new houses on broadway

Do we think there will ever be new theaters built on Broadway? The nine theaters that were formerly Broadway houses are all seemingly unavailable for different reasons, so the only solution would be building something new. Would that even be feasible? I know people like Cameron Mackintosh and ALW have tried to buy the Hellinger, but that's never going to happen. I'm also curious about the exception that allows Lincoln Center to be a Broadway house. Could a would-be theatre owner not just petition to be considered a Broadway house and build a 500-seat theatre somewhere in Manhattan?

They definitely should build a theatre in that empty lot! Hell, they could build two if they wanted to. One on 45th St and one on 46th St. BAM! Two new theatres! Now the question would be, what will their names be? I know one of them should be named the Hal Prince Theatre. That man was such a legend and he deserves to FINALLY have a Broadway theatre named after him!

I don't know what used to be there, but it's a Shubert owned lot. There's been a rumor for years that they were going to build a new theatre (possibly two) on the lot, but it's never come to fruition.

I found it! The theatre was called the Klaw Theatre. It opened in 1921. Owned by Marcus Klaw. It had a capacity of just over 800 seats. It was also used as a TV studio and was then demolished in 1954.

Updated On: 4/28/22 at 08:41 AM

Ke3 said: "I'm also curious about the exception that allows Lincoln Center to be a Broadway house. Could a would-be theatre owner not just petition to be considered a Broadway house and build a 500-seat theatre somewhere in Manhattan?"



I don’t think the Beaumont is qualified on an “exception” so much as they are the only theatre who made use of that one facet of the existing rules; the Broadway theatres don’t HAVE to be in the theatre district, it’s just that most of them are, except the Beaumont.

Last night was my first time going to the Stephen Sondheim. I was just thinking I wish there were more modern theaters like that one.

JBroadway said: "Ke3 said: "I'm also curious about the exception that allows Lincoln Center to be a Broadway house. Could a would-be theatre owner not just petition to be considered a Broadway house and build a 500-seat theatre somewhere in Manhattan?"



I don’t think the Beaumont is qualified on an “exception” so much as they are the only theatre who made use of that one facet of the existing rules; the Broadway theatres don’t HAVE to be in the theatre district, it’s just that most of them are, except the Beaumont."

Correct, the Beaumont is not an exception. To be classified as a Broadway theater and thus have productions that play there be deemed Tony elligible a theater needs to fit 3 rules:

1. have more than 500 seats
2. be located in Manhattan
3. have majority of the events that take place at the theater be considered theater pieces (plays/musicals and not concerts/operas/ballet/dance productions/circus/stand up)

Its the last one that disqualifies many of the larger theaters in New York, as they likely wouldn’t be able to sustain themselves financially on theatrical productions alone. (Radio City Music Hall, Hulu Theater at MSG, the Apollo, Beacon Theater, Town Hall, City Center, Hammerstein Ballroom, and most of the theaters at Lincoln Center besides the Beaumont).



This is why every so often a debate erupts as to whether the Apollo should petition to be declared at Broadway theater, and and possibly the home of a black theater company. The main drawback is always the fact that the Apollo likely wouldn’t be survive without concerts and stand ups comedy to keep the lights on.

Melissa25 said: "The Shubert Orgabpnization sold that property last year.
https://therealdeal.com/2021/08/17/extells-times-square-megaproject-inches-forward-after-82m-deal/"



I THINK Shubert originally wanted to build a new theater there. I seem to remember seeing the plans somewhere around the time the lot was cleared of those sheds, which are back, but it was then said what they wanted to do with it would not fit in the lot and the plans were scrapped.

Yeah I remember reading it would cost like $150M to build from scratch, so they decided against it. I think two mid-size theaters would be much needed. I think they over-shot with the Marquis. Broadway doesn't really need BIG cruise-ship like theaters like that. Big stages, sure. But I think mid-size are always the best.

Dylan Smith4 said: "I found it! The theatre was called the Klaw Theatre. It opened in 1921. Owned by Marcus Klaw. It had a capacity of just over 800 seats. It was also used as a TV studio and was then demolished in 1954."