Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

#1

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

Posted: 1/19/11 at 10:01pm

Even though the Stephen Sondheim Theatre has been renamed, it's old name, the Henry Miller's Theatre is at the very top of the building. Look at the very top of the theatre in this picture and see what I mean. Didn't the Roundabout Theatre Company see this problem?

Updated On: 1/19/11 at 10:01 PM

#2

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

Posted: 1/19/11 at 10:07pm

Because the front is land marked and cannot be changed. It is in fact the only remnant of the old theater that had to be saved.

#3

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

Posted: 1/19/11 at 11:34pm

The Helen Hays Theatre still has the name The Little Theatre etched onto the stone the same way the Sondheim theatre does with the name Henry Miller.

Aside from the fact that the facade of the Sondheim is landmarked, and was the only thing to survive the demolition and building of The Bank Of America Building. It is I am sure, too much effort to change the whole thing.

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"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#4

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

Posted: 1/19/11 at 11:36pm

You ask it like a little reverence to history is a bad thing.

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A work of art is an invitation to love.

#5

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

Posted: 1/20/11 at 12:30am

I hope they never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever change it.

And I bet Sondheim agrees completely.

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#6

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

Posted: 1/20/11 at 1:18am

One is on a marquee, the other is ETCHED IN STONE.

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And no one grew into anything new, we just became the worst of what we were."

#7

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

Posted: 1/20/11 at 1:24am

It still says Martin Beck in front of the Hirschfeld as well. It's an original thing, as wonder said, etched in stone, so they won't be changing it.

#8

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

Posted: 1/20/11 at 6:16am

I would call it a form of poetic justice, or in this case, theatrical justice. The name never should have been changed in the first place.

#9

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

Posted: 1/20/11 at 10:00am

The cornerstone of the August Wilson Theatre says "Guild Theatre" which was the original name of the theatre. It says nothing about "ANTA Theatre" or "Virginia Theatre" which were interim names for the same theatre.

Henry Miller's Theatre suits me fine.

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"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable." --Carrie Fisher

#10

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

Posted: 1/20/11 at 10:03am

Maybe they could just call the the Stephen & Henry Theater.

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"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around."

#11

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at the very top of the building?

Posted: 1/20/11 at 10:36am

The so-called "Macy's" in downtown Chicago still has a brass plaque that says "Marshall Field's". It would certainly be easy enough to remove the plaque, burt it would be a terrible P.R. decision.

#12

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/20/11 at 4:49pm

On a positive note, can we just appreciate how gorgeous the actual facade of the theater is?

(Oh, and PS- the former Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Hilton, and now Foxwoods Theater has the name Lyric Theater etched into the facade all around the building.)

#13

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/20/11 at 6:03pm

Where is the Wildhorn theater? Be civil now.

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Poster Emeritus

#14

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/20/11 at 6:20pm

Slightly related question:

Is that Sondheim's actual signature? If it is, it's pretty bitching.

Completely unrelated, but I always wondered if the Disney logo was in fact Walt's signature.

#15

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/20/11 at 6:37pm

In both cases, yes. Sondheim's autograph is on the Sondheim Theatre marquee, and the Disney logo is Walt Disney's autograph. My father has a postcard somewhere signed by Disney and it matches the logo. I'm not sure whether he signed his checks like that, though.

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"You mean what was the best picture of the year or what did they pick as the best picture of the year?" - California Suite

#16

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/20/11 at 6:39pm

Does Alice Ripley sign her checks in upper case bubble letters?

#17

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/20/11 at 6:52pm

Can't answer for Alice because she doesn't live here anymore.

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"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

#18

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/20/11 at 7:02pm

Does Alice Ripley sign her checks in upper case bubble letters?

LOVE.

#19

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/20/11 at 7:58pm

"On a positive note, can we just appreciate how gorgeous the actual facade of the theater is?"

Well it's the only gorgeous thing about that dump. Cheap, ugly, sparse, cold (and not because Pee Wee had control of the air conditioning)It is the biggest disappointment I ever had entering a new theater for the first time. What a missed opportunity.

#20

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/20/11 at 9:57pm

The layout is strange, too. The mezzanine is at street level, and you have to go down a flight of stairs to the orchestra.

#21

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/21/11 at 12:18am

Actually, Walt's autograph really doesn't resemble the logo pretty much at all. If you google "Walt Disney signature" you can see how he did sign his name. I have no idea why the logo looks why it does.

Sondheim's signature is pretty awesome, though.

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"Your lyrics lack subtlety! You can't just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!"

#22

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/21/11 at 6:46am

Can someone answer, cuz I've been wondering about this --

I thought that the Henry Miller was where CABARET started, renamed the Kit Kat, and that it was being demolished after CABARET moved to Studio 54

Is this the same theatre, or do I have my buildings mixed up, or just misunderstood the whole thing? It's a lot time ago, I probably am just remembering it wrong

Thanks

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You don't go to the dragon without a present - Mark Rylance

#23

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/21/11 at 7:07am

You are correct, however Urinetown played at that theatre first.

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"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#24

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/21/11 at 8:23am

A nod to a theatres past is not a bad thing.

#25

Why does the Stephen Sondheim Theatre still say Henry Miller's Theatre at t

Posted: 1/21/11 at 9:01am

"Well it's the only gorgeous thing about that dump. Cheap, ugly, sparse, cold (and not because Pee Wee had control of the air conditioning)It is the biggest disappointment I ever had entering a new theater for the first time. What a missed opportunity."

Really? Wow... I mean, I haven't been there before, but it's rare to come by a truly UGLY theater when there are so many gorgeous theaters to compare to. I mean, some are boring... But then again there's my all time favorite like The New Amsterdam that it has to pale in comparison to.