Will the Mark Hellinger ever become a Broadway theatre again?

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 7:03pm

Does anybody else hope that the Mark Hellinger will become a Broadway house again? I'm still mad at the Nederlanders for selling the original theatre for MY FAIR LADY to the Times Square Church after the LEGS DIAMOND fiasco.

Updated On: 7/24/05 at 07:03 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 7:10pm

I heard a while back that the Times Square Church was outgrowing the space at the Mark Hellinger and was looking at building something bigger. If that happens, I think the space could be sold and reverted back to a theatre. As it is, I'm pretty sure its a protected monument and can't be torn down.

But in the meantime, the Times Square Church has kept it in beautiful shape. It looks a lot better then a lot of other Broadway houses.

Posted: 7/23/05 at 7:17pm

Hasn't it been designated as an interior landmark?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 7:47pm

Does it stlll look likea theater on the inside?

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 7:51pm

That theater housed the first Broadway show I ever worked on. I can't even look at it when I walk by anymore.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 8:00pm

It started life as the the Warners Hollywood. The entrance was on Broadway. It is now the entrance to the office / hotel space above. It is in the french baroque style

One hopes it will one day be a live theater again

[magruder]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 8:02pm

And yes, it still looks like a theatre inside. It could be converted back again in two seconds, and thankfully, the church has kept it in excellent condition. I think it will probably return someday. But it's an expensive property, and I believe the church won't sell it until they have a suitable place to move.

[Glebb]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 8:03pm

I performed there with Nureyev back in 1978.
Big stage.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 10:10pm

I've been to church there several times and I can tell you that it is exactly the same. The church hasn't done anything to the interior.

However, I doubt that it could become a Broadway house again.

[magruder]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 10:25pm

Oh, I've heard rumblings in recent months. And that theatre, with its large stage and seating capacity would be very much in demand

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 11:27pm

What were they thinkin' sellin' it in the first place?
It is a beautiful Theatre, The backstage area has probly been ignored, but if the Nederlanders get it back Myabe than get Disney to refurbish, or maybe Disney can just kick the Church out like they are doing to Movin'Out!
Seriously, Please anyone get us back this Theatre!!!!!!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 1:06am

They sold it because no long term tenants were renting it. Once Sugar Babies closed in 1982, the theater spent the rest of the '80s housing shows that rarely ran more than 8-10 weeks. A long string of duds were housed there.

[magruder]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 5:20pm

Some nice views of the Hellinger from IBDB.com. First photo is from 1978, when Timbuktu! was playing there.

Updated On: 7/28/05 at 05:20 PM

[magruder]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 5:21pm

The spectacular auditorium...

Updated On: 7/28/05 at 05:21 PM

[magruder]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 5:23pm

And the awe-inspiring lobby...

Updated On: 7/28/05 at 05:23 PM

[JohnnyJune]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 5:34pm

Seeing these pictures just makes me sooooo sad. What about other theatres though in the broadway area that are now sadly not theatres. The (mad) scientologists church, what theatre was that and what played there. Or how about the Big theatre thats being turned into that echo store on 42nd street next to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I think that one is really sad, and I wonder what fabulous theatre owner has let it sit there and rot as I've heard that the interior is just gone. I'm really surprised that either the nederlanders, disney, or even say mtc or roundabout hadn't purchased it and fixed it up. It really makes me sad. You'd think that theatres no matter how far they were into decay would be protected against retail and religious orders. I'm even more surprised that the state hasn't made it a law that if its a theatre that it must remain a theatre, since it is one of the only major tourist draws. Wasn't the Paramount on broadway a theatre also, its being turned into the new hard rock cafe.

[magruder]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 5:44pm

The theatre that is becoming the Ecko store is the Times Square Theatre. It actually was fairly intact, with most of its interior detail, but the problem is that it has limited seating capacity. I think at most, it can hold 1,000 seats, which made it of limited appeal.

The site of the Scientology Church was actually not a Broadway theatre, to the best of my knowledge, but it did have a playhouse and I think was used at some time for some Off-Broadway shows.

Roundabout has saved two endangered theatres, the Selwyn/American Airlines, and the Gallo Opera House/Studio 54, and MTC, one, the Biltmore, at an astronomical price tag of $35 million for the restoration. So, it's more than either of those non-profits could do to take on another theatre.

As far as Broadway theatres that are being used for other purposes, the Ed Sullivan Theatre was built as the Hammerstein, (and I'll post some photos of what THAT theatre looked like - it's awesome), and it could conceivably return to theatrical use someday, once Letterman decides to end his show. The Hudson on 44th Street is used as a conference center, but it just had a multi-million dollar restoration, and I'd love to think it could be a theatre again someday. And Henry Miller's Theatre, home to Urinetown, is being rebuilt from the ground up, and will reopen in 2008. Also, the old Mayfair movie theatre, which was once a vaudeville house, is sitting dormant at 47th and Seventh Avenue. Perhaps it could be converted?

We also had a discussion not too long ago about Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe, which served for about five years from 1978-1982, as a Broadway theatre, and I believe is still intact in the basement of the Paramount Hotel.

There's also the Edison Theatre, a small house, that is currently used as the Supper Club, but could be converted into a theatre again.

The Paramount was a big concert hall, not a Broadway theatre, but the interior is long gone, and was converted to office and retail space.

Updated On: 7/28/05 at 05:44 PM

[magruder]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 5:55pm

Some views of Hammerstein's Theatre, aka the Ed Sullivan Theatre.

Updated On: 7/28/05 at 05:55 PM

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 5:57pm

i'm obviously new to all this, but what about the space that will be the new Hard Rock and was a WWF emporium of some sort (never been in it, to my knowledge, unless it was years ago). i have heard there is also a smaller playing space below it (where Criss Angel Mindfreak played not too long ago).

The Edison Supper Club---is that where the hotel restaurant is now? or where the audience participation show (is that Tony and Tina or some variation thereof?) takes place (i see the posters for it and sometimes lines, but haven't seen the production or its playing space). Or is it the place next door to the Edison itself, which has posters advertising big bands and what i assumed was social dancing?

[magruder]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 6:02pm

Yeah, there is a space below what was the WWF restaurant where Mindfreak performed. It wasn't ever a Broadway house though.

The Edison Coffee Shop was part of the hotel's ballroom, I believe. The Edison Theatre was where the Supper Club is now (the big band thing you mentioned). Tony n Tina perfoms in a downstairs space on the 46th Street side of the hotel.

Updated On: 7/28/05 at 06:02 PM

[JohnnyJune]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 6:03pm

Thanks so much for that illuminating information magruder. If you have more interesting stuff let us know. I'm amazed the city isn't more protective. Still the echo store/theatre does make me sad to see it turned into a store for Ghetto clothing. LOL

[magruder]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 6:11pm

It's sad that the Times Square Theatre is being converted into a clothing store. It has a great facade, and one more legit theatre on 42nd Street would have been nice. Still, that theatre had a very short life span as a Broadway house... a mere 13 years, from 1920 to 1933. While one always wants Broadway theatres to be used as Broadway theatres, it's hard to think of a use for a 1,000 seat theatre when so many of the other similarly sized playhouses (Cort, Lyceum, Belasco, Longacre) sit empty most of the time.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 6:12pm

Thank you, Magruder for those tantalizing photos and great information you have generously doled out here!

I'm still stunned the Variety Arts Theatre downtown was destroyed a FEW MONTHS AGO .

One of the very last (if not THE last) Vaudeville house in Manhattan - gone forever,

Updated On: 7/28/05 at 06:12 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 6:13pm

I am surprised the Mayfair was not demolished years ago as it sits on a very valuable piece of property

For quite sometime, it was the De Mille theater & many epic pictures played there. I remember the sumptuous lounge area which was put to good use when it played the epics with the intermissions. I remember seeing , among other movies, The Fall Of The Roman Empire. The movie tanked so I was probably one of the few who actually saw it

[magruder]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 6:18pm

Roxy, isn't it true that the DeMille/Mayfair/Embassy was once a vaudeville house? I've always been curious if there is some sort of stage or backstage area that still exists in there.