Helen Hayes Theatre

For the Helen Hayes Theatre built in 1911 and demolished in 1982, see Fulton Theatre.

Coordinates: 40°45′28″N 73°59′15″W / 40.75778°N 73.98750°W / 40.75778; -73.98750

Helen Hayes Theatre
(Little Theatre, New York Times Hall)

Helen Hayes Theatre in 2007, showing Xanadu

(2007)
Address 240 West 44th Street
New York City
 United States
Owner Second Stage Theatre
Type Broadway
Capacity 597
Production The Humans
Construction
Opened March 12, 1912
Reopened 1979[1]
Architect Harry Creighton Ingalls

Helen Hayes Theatre, initially known as the Little Theatre, is a Broadway theatre located at 240 West 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan. With 597 seats, it is the smallest theatre on Broadway; it gave birth to what became known as the Little Theatre Movement in the early 20th century.

History

Little Theatre / New York Times Hall

The Little Theatre was designed by the architect Harry Creighton Ingalls of the firm Ingalls & Hoffman, and built by Winthrop Ames; its name was chosen due to both the theatre's small size (with a seating capacity of only 300), and its goal to create intimate productions.

The theatre opened on March 12, 1912 with John Galsworthy's play The Pigeon. Other plays opening that year include:[2]

In the 1920s, Herbert J. Krapp redesigned the theatre to increase its seating capacity to 590 and to improve its acoustics. In 1931 the building was sold to The New York Times and converted into a conference hall[3] named New York Times Hall.[4]

The Helen Hayes Theatre (2006)

Helen Hayes Theatre

In 1979, Martin Markinson and Donald Tick bought the theatre from Westinghouse for $800,000.[1]

The theatre was named for Helen Hayes in 1983 when the actress' existing namesake theatre on West 46th Street was demolished (along with the Morosco Theatre and the Bijou Theatre), in order to construct the New York Marriott Marquis. According to Playbill.com, "The tribute was deemed fitting by the theatrical community, since the first theatre bearing the name of Helen Hayes, on West Forty-sixth Street, had been torn down in 1982 to make way for the Marriott Marquis Hotel."[5]

In July 2008 it was announced that Markinson and the Tick family planned to sell the theatre to the Second Stage Theatre company for an undisclosed price. Second Stage said it needs to raise $35 million to then possibly buy the theatre, which would likely be renamed.[6] Second Stage's first season had been targeted for 2013. It was announced on April 18, 2015 that the sale of the theatre to Second Stage had been completed. The sale price was $24.7 million. Second Stage will have its first production at the theatre during the 2017-18 season, after renovations and upgrades. [7]

Rock of Ages achieved the box office record for the Helen Hayes Theatre. The production grossed $745,205 over nine performances, for the week ending December 31, 2012.[8]

Selected productions

Radio and television studio

CBS used the theatre as a radio studio for a time, but it was converted to television by ABC in 1959 [5] and renamed the Little Theatre. Dick Clark's Saturday night The Dick Clark Show originated there from February 1958 through September 1961. During this time ABC also broadcast the daytime show Who Do You Trust? with Johnny Carson from the theatre. It was briefly renamed the Winthrop Ames Theatre in 1964.[5] From 1965 through 1983 it was again the Little Theatre. During the early part of that period, Westinghouse Broadcasting taped the syndicated Merv Griffin Show there and later, The David Frost Show. The 1969–70 season of the game show Beat the Clock hosted by Jack Narz was also taped there.

Colin Quinn's one-man show Long Story Short was recorded there as an HBO special; it had opened at the theatre in November 2010.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Bloom, Ken (2003). Broadway: An Encyclopedia. p. 303.
  2. ↑ "Helen Hayes Theatre". IBDB. The Broadway League. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
  3. ↑ Gordon, David. "Second Stage Theatre Buys Its Broadway Home" theatermania.com, April 18, 2015
  4. ↑ "New York Times Hall Listing" playbillvault.com, accessed April 18, 2015
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Helen Hayes Theatre History" playbill.com, accessed April 18, 2015
  6. ↑ "Second Stage is still trying to Set Up a Broadway Shop at Helen Hayes New York Times, July 17, 2008
  7. ↑ Gioia, Michael. "Sold! Second Stage Completes Million-Dollar Purchase for the Helen Hayes, Adding Fourth Non-Profit to Broadway" playbill.com, April 18, 2015
  8. ↑ "INDUSTRY INSIGHT: Weekly Grosses Analysis – 1/2 – Records for Once, Rock of Ages, Annie, Mormon & More!". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2013-02-12. Rock of Ages set a new box office record at the Helen Hayes Theater, earning $745,205 in the week ending December 31, 2012. With the week's gross, Rock of Ages sets the Helen Hayes record for a 9-performance week for the second year in a row, topping its previous high of $652,172 for the week ending January 1, 2012.

External links

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