Surely there should be a HAL PRINCE THEATRE

[BizBuzz]

Posted: 3/25/21 at 7:13pm

When Broadway returns, surely this has to come with its return? 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/25/21 at 7:15pm

There should be a lot of theaters named after a lot of people.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/25/21 at 7:58pm

no doubt there are a lot of worthy names but this moment in time really does not seem like when you choose a white man, no matter his achievements, for such an honor. 

[BizBuzz]

Posted: 3/25/21 at 8:27pm

I get that, it’s a shame that has to be a thought because my intention to highlight this was purely about legacy and what he gave the industry so it’s remembered.I just think it would make sense and wouldn’t cause any issue, maybe I’m wrong...

[jv92]

Posted: 3/25/21 at 8:49pm

You’re not wrong. The previous comment is a load of “woke” horsesh*t. Pray tell Hogan, when WOULD an appropriate time be? Does everything have to be so damn political? Is it not good enough that Prince shepherded two pieces that are stark warnings of the dangers of fascism, let alone that there’d be no modern  musical theatre without him? 
 

It should have been done in 2019. I fear it’ll never be done because of such self-flagellating hang-wringing. 

[StardustsChild]

Posted: 3/25/21 at 9:07pm

If they do it, it should be the Broadway.
The name has given marketing teams headaches for years, and it was Prince's home for Cabaret, Evita, Baker Street, and Candide.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 2:22am

Seems they could name a street after him...

[A1st]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 2:40am

I know you mean on Broadway, but there is one! It's at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on the University of Pennsylvania's campus, his alma mater. :)

[binau]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 3:39am

Maybe it’s implied but does Hogan actually agree with that position or is he just describing the current state of affairs? Because I do agree that the optics wouldn’t look good right now but that is a separate question to what should happen morally.

If there is someone that deserves a theatre I agree Hal must be up there. There is a very clear distinction in what musical theatre was and is before and after Hal Prince that is really hard to overstate - Sondheim would not be Sondheim, Kander and Ebb would not be Kander and Ebb, Andrew Lloyd Webber would not be Andrew Lloyd Webber without Hal Prince. He transcends and is spread across the greatest musical theatre artists of our time. And if there was no Sondheim, there would be no Jonathan Larson, there would be no Lin Manuel Miranda. There would be no Pasek and Paul or Tom Kit. Bernadette Peters would not be Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone would not be Patti LuPone. Without Hal Liza Minnelli would not be Liza and Chita wouldn’t be Chita. The impact is immeasurable. No matter what your musical artist flavour of choice is today it can probably link back to a direct or indirect Hal Influence. 

Updated On: 3/26/21 at 03:39 AM

[Tag]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 6:45am

The Majestic Prince has a nice ring to it.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 10:31am

The Broadway should have been renamed by now.

But I’m against naming theaters after people. I love the Majestic, the Royale, etc. I hate that we have an American Airlines theater. Gross.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 10:48am

qolbinau said: "Maybe it’s implied but does Hogan actually agree with that position or is he just describing the current state of affairs? Because I do agree that the optics wouldn’t look good right now but that is a separate question to what should happen morally. "

I thought it was fairly obvious that I was describing the current state of affairs without wading into the substance, a decision I made to avoid the very systemic racism triggers that I sadly provoked anyway. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 11:51am

I agree Broadway should commemorate more of the late theatre artists, but I don’t necessarily agree a theatre name should be the only way to do so. Maybe petition the city to rename the section of 44th street the Majestic is on in honor of Prince. I also agree with Hogan. We should definitely focus more on raising the spotlight on deceased theatre artists of color. Let’s name a theatre after a person of color or a woman before we name one after a white man, yet again.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 11:58am

I don't think there's any problem with naming a theatre after Hal Prince - it's hard to argue with his immense legacy (and as others have pointed out, "The Prince" has a nice, classy ring to it).

As far as optics, I think the problem isn't with the act of naming a theatre after Prince - the problem (in this scenario) is a question of continuing a a tradition of imbalance: naming another theatre after a white man, without making an effort to consider more racially diverse candidates in addition to him. If, for example, we received a Prince theatre and a Hansberry theatre around the same time, I doubt there would be any significant outcry. That's just an example though - it's not like it has to be a strict 1-to-1 quota, it's just about making an effort to consider who might have been left out of the conversation, and acting accordingly. 

Part of the problem, too, is that the history of theatre on Broadway has been overwhelmingly white. And a theatre isn't likely to be named after someone who has only been in the industry for 20-30 years. It feels like it has to be a big, lifetime achievement legacy recognition. And the problem is that there are comparatively few POC of Prince's generation who had the footholds to build a legacy on par with his. Many of our most iconic Black theatre artists are either (a) more recent/currently working - and therefor not ready for such a lifetime achievement recognition, (b) more known for their avant-garde Off-Broadway work, not so much for working on Broadway, or (c) were mostly known for 1 big play/musical, and not much else. And all of that is a testament to the way in which Broadway has been a poor nurturing ground for Black talent going back so many decades. 

So ultimately, I think we do have a few good candidates of color to receive a theatre named after them -  and I think they should get that honor. But in the grand scheme of things, it's probably not the most productive use of time and energy. It seems like it's better to focus on fostering meaningful change at the base level: nurturing a more equitable future and present - allowing space for more producers of color, more writers and directors of color, and possibly even more theatre owners of color (this one seems the most logistically unlikely in this current moment - but hey, we know the Nederlanders have been selling some of their houses this week, so fingers crossed lol!). Re-naming theatres is not an insignificant gesture, but at the end of the day, it's an empty one unless it's accompanied by actual change in the industry. 

[goodlead]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 1:04pm

I wonder if we need two Broadway houses named after theater critics and one named after a theater cartoonist.  Atkinson and especially Kerr were excellent critics, but surely those who create theater are more worthy.  And while we're at it, let's find better names for theaters now named after Shubert executives.

[joevitus]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 1:13pm

JBroadway,

Would this be the first time a theater was named after a director? I can't think of an example. If Prince really is the first, that alone might make it a good idea to name one after him.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 1:25pm

@Joevitus - Since you directed that question at me, I should confess that I'm the wrong person to ask. In all honesty, there are a lot of Broadway theatres named after people I'm barely familiar with - not to mentioned that a lot of these theatres have gone by many names over the years. 

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 1:57pm

joevitus said: "JBroadway,

Would this be the first time a theater was named after a director? I can't think of an example. If Prince really is the first, that alone might make it a good idea to name one after him."

The Helen Hayes was very briefly known as the Winthrop Ames Theatre back in the 60s (only about a year or so before it was renamed again).  Ames was a theatre manager but had also directed several Broadway shows.  But that's the only one I'm aware of (although there very well may be others).

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 2:08pm

Yea why do we name theaters after critics and execs but not actual artists?

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 2:24pm

I'm all for a Prince Theatre and I believe it will eventually come to fruition- I won't guess when though.

Hal has won more Tonys than any other individual, and he played major roles in his collaborations with other theatrical greats. A space dedicated to him would be the perfect testament to his lifelong artistry, skill and luck ("never underestimate luck".

In addition to paying tribute to a B'way legend, there is also a sense of regality in a name like the Prince, which can rarely be found elsewhere in the Theatre District- the Imperial, the Majestic, the former Royale... it would almost seem as if it were a sacred space.

 

 

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 2:31pm

SouthernCakes said: "Yea why do we name theaters after critics and execs but not actual artists?"

I mean, it's the owners and theatre execs who pay for the theatres, so it kind of makes sense.  As much as I'd rather have an "Angela Lansbury" Theatre instead of a Nederlander Theatre, given the Nederlanders are the ones paying for it, it makes sense to let them put their name on it.

[¿Macavity?]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 3:04pm

goodlead said: "I wonder if we need two Broadway houses named after theater critics and one named after a theater cartoonist. Atkinson and especially Kerr were excellent critics, but surely those who create theater are more worthy. And while we're at it, let's find better names for theaters now named after Shubert executives."

I assume of course you mean the Schoenfeld and Jacobs. Someone else put it better in another thread awhile ago, but those two should not be overlooked. Putting it badly and broadly: they were primary driving forces in revitalizing Times Square and making Broadway the international hotspot that it is. They're luminaries of both Broadway's and NYC's history. 

 

(On mobile, forgive me)

[joevitus]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 4:12pm

JBroadway said: "@Joevitus - Since you directed that question at me, I should confess that I'm the wrong person to ask. In all honesty, there are a lot of Broadway theatres named after people I'm barely familiar with - not to mentioned that a lot of these theatres have gone by many names over the years."

LOL

[joevitus]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 4:13pm

Broadway61004 said: "joevitus said: "JBroadway,

Would this be the first time a theater was named after a director? I can't think of an example. If Prince really is the first, that alone might make it a good idea to name one after him."

The Helen Hayes was very briefly known as the Winthrop Ames Theatre back in the 60s (only about a year or so before it was renamed again). Ames was a theatre manager but had also directed several Broadway shows. But that's the only one I'm aware of (although there very well may be others)."

Thank you! I wondered if there had ever been a Joshua Logan, would would kinda seem a natural (pre-Prince), and I looked up the list of Broadway theaters on Wikipedia, but there were a number where I wondered "Hmm...did this person also direct?"

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/26/21 at 5:04pm

There is a curious word being used in this thread: "we." Who is this "we" who gets to tell property owners what to call their property? Is this the same "we" that is "let[ting] them put their name on it"?

It's worth noting that Broadway theatres have most often been named after their owners. David Belasco does not have a theatre named after him because of his contributions (which are many) to the art form. Ditto Mssrs Golden Cort Nederlander Shubert Minskoff etc etc

This is how things work in our world. If you buy yourself a dog and name him Spot, "we" do not get to come along and tell you have to call him Fido.