The Brooks Atkinson Theatre gets a new name: The Lena Horne Theatre!

With this change, Nederlander will have fulfilled its agreement with Black Theater United to rename a theatre for a Black artist. "The Nederlanders said the name change should take place this fall, but that the exact date will depend on when the new marquee signage is ready."

"She appeared in five Broadway shows, including the long-running “Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music,” which in the early 1980s had a 346-performance run at the Nederlander Theater, followed by a tour. In 1958 she became the first African American woman to be nominated for a Tony Award for best actress in a musical, for her work in “Jamaica”; in 1981 she was granted a special Tony Award for “The Lady and Her Music.”"

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/09/theater/lena-horne-broadway.html

Updated On: 6/9/22 at 12:36 PM

WOW! Exciting!

I love her music. This is an excellent choice.

Wow! This is crazy! Really, it should be the Nederlander, as that is where 'Lady and Her Music' played, if any (IMO).

This is great news! I guess all that's left is Jujamcyn...although, I hope it's not the St. James.

EDSOSLO858 said: "fashionguru_23 said: "Jujamcyn has the August Wilson, though they could go the extra mile and rename another after a Black artist, if they so choose."

Honoring Black artists isn't an "extra mile" it's a starting point.

Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music is still the one woman show with the longest Broadway run of all time. I think this is a good pick.

The Nederlander is their flagship namesake theater. Atkinson was a critic, so.... I think they chose the right theater!

Dollypop said: "I loved Lena Horne's work but why not Pearl Bailey or Ruby Dee or Cicely Tyson?"

Because this decision came down to Jimmy Nederlander, he knew Lena Horne, and this is what he chose.

I don’t expect we’re getting another renaming out of Jujamcyn, though if anything perhaps they’d rename the Kerr. Again, any renaming would be Jordan Roth’s unilateral decision to make.

Separate from the diversity mandate, I would not be surprised if at some point Roth named a house for his close friend and queer icon Harvey Fierstein –– or even a house named after his mother.

Updated On: 6/9/22 at 02:12 PM

everythingtaboo said: "Isn't the Daryl Roth named after his mother?"

Yup, she owns that off-Broadway venue and named it after herself. Though Peter Jay Sharp has his name on venues at BAM, Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, and Symphony Space, and David Geffen has lots of named venues across the country, so that wouldn't necessarily prevent a Broadway house in her name should Jordan choose to do that.

I’m biased as a Hadestown fan, but I’d love to see the Walter Kerr theatre renamed to the André de Shields theatre. While it’s true Jujamcyn Theatres already has a house named after August Wilson, I thought that part of the New Deal was to rename at least one house, period, regardless of any pre-existing names? Either way, you can never have too many theatres named after Black artists/performers.

I also think the Broadway Theatre should be renamed, period. The name is so confusing and redundant!

EDSOSLO858 said: "fashionguru_23 said: "Wow! This is crazy! Really, it should be the Nederlander, as that is where 'Lady and Her Music' played, if any (IMO).

This is great news! I guess all that's left is Jujamcyn...although, I hope it's not the St. James."

Jujamcyn has the August Wilson, though they could go the extra mile and rename another after a Black artist, if they so choose."

LOL extra mile - Jujamcyn only owns 5 Theaters so not necessary and won't happen after the Virginia being renamed the Wilson

UncleCharlie said: "AndreyIsntHere said: "I’m biased as a Hadestown fan, but I’d love to see the Walter Kerr theatre renamed to the André de Shields theatre!"

James Earl Jones say hello!"

It’s already been announced that the Cort will be named after James Earl Jones when it reopens.

I don't think the Brooks Atkinson Theatre should be renamed. Mr. Atkinson was the leading theatre critic of his day and should have the continuing honor of having a theatre named for him. It is the Nederlander Theatre where Lena Horne played in her one woman concert, "The Lady and Her Music" that should be renamed for her.