Photos: 'West Side Story' Marquee

[cubanpab]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 10:14pm

I was walking home from a gig tonight (thru a very empty Times Square) stumbled across The Palace. I know how much some of you love photos of theater houses and their marquees. I hadnt seen the new 'West Side Story' marquee and couldnt resist firing off a few shots to share with you all. Hope you enjoy them





Apologies if the photos are a bit big. Dont have smaller versions just yet.
Updated On: 1/13/09 at 10:14 PM

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 10:17pm

it looks even better lit up!!!! THANKS!!!!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 10:17pm

Beautiful photos! The marquee looks great! Thanks for posting!

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 10:26pm

You're a great photographer!

[being.jeremiah]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 10:58pm

Your photos give the modern touch to this classic take. As always, amazing camera work!

[That Groovy Guy]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 11:15pm

Kind of bittersweet...surrounded by billboards for shows that have just closed.

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 12:29am

Let me start out by saying that those are wonderful photos and that your a great photographer. But, I have always had a problem with The Palace marquee in general, regardless of what show is playing there or how good the marquee for that show is. I have always felt that the marquee for The Palace gets lost in all the billboards for other shows that are surrounding it. I feel like at times it is hard to figure out that that is actually a marquee for the show that is playing at The Palace rather then just another billboard for another show.

For other theatres if you walk by them it is clear what show is playing there based on how the marquee is set up. For The Palace I have the feeling that if you didn't know that West Side Story was going to be playing there prior to the marquee being put up then you might have trouble figuring out that that show is playing in that particular theatre to being with. Of course, if your standing close enough and you see the signs above the awning then you would know that West Side Story is playing there. But, if your looking at the theatre from a few feet away it can be hard to tell. I guess that that could be a problem regardless of what show is playing there. I felt the same way for example, when Legally Blonde was playing The Palace.

[Shannon Bo Dannon]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 12:32am

Your photos are absolutely stunning! WOW!

I do agree though that it's a cluttered location, but it still looks pretty cool.

[Elke]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 1:08am

Awesome pictures, as always! Thanks!

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 7:04am

I agree with you Winston, that something I have thought since they changed the whole frontage.
'Chicago' has a great ad there tho.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 10:57am

Great photos, cubanpab!

I agree the Palace marquee is getting lost in all the other ads around it. There should be some sort of mandatory distance/separator between them. But that would mean giving up valuable ad space, which is not likely to happen.

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 11:03am

That bloody McDonalds 'M' shows up in too many pics too!

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 12:04pm

"That bloody McDonalds 'M' shows up in too many pics too!"

YES! And I was deciding between which of these two I wanted for my background on my computer and I chose the second picture, although it wasn't as centered around just the WSS marquee because it didn't have the sign for McDonalds

[ohjustjake]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 12:48pm

That's what I first thought when I saw those pictures - it's too cluttered. Now that I think about it, the first time I went to the city when Aida was playing there, and I had no idea where it was. I could see all the signs, but I had to ask where the Palace was. They should do something about it because I can't be the only one.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 12:50pm

The producers should invest in buying the advertising spaces where the CHICAGO and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN ads currently are.

It would look so full and prominent that way.

[ohjustjake]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 12:51pm

That's a really good idea - if all 3 billboards said "West Side Story" , it'd be obvious where it was playing.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 12:54pm

Now that I think about it, the first time I went to the city when Aida was playing there, and I had no idea where it was. I could see all the signs, but I had to ask where the Palace was.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure they didn't start selling half of the marquee space until after AIDA closed.

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 1:06pm

...now thats better!

[SFJPS]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 1:09pm

Amazing to see the many show billboards for the recently closed shows. That entire corner is going to look different - spamalot, grease, hairspray, YF...

[ohjustjake]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 1:13pm

Hm maybe it was All Shook Up then. I don't really remember what show it was at the time but I remember not realizing it was right in front of me.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 1:15pm

I think All Shook Up was the last one to fully use two panels

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 1:18pm

Actually, you might be right.





It looks like they started selling marquee space towards the end of AIDA's run.

EDIT: Or maybe sooner:

Updated On: 1/14/09 at 01:18 PM

[Insider2]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 3:33pm

Looks great. Will look even better when the Young Frankenstein poster next to it goes bye-bye.

[matty159]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 5:53pm

Thanks for posting those. They are beautiful. (And I was thinking the same thing about YF, Insider2!)

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 1/14/09 at 10:53pm

Aida used both panels for a time, then split it with another Disney show. All Shook Up used both panels...

I suggest the whole facade should be revamped. The vertical PALACE sign is an awkward place as it is, especially with everything surrounding it at the moment.