New Broadway Theater to Open Under U.K. Giant Ambassador Theater Group- Page 2
New Broadway Theater to Open Under U.K. Giant Ambassador Theater Group
Smaxie
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/26/05
#25New Name?
Posted: 12/16/15 at 8:39pm
No way to know for sure, but Ambassador Theatre Group seems to generally not rename their theatres. I think only one of their theatres in London was renamed during their ownership, when the Comedy Theatre became the Harold Pinter. As for what is now the Lyric, they actually gave it that name, for one of the two theatres that originally stood on that site (and it's the only decent name that theatre has had). The present Lyric Theatre uses the 42nd and 43rd Street facades of what was the original Lyric.
Jonwo
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/16/06
#26New Name?
Posted: 12/16/15 at 9:00pm
Smaxie said: "No way to know for sure, but Ambassador Theatre Group seems to generally not rename their theatres. I think only one of their theatres in London was renamed during their ownership, when the Comedy Theatre became the Harold Pinter. As for what is now the Lyric, they actually gave it that name, for one of the two theatres that originally stood on that site (and it's the only decent name that theatre has had). The present Lyric Theatre uses the 42nd and 43rd Street facades of what was the original Lyric.
The Harold Pinter was actually home to many of Pinter's plays. He once complained to Tom Stoppard that the theatre had put on so many of his plays that they should rename the Comedy Theatre the Harold Pinter Theatre and Stoppard dryly replied to him: "It would be easier to change your name to Harold Comedy,"
Updated On: 12/16/15 at 09:00 PM
MarkBearSF
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/25/11
#27Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/16/15 at 9:33pm
I wonder what effect this may have on the rumored plans to build a new theatre in the lot next to the Imperial Theater?
#28Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/16/15 at 10:02pm
Or the plans for the Times Square theatre
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#29Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 12:10am
I'm surprised there is still such a huge lot in such a prime location.
As for new theaters, I think we need more smaller range houses. I think everything is better with a more intimate space.
#30Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 1:09am
RippedMan said: "I think everything is better with a more intimate space. "
You may think so but producers looking to make bank don't. And they, not the ticket buyer, are the market.
GreasedLightning
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/11/14
#31Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 1:41am
HogansHero said: "RippedMan said: "I think everything is better with a more intimate space. "
You may think so but producers looking to make bank don't. And they, not the ticket buyer, are the market.
"
I've never understood this mindset. I am not arguing with your point Hogan, just sharing my opinion. You would think that by now, producers would make an effort in putting their hopeful hits into more intimate spaces (i.e. Book of Mormon) where their show will not struggle to fill the house and set an appeal toward the show and if it becomes a hit, sell out faster creating more of a demand to purchase tickets further and further in advance until you become the next runaway hit. It is more difficult to do that in a larger house because unless you have something like, say, The Lion King, you really have to build up your show to fill those seats. I guess my overall point is that the Mormon model has worked so well that I'm not sure why more producers haven't followed suit and gone that route when choosing a venue. (For further example, maybe last years Side Show would have done better in a venue such as The Booth rather than the massive space that is the St. James). Makes me think some more intimate theaters may be a great addition to Broadway. Again, just some thoughts.
Updated On: 12/17/15 at 01:41 AM#32Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 2:27am
@Greased,
I'm not arguing with your point either, as a matter of preference, but many producers have a different mentality than you or me. They go into a show thinking they have a winner on their hands and they want a house that will let them reap a big harvest. It's hard to make the numbers work in a small house on paper and, of course, it is hard to sell a modest show on Broadway in any size house in reality. That's why I said that the market for smaller theatres is soft-they are usually a consolation prize.
LightsOut90
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/2/14
#33Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 2:33am
There going to have to totally rip out all the seating the mezzanine level and redo it, sat up there for a screening a few months ago, if you think Studio 54 seats are tight, these are WAY worse.
#34Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 4:09pm
Adam Feldman just wrote a piece with a more comprehensive look at the Hudson's history- some interesting trivia to be had!
What you should know about Broadway's new Hudson Theatre
GreasedLightning
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/11/14
#35Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 5:01pm
HogansHero said: "@Greased,
I'm not arguing with your point either, as a matter of preference, but many producers have a different mentality than you or me. They go into a show thinking they have a winner on their hands and they want a house that will let them reap a big harvest. It's hard to make the numbers work in a small house on paper and, of course, it is hard to sell a modest show on Broadway in any size house in reality. That's why I said that the market for smaller theatres is soft-they are usually a consolation prize.
"
All great points! It's definitely an interesting topic of discussion and I definitely would love to see some more intimate spaces but understandably so they are, as you said, like a consolation prize.
#36Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 5:03pm
RE: Small Theatres. Definitely can understand the challenges associated with them in terms of a perception of (or actually) limiting profit, but given the demand for theatres over the past couple of years (including theatres smaller than the Hudson), I can't imagine it will will empty even if it's not the first choice.
#37Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 5:23pm
"given the demand for theatres over the past couple of years (including theatres smaller than the Hudson)"
could you put some flesh on that bone? What shows are you aware of that did not come in solely because there was no small theatre available for them?
Looking at that pic on the Timeout article points out that the way the real estate is divided is not ideal as the top tier is quite large in relation to the mezz and the orch. That's a lot of seats that will have to be priced down.
#38Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 6:28pm
Very fun facts, who knew it was a porno house!
Will it be the oldest theatre now? Not continuously running as a legit theatre obviously but the oldest venue in operation?
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
Randy1
Swing Joined: 4/28/14
#40Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 6:50pm
The question of what is "oldest" depends on how you define age. As Feldman's article says, the Hudson opened a few weeks before the New Amsterdam and the Lyceum. But the New Amsterdam took longer to build, so some of it dates back to 1902. The Lyceum is the oldest that has been in continual operation since it opened. The original Lyric actually opened two weeks before the Hudson, but little more than its facade has survived into the theater that is now called the Lyric. And the Victory, which dates back to 1900, would have all of them beat if its restoration into the New Victory hadn't deliberately stopped one seat short of the Broadway 500-seat minimum.
#41Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 8:17pm
I was basing my comment solely on when the houses opened. It doesn't really matter, they were all built and inaugurated pretty much the same time. Imagine what a time that was, so many beautiful new theaters being put up at the same time.
RW3
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
#42Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/17/15 at 9:54pm
I wonder what kind of marquee they are going to use? LED or regular?
#43Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/18/15 at 8:33am
@hoganshero said: could you put some flesh on that bone? What shows are you aware of that did not come in solely because there was no small theatre available for them?
One example that comes to mind is GIGANTIC (fat camp)... eventually the Dodgers who were originally producing for Broadway it let the rights go... luckily it resurfaced at Vineyard this year.
KathyNYC2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/2/10
#44Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/18/15 at 9:00am
Ok..maybe I missed this in the previous articles... But where is this theater exactly? I can't place it..
Jonwo
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/16/06
#45Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/18/15 at 9:05am
Given the frontage, I think ATG should go for signage similar to the one they used when they restored the frontage of the Fortune Theatre. It's not fancy but it serves its purpose well.
#46Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/18/15 at 9:47am
MadonnaMusical said: "One example that comes to mind is GIGANTIC (fat camp)... eventually the Dodgers who were originally producing for Broadway it let the rights go... luckily it resurfaced at Vineyard this year."
Demonstrably, the Dodgers' failure to bring the show to Broadway was not the result of a lack of theatre availability. This is precisely the sort of post hoc reasoning that my question was directed to...
#47Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/18/15 at 8:46pm
"could you put some flesh on that bone? What shows are you aware of that did not come in solely because there was no small theatre available for them?"
The reasoning was based only on the occupancy of small theatres over the past few years. Looking at the eight theatres that are around the same size or smaller than the Hudson on Broadway, practically all seem to have bookings every season (with some individual variation).
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#48Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/18/15 at 8:55pm
Given its size and location, it should do fine.
#49Will there be 42?
Posted: 12/19/15 at 11:50am
qolbinau said: "The reasoning was based only on the occupancy of small theatres over the past few years. Looking at the eight theatres that are around the same size or smaller than the Hudson on Broadway, practically all seem to have bookings every season (with some individual variation)."
absent an external reason, no broadway theatre has gone unfilled for any season in recent years. But some theatres are in demand and others are consolation prizes. As with any asset, But in any event, that doesn't address the question I asked for an example of a worthy show that didn't come in. (We now all about unworthy shows that got in because of the softness of demand for the theatre in question.
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