Underused National Theatre (Washington DC) is ready for its next act

[morosco]

Posted: 1/15/13 at 10:59am

Underused National Theatre is ready for its next act

[bobs3]

Posted: 1/15/13 at 11:11am

Frank Rich used to work there as a teenage ticket taker and claims that job introduced him to his love of theater.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/15/13 at 12:53pm

Almost went to see Les MIz there. Gorgeous theater. Wish they'd produce their own original works.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/15/13 at 12:54pm

Now if only they would get rid of the hideous, institutional teal interior. Other than that, I love this theatre, and it makes me sad that it sits empty most of the time.

[thommg]

Posted: 1/15/13 at 3:44pm

The colors are supposedly based on the original color scheme of the theatre.

[brotherhoodofman]

Posted: 1/15/13 at 3:52pm

This theater is so underused -- I wish they could attract more productions. I dread paying to see shows in the cavernous Kennedy Center Opera House. Plays and most musicals just lose something in a 2,362-seat house.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 1/15/13 at 3:55pm

Unmentioned in this article is the Shubert Organization which held the lease on the National for about 20-25 years. Like their houses in Chicago, and LA, the Shuberts seem to have let this one slip away.

They don't really know or care about the road anymore. They seem to be too wrapped up in doing real estate deals in New York.

Pity.

[morosco]

Posted: 1/31/14 at 11:37pm

[morosco]

Posted: 1/31/14 at 11:38pm

Nice new paint job!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 2/1/14 at 12:06am

I hope it gets more and more tenants.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 2/1/14 at 12:10am

Oh wow that makes worlds of difference!

[bobs3]

Posted: 2/1/14 at 4:31am

The new color is certainly an improvement on the old teal color but they need to do something about that dull proscenium -- it looks like you are at an old movie theater waiting for the 8:00 feature to start.

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 2/1/14 at 6:05am

Love this theatre! Disappointed that they will bring in more than just Broadway. I'm already tired of traveling to Maryland for most of the regional theatre I see! Although, I have to say, the first time I entered The Signature, I was taken aback (by the bar stools and intimacy) until I realized how perfect a small theatre could be. Definitely grateful to live between DC and Richmond, though.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 2/1/14 at 10:19am

Is this the theatre where a former president got assassinated?

[morosco]

Posted: 2/1/14 at 10:22am

No. That would be Ford's Theatre located just a couple of blocks away.
Ford's Theatre

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 2/1/14 at 12:03pm

Speaking of the Ford's, I saw their production of Violet last week and I thought it was fantastic. They have really had some great productions the past couple of years.

[Esther2]

Posted: 2/1/14 at 12:18pm

bobs 3 said: "The new color is certainly an improvement on the old teal color but they need to do something about that dull proscenium -- it looks like you are at an old movie theater waiting for the 8:00 feature to start."

Not just the proscenium. I love the new wall color, but they didn't update the seats or the drapes. So the seats are the same salmon color and the drapes are still teal...which looks ghastly with the new walls.

A bit of trivia about the Lincoln assassination, Tad Lincoln was at the National that night seeing the show. And after the event, the manager of the National sent a telegram to the manager at Fords saying "Thank God it wasn't ours."

[Far From Home]

Posted: 2/1/14 at 2:18pm

One time I was walking behind a couple as we were passing in front of the Booth Theatre in NYC. One said to the other, "Oh, look, there's that theatre where they shot the President."