| Gershwin Theatre | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Address |
222 West 51st Street
|
| City | |
| Country | USA |
| Architect | Ralph Alswang |
| Owned by | Paramount Group with lease to Nederlander Organization |
| Capacity | 1,933 [1] |
| Type | Broadway theatre |
| Opened | November 28, 1972 |
| Previous names | Uris Theatre |
| Production | Wicked |
| gershwintheatre.com/ | |
| Coordinates: 40°45′55″N 73°59′04″W / 40.765266°N 73.984450°W | |
The George Gershwin Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 222 West 51st Street in midtown-Manhattan in the Paramount Plaza building. The theatre is named after famous composer George Gershwin. It has the highest seating capacity of any Broadway theatre, with over 1,900 seats.[2]
Designed in an Art Nouveau style by set designer Ralph Alswang, it is situated on the lower levels of a towering office complex built at an estimated cost of $12.5 million[3] on the site of the historical Capitol Theatre. It opened as the Uris Theatre on November 28, 1972 (named for the building developer Uris Brothers) with the musical Via Galactica starring Raul Julia. It proved to be an inauspicious start for the venue, closing after only seven performances. From 1974-76 it served as a concert hall for limited engagements by a number of legendary pop music and jazz performers.
The American Theatre Hall of Fame located in the lobby is a popular gathering place for audience members pre-show and during intermission.
On June 5, 1983, during the Tony Awards ceremony, the theatre was rechristened to honor the distinguished American composer.
Notable productions
- 1973: Seesaw; Gigi
- 1974: Sammy Davis, Jr.; Andy Williams with Michel Legrand; Anthony Newley with Henry Mancini; Mott the Hoople (first Rock band to play Broadway, supported by Queen); The 5th Dimension
- 1975: Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Count Basie
- 1975: Fonteyn & Nureyev on Broadway
- 1976: Bing Crosby; Barry Manilow; Paul Anka; Al Green with Ashford & Simpson
- 1979: Sweeney Todd
- 1981: Annie
- 1983: Show Boat
- 1984: Shirley MacLaine on Broadway; Patti LaBelle on Broadway
- 1985: Singin' in the Rain
- 1987: Starlight Express
- 1989: Meet Me in St. Louis
- 1993: Raffi
- 1995: Show Boat
- 1997: Candide; 1776
- 2000: Riverdance on Broadway
- 2002: Oklahoma!
- 2003: Wicked
References
- ^ Seating Chart- gershwin-theater.com - Retrieved January 21, 2008
- ^ "Theatre 101". The Theatre Development Fund. http://www.tdf.org/TDF_ServicePage.aspx?id=103&%20do=v. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
- ^ Gershwin Theater - Wicked: broadway theater map
External links
- Official website
- New York Theatre Guide
- George Gershwin Theatre at the Internet Broadway Database
- Wicked is performing at Gershwin Theatre in New York, NY
| Preceded by Hollywood Palladium |
Host of the Grammy Awards 1975 |
Succeeded by Hollywood Palladium |
| Preceded by Radio City Music Hall |
Host of the Tony Awards 1999 |
Succeeded by Radio City Music Hall |
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