Theaters East Of Broadway - Are They Cursed?

[logan0215]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 3:34pm

EDITED MAP



I'm sure this can be shrugged off as laughable by some, but it seems like the theaters east of Broadway have shows that struggle the most.

Without delving too far into the quality of content, it seems that some of the edgier or original pieces of the last few seasons have not really thrived in theaters like the Lyceum ([title of show], Scottsboro Boys) or the Belasco (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown).

Thoughts?
Updated On: 12/20/10 at 03:34 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 3:41pm

I don't know who did your map, but Drew Barrymore is going to sue you for spelling her great-aunt's name incorrectly.

[newintown]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 3:46pm

And it's the Cort, not the Court. Where did this ridiculous map come from?

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 3:46pm

Yes and it's CORT (not Court) theatre.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 3:48pm

"Correlation does not imply causation."

- Julie Taymor

[rorschach37]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 3:49pm

@mysterious growl
WHY are you OBSESSED with Ms. Taymor????!!

[Smaxie]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 3:49pm

It's a bit of a vicious circle: producers consider the east of Broadway theatres to be less desirable and three out of the four of them have second balconies which are a further liability. So those theatres tend to get the hard-luck shows that cannot get a "more desirable" theatre. The shows that go to those houses would flop if they were at the Music Box, Schoenfeld or Jacobs in the middle of 45th Street, West of Broadway, but it's easier to just blame the theatres.

But the Cort, which was considered a death house for much of the 90s, has been on a winning streak lately with four profitable shows in a row (The 39 Steps, You're Welcome America, A View from the Bridge, Fences) and Time Stands Still, while I'm not sure whether it will recoup, has fared better than I thought it would. Audiences had no trouble finding the Lyceum when they wanted to see Patrick Stewart in Macbeth. Or finding the Belasco when they wanted to see Denzel Washington in Julius Caesar or Ralph Fiennes in Hamlet or Janet McTeer in A Doll's House...

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 3:50pm

Tell me. Does the use of consecutive capitalizations and excessive puntuation help?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 3:52pm

And the Richard Rodgers Theatre is also misspelled (Rogers).

[WOSQ]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 4:43pm

Yes, they are "cursed" and the poster who called it a vicious circle pretty much hit the nail on the head. The shows that are really wanted get the prime theatres. The ones that are thought to be bridesmaids, get what's left.

Also remember than the Cort in the early 70s was used as a tv studio by CBS for Merv Griffin's late night talk show; the Miller's/Sondheim was a porn house then a disco before it was demolished and rebuilt behind the original facade; the Hudson became part of a hotel; the Belasco had it's orchestra seats removed for about 4 years with the idea of it becoming a cabaret and its boxes were restored only this year; and the Playhouse which was across 48th St. from the Cort, the 54th St/Abbott on 54th between 6th and 7th and the original Ziegfeld at 54th and 6th were torn down.

Of these houses, the Playhouse was actually sought after. In the 60s, its last decade, it housed two major comedy hits that each ran over two years, Never Too Late and The Impossible Years. This is the theatre used in the original film of The Producers.

The hits that have played the east of Broadway theatres have often been limited runs. Occasionally a commercial show will come in and will get a real run, but not all that often.

William Goldman in The Season addresses this issue and while things have changed, they haven't changed all that much.

[logan0215]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 4:43pm

I noticed "Ethyl" after I posted it... and the subsequent misspellings... Oho wlel!

[logan0215]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 4:49pm

"The hits that have played the east of Broadway theatres have often been limited runs. Occasionally a commercial show will come in and will get a real run, but not all that often."

It seems that the hits that Smaxie listed were largely limited-run star vehicles so surely people would have to "find" the theaters but the fact that they'd have to "find" them in the first place is a telltale sign!

Living in NYC for 5+ years now I can admit having to google the theaters of shows before leaving the office and more times than not, it's for theaters east of Broadway which I wouldn't pass on a regular basis and therefore not know which shows inhabit them.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 6:42pm

And everything is misplaced. It has times square in the middle of all of the theaters, so they are like a block over haha.

[Plum]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 8:10pm

The Winter Garden seems to have done okay for itself for the past, oh, twenty-something years.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 8:14pm

That map also has the Shubert Theatre's name spelled wrong. And it has a few of the 45th street threatres missing, along with the Broadhurst.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 10:29pm

I think if anything is "cursed", its the Marquis Theatre.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 10:45pm

The OP used TITLE OF SHOW as an example of a show that didn't fare well on Broadway, and probably wouldn't have even if it was in a theater that was on the other side of the street.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 12/18/10 at 2:01am

That map makes it look like the Palace is halfway between 6th and 7th and that the Neil Simon and August Wilson are right on the corner of 8th.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/18/10 at 11:10am

The Marquis is cursed as it is built on the bones of the original Helen Hayes & Morosco.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 12/18/10 at 3:13pm

But Mr. Roxy, is the Marquis cursed because the original Helen Hayes and Morosco were cursed as well? Or is it because they tore down great theatres for a hotel. I'm just trying to think, and there were some great shows that played the Morosco.

[Radioactiveduck]

Posted: 12/19/10 at 12:23am

I dont understand why the Belasco isn't more popular...it's a GORGEOUS theatre.

Posted: 12/19/10 at 1:10pm

The Belasco's ceiling looks incredible since the renovation, with all the Tiffany glass. The place was so shabby when I saw "Journey's End" and "Passing Strange" there, but really sparkled this weekend when I saw "Women on the Verge."

[allofmylife]

Posted: 12/19/10 at 1:33pm

Like the western, one big hit could change everything.

And BTW, points to the person who posted the map for at least trying to go the extra step. If this site were graded on spelling, we'd all be in detention.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/19/10 at 9:58pm

I think the Belasco could be more desirable after the renovation.

The Lyceum needs to be cleaned. Sitting in those balconies for "Scottsboro Boys" I just kept thinking they need to clean the tops of those boxes!

[logan0215]

Posted: 12/20/10 at 12:22pm

Since poking fun at the ridiculous spelling errors on the original map I posted has become, for whatever reason, more compelling than the discussion at hand I've updated with one courtesy of the League of American Theaters & Producers.