Nick Cordero Theatre

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 1:50pm

Sign the petition below! Nick was a fighter through and through and renaming the Longacre would be the perfect way to honor his legacy if B'way reopens. A Bronx Tale, his last B'way show, happens to be the longest-running musical to have played this house.

https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/broadway-s-nick-codero-theater?bucket&source=facebook-share-button&time=1594070991&utm_campaign&utm_source=facebook&share=115902cd-5955-4b2a-871a-76023150e95f&__FB_PRIVATE_TRACKING__=%7B%22loggedout_browser_id%22%3A%22ac45f720e1d9b6c06b5f9954aefb910245eae4df%22%7D&fbclid=IwAR2G71AZcJhreRCdq2SEIXoRsu47oqmi5_L7U5gmkXXrwG-Mz0RMdzmOuCY

 

 

 

 

 

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 2:24pm

Signed and shared. 

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 2:28pm

I am very sad about his tragic death and he was a great performer but I do not know that I agree with this. There are a couple luminaries (Hal Prince perhaps most notably) who should be ahead on the list of getting a theater named after them.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 2:31pm

I'm deeply saddened by Cordero's passing, and I think this is a very sweet gesture. And I certainly won't discourage people from signing this petition if they want.

But unfortunately, the sad reality is that not every beloved member of the Broadway community can get a theatre named after them when they pass away. And the fact is that there are many, many other figures in the theatre industry, past and present, dead and alive, who have had a far more impact on on the community, and on the theatrical canon than Cordero, who do not have a theatre named after them. 

And I say this as someone who loved Cordero as a stage performer; he was great in everything he did, and he was an extremely valuable member of the industry. No one wants to hear that a person "isn't worthy" of a particular honor, when the wound of their passing is still fresh and raw. But naming a theatre after someone is possibly the highest honor there is in the Broadway community, even more so than dimming the lights. And many actors just as wonderful as Nick Cordero have not even had the lights dimmed for them. And while it feels insensitive to say at this point in time, the sad truth is that if everyone got these honors, they wouldn't mean anything anymore.

EDIT: I also think that if they re-named the theatre after him because of the particularly tragic circumstances of his passing, we are allowing his tragedy to define his legacy. When the legacy should be the work and the artistry that he put out into the world. And as I said above, the work he did was absolutely wonderful, but I don't think it's fair or accurate to put it on par with people who worked in the industry for decades upon decades, and/or changed the the industry and the art form as we knew it. Again, I know it's not easy to hear those things about a person who has JUST passed away tragically, but I believe it's the truth. 

Updated On: 7/7/20 at 02:31 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 2:32pm

I love it and it sounds so much better than the Longacre. Signed! 

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 2:45pm

JBroadway said: "I'm deeply saddened by Cordero's passing, and I think this is a very sweet gesture. And I certainly won't discourage people from signing this petition if they want.

But unfortunately, the sad reality is that not every beloved member of the Broadway community can get a theatre named after them when they pass away. And the fact is that there are many, many other figures in the theatre industry, past and present, dead and alive, who have had a far more impact on on the community, and on the theatrical canon than Cordero, who do not have a theatre named after them.

And I say this as someone who loved Cordero as a stage performer; he was great in everything he did, and he was an extremely valuable member of the industry. No one wants to hear that a person "isn't worthy" of a particular honor, when the wound of their passing is still fresh and raw. But naming a theatre after someone is possibly the highest honor there is in the Broadway community, even more so than dimming the lights. And many actors just as wonderful as Nick Cordero have not even had the lights dimmed for them. And while it feels insensitive to say at this point in time, the sad truth is that if everyone got these honors, they wouldn't mean anything anymore.

EDIT: I also think that if they re-named the theatre after him because of the particularly tragic circumstances of his passing, we are allowing his tragedy to define his legacy. When the legacy should be the work and the artistry that he put out into the world. And as I said above,the work he did was absolutelywonderful, but I don't think it's fair or accurate to put it on par with people who worked in the industry for decades upon decades, and/or changed thethe industry and the art form as we knew it. Again, I know it's not easy to hear those things about a person who has JUST passed away tragically, but I believe it's the truth."

Agreed completely with all of this.  Nick Cordero sounds like he was a fantastic person and it's incredibly tragic what happened and I wish his family and friends and loved ones nothing but the absolute best in these horrific times.  But to name a Broadway theatre after someone with 4 Broadway credits when Hal Prince, Terrance McNally, Julie Harris, Bob Fosse, Cy Coleman and countless others don't have theatres named after them?  That just doesn't seem right at all.  Perhaps put a plaque up outside the Longacre commemorating the long run of A Bronx Tale that includes a special nod to him or something along those lines.  That would be a much more appropriate gesture, in my opinion.

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 2:46pm

The petition said Bronx Tail was the longest-running show at the Longacre which didn't seem right - a quick search of IBDB shows it wasn't. Nick was a great actor who died tragically too young. But I agree with others in that it doesn't seem appropriate to name a theater after him when there are many others who have had more of an impact on theatre and don't have a theater named after them.

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 2:48pm

Mr. Cordero's passing is a tragedy, as is the passing of an estimated 539,000 people worldwide lost thus far to this pandemic.  I express my condolences to his family, but I will not sign the petition.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 2:56pm

itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "The petition said Bronx Tail was the longest-running show at the Longacre which didn't seem right - a quick search of IBDB shows it wasn't. Nick was a great actor who died tragically too young. But I agree with others in that it doesn't seem appropriate to name a theater after him when there are many others who have had more of an impact on theatre and don't have a theater named after them."

The petition says the longest running musical in the history of the Longacre, which it is (there have been a few plays that have run longer, but not musicals).

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 3:04pm

itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "The petition said Bronx Tail was the longest-running show at the Longacre which didn't seem right - a quick search of IBDB shows it wasn't. Nick was a great actor who died tragically too young. But I agree with others in that it doesn't seem appropriate to name a theater after him when there are many others who have had more of an impact on theatre and don't have a theater named after them."

The musical is called "A Bronx Tale". It's not a show about looking for hot tail around the Bronx, bro. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 3:05pm

I think there are plenty of theatres worth renaming. The Booth for one. I’m on board with this.

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 3:06pm

Broadway61004 said: "itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "The petition said Bronx Tail was the longest-running show at the Longacre which didn't seem right - a quick search of IBDB shows it wasn't. Nick was a great actor who died tragically too young. But I agree with others in that it doesn't seem appropriate to name a theater after him when there are many others who have had more of an impact on theatre and don't have a theater named after them."

The petition says the longest runningmusicalin the history of the Longacre, which it is (there have been a few plays that have run longer, but not musicals)."

I didn't catch that. thanks for pointing it out.

[Tag]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 3:21pm

Maybe renaming Stage 1 at New World Stages in his honour would be more appropriate. (where he got his start as the Toxic Avenger).  There is a LONG list of theatre legends more deserving of a Broadway theatre named after them.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 3:22pm

Tag said: "Maybe renaming Stage 1 at New World Stages in his honour would be more appropriate. (where he got his start as the Toxic Avenger). There is a LONG list of theatre legends more deserving of a Broadway theatre named after them."

Wow, that is an excellent idea! I have nothing but respect for him and his family, and my heart goes out to them. It's absolutely tragic. But I don't agree that renaming the Longacre after him is something that could or should happen.

Updated On: 7/7/20 at 03:22 PM

[PrinceAli]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 3:49pm

I agree with you totally. I think there are better candidates who are equally or more deserving of a theatre that should be considered first. While sad, I don’t think this is appropriate.

Hey! What about an amazing plaque at the theatre!?! That would be cool!

Updated On: 7/7/20 at 03:49 PM

[TheresaG]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 4:11pm

The mistake about Bronx Tale being the longest running - I think it made the most money in a one week period at the Longacre.

I had to think this over before I signed but I did do it because unfortunately Nick's death is representative of the sad turn of events for Broadway during this CoVid pandemic. All shows being shut down for so long is something we have never witnessed. Additionally, the virus hit a number of community members. We need to mark this in history and changing the name of the theater would do that. Broadway needs to be reflective of not only the past but also major milestones.

I also though about the growing list of others who are deserving. Maybe it's time to rename a few more theaters including some of the major Off-Broadway theaters too.

Updated On: 7/7/20 at 04:11 PM

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 4:23pm

TheresaG said: "
I had to think this over before I signed but I did do it because unfortunately Nick's death is representative of the sad turn of events for Broadway during this CoVid pandemic. All shows being shut down for so long is something we have never witnessed."

But even then...Terrance McNally also passed away because of COVID-19, and he has undoubtedly contributed more to the theatre community (and I say that as someone doesn't particularly like McNally's work personally). 

"I also though about the growing list of others who are deserving. Maybe it's time to rename a few more theaters including some of the major Off-Broadway theaters too."

I'm all for that, but even if we re-named every theatre, there still wouldn't be enough to honor everyone who has contributed meaningfully to the Broadway community. 


Again, it feels kind of perverse to put energy into comparing the contributions of one recently-deceased person to another recently-deceased person. But when people start petitions like this, and ask for an honor that can only be bestowed on a finite number of people, these conversations unfortunately have to happen.  

 

Updated On: 7/7/20 at 04:23 PM

[Dolly80]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 4:25pm

His death is tragic and awful but this isn’t appropriate.
Certainly not to rename a broadway theatre in his name.

Maybe a Performing Arts scholarship or something?

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 4:33pm

The Nick Cordero theatre will never happen. But a Cordero scholarship, or a Nick Cordero fund for healthcare and new safety standards in the theatre? That feels both more vital and more achievable.

[BeNice]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 5:02pm

I think it is a nice gesture.
I think his name embodies so much more than a resume. He represents a time in theatre we have never seen before where Broadway shut down for a year, but it fought and (it will) come back. Nick unfortunately can not. This is a good idea. And naming a theatre after him does not mean other people are unworthy.

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 5:09pm

I’m not sure if this would happen, but what about a plaque being attached to the building outside somewhere? Or inside somewhere? Something dedicated to him and keep his memory alive.

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 5:22pm

BeNice said: "I think it is a nice gesture.
I think his name embodies so much more than a resume. He represents a time in theatre we have never seen before where Broadway shut down for a year, but it fought and (it will) come back. Nick unfortunately can not. This is a good idea. And naming a theatre after him does not mean other people are unworthy."

These are my thoughts too; This is why I signed the petition. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 5:54pm

BeNice said: "I think his name embodies so much more than a resume. He represents a time in theatre we have never seen before where Broadway shut down for a year, but it fought and (it will) come back." 

 

I understand where you're coming from, and it's a nice thought. But as I said above:

IMO, this kind of reasoning does a massive disservice to Cordero and his memory.

I can't speak for Cordero - none of us can. But speaking for myself, as an artist, I would not want my name to become an emblem commemorating the collapse of my industry, and a pandemic that killed me and 500,000 others. I would much rather be remembered for my artistic contributions; for what I did while I was alive, not how I died. If they turn his name into a symbol, his legacy becomes one of suffering and tragedy, instead of a legacy of joy, as he deserves. 

 
 

Updated On: 7/7/20 at 05:54 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 6:50pm

This idea is obviously a non-starter since no landlord is going to name a theatre after him, but I guess it lets unthinking people find a way to express their condolences. I definitely agree with the sentiment that Nick would hate this idea. 

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 6:54pm

A case of when genuine good intentions just don’t get it right. There are other ways to honor him, a scholarship perhaps. A theater isn’t the be all, end all for legacies.