scale to make it a real tourist attraction.

Right now, for good or for ill, Broadway's theater museum is Broadway itself.

I once had an idea to put it in the New Amsterdam

It would make sense to put it in an older house that is a little off the beaten track & is too small for large shows like the Belasco or Lyceum

My idea was really detailed but alas it will never be.

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Three things are needed.

(1) Proper funding, and lots of it. This has to be a museum that's going to be around for a while and private donations is just the tip of the iceberg. Money needs to be allocated by the goverment.

(2) Location. What is the heart of Theatre in New York? Broadway. Times Square. I'm not ready to give up any theatre for a museum, so it needs to be an actual building. Why not the old Times building? Not the recently vacated one, the one before that - One Times Square. What's going on in there? Remember when it was a Warner Brothers store? Didn't work as a retail space. I could be wrong, but I don't think anything is happening in there. With a bit of internal renovation (again, need that funding) it could be a great place to showcase Theatre.

(3) Finally, a kick-ass collection. I don't want window cards taped up on a wall here, or just a bunch of playbills in a display case. I want set pieces and original costumes. I want the rehearsal piano John Kander plunked notes out on during rehearsals for GYPSY. I want a well thought out exhbition on vaudeville or burlesque. Who can give this to us? The Smithsonian, for one. They're collection includes both Carol Channing's AND Phyllis Diller's red Dolly Levi dress from Hello, Dolly. They have Ann Miller's tap shoes. They have a Gypsy Robe. The list goes on and so much of their collection isn't even on view for the public.

Just my two cents.