There are 41 active Broadway theaters listed by The Broadway League in New York City, as well as eight existing structures that previously hosted Broadway theatre.[a] Beginning with the first large long-term theater in the city, the Park Theatre built in 1798 on Park Row just off Broadway, the definition of what constitutes a Broadway theater has changed multiple times.[1] The current legal definition is based on a 1949 Actors' Equity agreement with smaller theaters in New York to allow union members to perform, dividing theater spaces in the city into the system of Broadway and Off-Broadway seen today.[2][3] Current union contracts clearly spell out if a production is "Broadway" or not,[2] but the general rule is that any venue that mostly hosts legitimate theater productions, is generally within Manhattan's Theater District, and has a capacity over 500 seats is considered a Broadway theater.[4] Previous to this legal demarcation a Broadway production simply referred to a professional theatrical production performed in a theater in Manhattan, and the theaters that housed them were called Broadway theaters.[2]
While Broadway theaters are colloquially considered to be "on Broadway", only two active Broadway theaters are physically on Broadway (the Broadway Theatre and Winter Garden Theatre).[5][b] The Vivian Beaumont Theater, located in Lincoln Center, is the furthest north and west of the active theaters, while the Nederlander Theatre is the southernmost and the Belasco Theatre is the easternmost space. The oldest Broadway theaters still in use are the Hudson Theatre, Lyceum Theatre, and New Amsterdam Theatre, all opened in 1903, while the most recently constructed theater is the Lyric Theatre, built in 1998. The largest of the Broadway theaters is the 1,933-seat Gershwin Theatre, while the smallest is the 597-seat Hayes Theater.
The beginning of Broadway theater can be traced to the 19th-century influx of immigrants to New York City, particularly Yiddish, German and Italian, who brought with them indigenous and new forms of theater. The development of indoor gas lighting around this same time period allowed for the construction of permanent spaces for these novel theatrical forms. Early variety, burlesque, and minstrelsy halls were built along Broadway below Houston Street. As the city expanded north, new theaters were constructed along the thoroughfare with family-friendly vaudeville, developed by Tony Pastor, clustering around Union Square in the 1860s and 1870s, and larger opera houses, hippodromes, and theaters populating Broadway between Union Square and Times Square later in the century. Times Square became the epicenter for large scale theater productions between 1900 and the Great Depression.[1]
There is no standard date that is considered the beginning of Broadway-style theatre.[8] A few landmarks that are considered the beginning of the Broadway era include the 1866 opening of The Black Crook at Niblo's Garden, considered the first piece of American style musical theater,[9][10] the 1913 founding of the Actors' Equity Association, the union for New York Theater performers, and the 1919 Actors' Equity Association strike which gave actors and performers the recognition of a "fully legitimate professional trade".[8] Mary Henderson in her book The City and the Theatre breaks down theater on the street Broadway into three time periods. "Lower Broadway" from 1850 to 1870, "Union Square and Beyond" from 1870 to 1899, and "Times Square: the First Hundred Years" (1900–2000).[8] The current official Broadway/Off-Broadway division began with the 1949 Actors' Equity agreement.[2][3]
Active Broadway theaters
The current definition of a Broadway theater is based on the 1949 Actors' Equity agreement dividing Broadway from Off-Broadway,[2][3] but in the general psyche Broadway theaters are considered theatrical houses which host productions that can be nominated for Tony Awards.[11] The American Theater Wing and The Broadway League, as presenters of these awards, have sole discretion to include or omit theaters from the list of Tony-eligible houses, but use the same standards and criteria as Actors' Equity does.[4] The four main underlying criteria these organizations use to determine a Broadway theater are:
- Has a capacity of over 500 seats.
- Produces mostly legitimate theater productions.
- Is generally within Manhattan's Theater District (the Vivian Beaumont Theater is an exception)
- Is under an Actors' Equity "Production" contract if the theater is for-profit, or follows an Actors' Equity "LORT A" contract if the theater is run by a non-profit.[4]
The following list contains the 41 theaters listed on the Internet Broadway Database, which is run by The Broadway League, that are considered active Broadway theaters and can host productions eligible for Tony Awards.
| Theater former name(s) | Address | Opened | Capacity[c] | Owner/operator | Productions | Image | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | Longest run[12] | Current | |||||||
| Al Hirschfeld Theatre Martin Beck Theatre (1924–2003) | 302 W. 45th St. | 1924 | 1424 | Jujamcyn Theaters | Madame Pompadour | Kinky Boots | Moulin Rouge! | .jpg) | [13] |
| Ambassador Theatre New Ambassador Theatre (1980) Ambassador Theatre (1921–1980) | 219 W. 49th St. | 1921 | 1125 | Shubert Organization | The Rose Girl | Chicago | Chicago | .jpg) | [14] |
| August Wilson Theatre Virginia Theatre (1981–2005) American Academy of Dramatic Arts (1953–1981) ANTA Playhouse (1950–1953) WOR Mutual Radio (1943–1950) Guild Theatre (1925–1943) | 245 W. 52nd St. | 1925 | 1228 | Jujamcyn Theaters | Caesar and Cleopatra | Jersey Boys | Cabaret |  | [15] |
| Belasco Theatre Stuyvesant Theatre (1907–1910) | 111 W. 44th St. | 1907 | 1018 | Shubert Organization | A Grand Army Man | Dead End | Appropriate |  | [16] |
| Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre Royale Theatre (1940–2005) John Golden Theatre (1934–1940) Royale Theatre (1927–1934) | 242 W. 45th St. | 1927 | 1078 | Shubert Organization | Piggy | Grease | The Outsiders | .jpg) | [17] |
| Booth Theatre | 222 W. 45th St. | 1913 | 766 | Shubert Organization | The Great Adventure | Butterflies are Free | Kimberly Akimbo | .jpg) | [18] |
| Broadhurst Theatre | 235 W. 44th St. | 1917 | 1186 | Shubert Organization | Misalliance | Amadeus | A Beautiful Noise | .jpg) | [19] |
| Broadway Theatre Cine Roma (1937–1939) B.S. Moss's Broadway Theatre (1935–1937) Broadway Theatre (1933–1935) Earl Carroll's Broadway Theatre (1932–1933) B.S. Moss's Broadway Theatre (1930–1932) Universal's Colony Theatre (1926–1930) B.S. Moss's Colony Theatre (1924–1926) | 1681 Broadway | 1924 | 1761 | Shubert Organization | The New Yorkers | Miss Saigon | The Great Gatsby | .jpg) | [20] |
| Circle in the Square Theatre | 235 W. 50th St. | 1972 | 840 | Independent | Mourning Becomes Electra | The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee | An Enemy of the People |  | [21] |
| Ethel Barrymore Theatre | 243 W. 47th St. | 1928 | 1096 | Shubert Organization | The Kingdom of God | I Love My Wife | Patriots |  | [22] |
| Eugene O'Neill Theatre Coronet Theatre (1945–1959) Forrest Theatre (1925–1945) | 230 W. 49th St. | 1925 | 1066 | Jujamcyn Theaters | Mayflowers | The Book of Mormon | The Book of Mormon | .jpg) | [23] |
| Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre Plymouth Theatre (1917–2005) | 236 W. 45th St. | 1917 | 1079 | Shubert Organization | A Successful Calamity | Come from Away | The Notebook | .jpg) | [24] |
| Gershwin Theatre Uris Theatre (1972–1983) | 222 W. 51st St. | 1972 | 1933 | Nederlander Organization | Via Galactica | Wicked | Wicked |  | [25] |
| Hayes Theater Helen Hayes Theatre (1983–2018) Little Theatre (1965–1983) Winthrop Ames Theatre (1964–1965) Little Theatre (1959–1964) New York Times Hall (1941–1959) Anne Nichols' Little Theatre (1936–1941) Little Theatre (1912–1936) | 240 W. 44th St. | 1912 | 597 | Second Stage Theater | The Pigeon | Gemini | Mother Play | .jpg) | [26] |
| Hudson Theatre Savoy Nightclub (1981–1987) Hudson Theatre (1903–1981) | 141 W. 44th St. | 1903 | 975 | Ambassador Theatre Group | Cousin Kate | State of the Union | Merrily We Roll Along |  | [27] |
| Imperial Theatre | 249 W. 45th St. | 1923 | 1443 | Shubert Organization | Mary Jane McKane | Les Misérables | Water for Elephants |  | [28] |
| James Earl Jones Theatre Cort Theatre (1912–2022) | 138 W. 48th St. | 1912 | 1084 | Shubert Organization | Peg O' My Heart | The Magic Show | The Heart of Rock and Roll |  | [29] |
| John Golden Theatre Theatre Masque (1927–1937) | 252 W. 45th St. | 1927 | 805 | Shubert Organization | Puppets of Passion | Avenue Q | Stereophonic |  | [30] |
| Lena Horne Theatre Brooks Atkinson Theatre (1960–2022) Mansfield Theatre (1929–1960) Lew Fields' Mansfield Theatre (1928–1929) Mansfield Theatre (1926–1928) | 256 W. 47th St. | 1926 | 1094 | Nederlander Organization | The Night Duel | Waitress | Six | .jpg) | [31] |
| Longacre Theatre | 220 W. 48th St. | 1913 | 1091 | Shubert Organization | Are You a Crook? | Children of a Lesser God | Lempicka | .jpg) | [32] |
| Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Globe Theatre (1910–1957) | 205 W. 46th St. | 1910 | 1519 | Nederlander Organization | The Old Town | Beauty and the Beast | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | .jpg) | [33] |
| Lyceum Theatre New Lyceum Theatre (1903) | 149 W. 45th St. | 1903 | 922 | Shubert Organization | The Proud Prince | Born Yesterday | — | .jpg) | [34] |
| Lyric Theatre Foxwoods Theatre (2010–2014) Hilton Theatre (2005–2010) Ford Center for the Performing Arts (1998–2005) | 214 W. 43rd St. | 1998 | 1622 | Ambassador Theatre Group | Ragtime | Harry Potter and the Cursed Child | Harry Potter and the Cursed Child |  | [35] |
| Majestic Theatre | 245 W. 44th St. | 1927 | 1645 | Shubert Organization | Rufus LeMaire's Affairs | The Phantom of the Opera | — | .jpg) | [36] |
| Marquis Theatre | 210 W. 46th St. | 1986 | 1612 | Nederlander Organization | Shirley Bassey | Me and My Girl | The Wiz |  | [37] |
| Minskoff Theatre | 200 W. 45th St. | 1973 | 1710 | Nederlander Organization | Irene | The Lion King | The Lion King |  | [38] |
| Music Box Theatre | 239 W. 45th St. | 1921 | 1009 | Shubert Organization | Music Box Revue (1921) | Dear Evan Hansen | Suffs | .jpg) | [39] |
| Nederlander Theatre Trafalgar Theatre (1979–1980) Billy Rose Theatre (1959–1979) National Theatre (1921–1959) | 208 W. 41st St. | 1921 | 1235 | Nederlander Organization | Swords | Rent | The Who's Tommy | .jpg) | [40] |
| Neil Simon Theatre Alvin Theatre (1927–1983) | 250 W. 52nd St. | 1927 | 1467 | Nederlander Organization | Funny Face | Hairspray | MJ the Musical | .jpg) | [41] |
| New Amsterdam Theatre | 214 W. 42nd St. | 1903 | 1747 | Disney Theatrical Group | A Midsummer Night's Dream | The Lion King | Aladdin |  | [42] |
| Palace Theatre | 1564 Broadway | 1913 | 1743 | Nederlander Organization | Miss Civilization | Beauty and the Beast | — |  | [43] |
| Richard Rodgers Theatre 46th Street Theatre (1932–1990) Chanin's 46th Street Theatre (1925–1932) | 226 W. 46th St. | 1925 | 1400 | Nederlander Organization | The Greenwich Village Follies (1925) | Hamilton | Hamilton | .jpg) | [44] |
| Samuel J. Friedman Theatre Biltmore Theatre (1925–2008) | 261 W. 47th St. | 1925 | 650 | Manhattan Theatre Club | Easy Come, Easy Go | Hair | Mary Jane |  | [45] |
| Shubert Theatre | 225 W. 44th St. | 1913 | 1460 | Shubert Organization | Hamlet | A Chorus Line | Hell's Kitchen |  | [46] |
| Stephen Sondheim Theatre Henry Miller's Theatre (1998–2010) Kit Kat Klub (1998) Club Expo (1994-1997) City (1991-1994) Shout (1985-1991) Xenon (1978–1984) Avon-at-the-Hudson (1972–1978) Park-Miller Theatre (1970–1972) Henry Miller's Theatre (1918–1970) | 124 W. 43rd St. | 1918 | 1055 | Roundabout Theatre Company | The Fountain of Youth | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical | & Juliet |  | [47] |
| St. James Theatre Erlanger's Theatre (1927–1932) | 246 W. 44th St. | 1927 | 1709 | Jujamcyn Theaters | The Merry Malones | Hello, Dolly! | Illinoise | .jpg) | [48] |
| Studio 54 CBS Studio No. 52 (1946–1977) CBS Radio Playhouse No. 4 (1942–1946) New Yorker Theatre (1939–1942) Federal Music Theatre (1937–1939) Palladium Theatre (1936–1937) Casino de Paris (1933–1936) New Yorker Theatre (1930–1933) Gallo Opera House (1927–1930) | 254 W. 54th St. | 1927 | 1006 | Roundabout Theatre Company | La Bohème | Cabaret | — | .jpg) | [49] |
| Todd Haimes Theatre American Airlines Theatre (2000–2023) Selwyn Theatre (1918–2000) | 227 W. 42nd St. | 1918 | 740 | Roundabout Theatre Company | Information Please | The Royal Family | — | .jpg) | [50] |
| Vivian Beaumont Theater | 150 W. 65th St. | 1965 | 1080 | Lincoln Center Theater | Danton's Death | Contact | Uncle Vanya | .jpg) | [51] |
| Walter Kerr Theatre Ritz Theatre (1921–1990) Robert F. Kennedy Childrens' Theatre | 219 W. 48th St. | 1921 | 945 | Jujamcyn Theaters | Mary Stuart / A Man About Town | Hadestown | Hadestown | .jpg) | [52] |
| Winter Garden Theatre Cadillac Winter Garden Theatre (2002–2007) Winter Garden Theatre (1911–2002) | 1634 Broadway | 1911 | 1526 | Shubert Organization | La Belle Paree / Bow-Sing / Tortajada | Cats | Back to the Future: The Musical | .jpg) | [53] |
- Interactive map
Existing former Broadway theaters
There are eight theaters that once were considered Broadway houses that are still standing but no longer present Broadway theatre performances.[54]
| Theater former name(s) | Address | Opened | Last Broadway production | Current use | Owner/operator | Image | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edison Theatre The Edison Ballroom (1991–present) The Arena Theatre (1951–1991) Edison Theatre (1931–1951) | 240 W. 47th St. | 1931 | 1991 Those Were the Days | Event space | Hotel Edison | .jpg) | [54][55] |
| Ed Sullivan Theater CBS Studio No. 50 (1950–1967) CBS Radio Playhouse No. 1 (1936–1950) Manhattan Theatre (1936) Billy Rose's Music Hall (1933–1936) Manhattan Theatre (1931–1933) Hammerstein's Theatre (1927–1931) | 1697 Broadway | 1927 | 1936 Help Yourself | Television studio | CBS | .jpg) | [54][56] |
| Empire Theatre Laff Movie (1942–1954) Eltinge 42nd Street Theatre (1912–1942) | 236 W. 42nd St. | 1912 | 1931 First Night | Movie theater | AMC Theatres |  | [54][57] |
| Liberty Theatre | 234 W. 42nd St. | 1904 | 1933 Masks and Faces | Event space | Liberty Theater Catering & Events |  | [54][58] |
| New Victory Theater The Victory (1942–1995) Theatre Republic (1910–1942) Belasco Theatre (1902–1910) Theatre Republic (1900–1902) | 209 W. 42nd St. | 1900 | 1930 Pressing Business | Off-Broadway Theatre for Young Audiences | New 42nd Street | .jpg) | [54][59] |
| Sony Hall The Diamond Horseshoe Century Theatre (1978–1982) Mayfair Theatre (1970–1978) Stairway Theatre (1970) Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe (1938–1970) | 235 W. 46th St. | 1938 | 1982 Waltz of the Stork | Concert venue | Blue Note Entertainment Group | .jpg) | [54][60][61] |
| Times Square Church Mark Hellinger Theatre (1949–1989) 51st Street Theatre (1940–1949) Hollywood Theatre (1930–1940) Warner Brothers Theatre (1930) | 237 W. 51st St. | 1930 | 1989 Legs Diamond | Nondenominational church | Times Square Church |  | [54][62] |
| Times Square Theater | 217 W. 42nd St. | 1920 | 1933 Forsaking All Others | vacant | New 42nd Street | .jpg) | [54][63] |
Demolished Broadway theaters
Before the Tony Awards era the definition of "Broadway Theater" was more subjective. Variety, burlesque, minstrelsy halls, vaudeville, opera houses, hippodromes, and theaters all laid claim to the moniker.[1] There are multiple historic moments considered the beginning of Broadway theatre as a style including:
- 1866 – The Black Crook, considered the first piece of American style musical theater, opened at Niblo's Garden.[9]
- 1919 – The newly-formed actors' union, Actors' Equity, went on a month-long strike. This strike gave actors and performers the recognition of a "fully legitimate professional trade",[8] framing this style of theater as not just being an art, but also a full trade with the actors as laborers.[64]
- 1949 – Actors' Equity came to an agreement with smaller theaters in New York to allow union members to perform for a "token salary" alongside non-union members in their houses. This created the current legal division between Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.[2][3]
The Internet Broadway Database lists all large venues in the general Theater District or Broadway areas of their time. The following lists organize all 95 demolished venues which hosted legitimate theater and appear on the Database. The theaters are organized into four lists based on when their last theatrical production opened compared to the three moments that may be considered the beginning of Broadway theatre. All theaters are listed by the name in use when their last theatrical production took place.
Post-1949 agreement
The 1949 Actors' Equity agreement is the largest defining moment in the classification of Broadway theaters. It granted smaller theaters in New York the ability to hire union members to perform, as long as they were paid a "token salary", alongside non-union members in their houses. This new union contract laid out a legal division between Broadway and the newly defined Off-Broadway theaters.[2][3] The following list notes the 19 theaters that housed Broadway productions after this agreement went into effect and have since been demolished.
| Theater former name(s) | Opened | Last theatre production | Demolished | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48th Street Theatre Windsor Theatre (1937–1943) 48th Street Theatre (1912–1937) | 1912 | 1951 Jotham Valley | 1955 | [66] |
| Bijou Theatre Bijou Theatre (1965–1982) Toho Cinema (1965) D. W. Griffith Theatre (1962–1965) CBS Studio No. 62 (1951–1962) Bijou Theatre (1917–1951) | 1917 | 1981 Passionate Ladies | 1982 | [67] |
| Center Theatre RKO Center (1933–1934) RKO Roxy Theatre (1932–1933) | 1932 | 1950 Howdy, Mr. Ice of 1950 | 1954 | [68] |
| Central Theatre Club USA (1988–1998) Movieland (1980–1988) Forum 47th Street Theatre (1975–1980) Forum Theatre (1965–1975) Odeon Theatre (1958–1965) Holiday Theatre (1951–1958) Gotham Theatre (1944–1951) Central Theatre (1934–1944) Columbia Theatre (1934) Central Theatre (1918–1934) | 1918 | 1956 Debut | 1998 | [69] |
| Empire Theatre | 1893 | 1953 The Time of the Cuckoo | 1953 | [70] |
| George Abbott Theatre 54th Street Theatre (1958–1965) Adelphi Theatre (1944–1958) Yiddish Arts Theatre (1943–1944) Radiant Center (1940–1943) Adelphi Theatre (1934–1940) Craig Theatre (1928–1934) | 1928 | 1970 Gantry | 1970 | [71] |
| Harkness Theatre RKO Colonial Theatre (1931–1974) Hampden's Theatre (1925–1931) New Colonial Theatre (1917–1925) Keith's Colonial Theatre (1912–1917) Colonial Theatre (1905–1912) Colonial Music Hall (1905) | 1905 | 1977 Ipi Tombi | 1977 | [72] |
| Helen Hayes Theatre Folies-Bergere (1911–1955) Fulton Theatre (1911) | 1911 | 1981 I Won't Dance | 1982 | [73] |
| International Theatre Columbus Circle (1945) International Theatre (1944–1945) Park Theatre (1935–1944) Theatre of Young America (1934–1935) Cosmopolitan Theatre (1923–1934) Minsky's Park Music Hall (1922–1923) Park Theatre (1911–1922) Majestic Theatre (1903–1911) | 1903 | 1949 The Young and Fair | 1954 | [74] |
| Latin Quarter Princess Theatre (1980–1983) 22 Steps (1979–1980) Cine Lido (1963–1979) Latin Quarter (1942–1963) Cotton Club (1936–1942) Ubangi Club (1935–1936) Palais Royal (1900–1935) | 1913 | 1986 Mayor | 1989 | [75] |
| Metropolitan Opera House New Opera House (1883–1890) | 1883 | 1954 A Midsummer Night's Dream | 1966 | [76] |
| Morosco Theatre | 1917 | 1981 The Moony Shapiro Songbook | 1982 | [77] |
| New Apollo Theatre Academy Theatre (1983–1996) New Apollo Theatre (1979–1983) Apollo Theatre (1920–1979) Bryant Theatre (1910–1920) | 1910 | 1983 The Guys in the Truck | 1996 | [78] |
| New Century Theatre Jolson's 59th Street Theatre (1943–1944) Molly Picon Theatre (1943) Jolson's 59th Street Theatre (1942–1943) Venice Theatre (1934–1942) Shakespeare Theatre (1932–1934) Central Park Theatre (1931–1932) Jolson's 59th Street Theatre (1921–1931) | 1921 | 1954 The Azuma Kabuki Dancers and Musicians | 1962 | [79] |
| Playhouse Theatre | 1911 | 1967 The Impossible Years | 1969 | [80] |
| President Theatre Mamma Leone's restaurant (1956–1988) Erwin Piscator's Dramatic Workshop (1955–1956) President Theatre (1943–1955) 48th Street Theatre (1938–1943) Show Shop (1938) American Show Shop (1937–1938) Acme Theatre (1937) Artef Theatre (1934–1937) President Theatre (1934) Midget Theatre (1933–1934) Caruso Theatre (1933) Hindenburg Theatre (1932–1933) President Theatre (1929–1932) Edyth Totten Theatre (1926–1929) | 1926 | 1954 Stockade | 1988 | [81] |
| Rialto Theatre | 1916 | 1982 Blues in the Night | 2002 | [82] |
| Vanderbilt Theatre | 1918 | 1954 Ruth Draper | 1954 | [83] |
| Ziegfeld Theatre | 1927 | 1965 Anya | 1966 | [84] |
Post-1919 actors' strike
The 1919 Actors' Equity Association strike was a turning point for the profession of acting in New York City. Actors' Equity, the union for performers and actors, founded only a few years earlier in 1913, used this month-long strike to cement acting as a "fully legitimate professional trade",[8] where the performers produced labor for a now-official industry, Broadway theatre.[64] The following list notes the 34 theaters that housed Broadway productions after this strike ended but closed before the 1949 Actors' Equity agreement.
| Theater former name(s) | Opened | Last theatre production | Demolished | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39th Street Theatre Nazimova's 39th Street Theatre (1910–1911) | 1910 | 1926 Laff That Off | 1926 | [85] |
| 44th Street Theatre Weber and Fields' Music Hall (1912–1913) | 1912 | 1945 On the Town | 1945 | [86] |
| 49th Street Theatre Cinema 49 (1938–1940) 49th Street Theatre (1921–1938) | 1921 | 1938 The Wild Duck | 1940 | [87] |
| American Music Hall American Theatre (1893–1908) | 1893 | 1939 The Girl from Wyoming | 1932[d] | [88] |
| Astor Theatre | 1906 | 1925 June Days | 1982 | [89] |
| Avon Theatre CBS Radio Playhouse No. 2 (1934–1954) Avon Theatre (1929–1934) Klaw Theatre (1921–1929) | 1921 | 1934 Tight Britches | 1954 | [90] |
| Belmont Theatre Theatre Parisien (1919–1920) Belmont Theatre (1918–1919) Norworth Theatre (1918) | 1918 | 1940 Mum's the Word | 1951 | [91] |
| Broadway Theatre Metropolitan Concert Hall (1880–1888) | 1880 | 1929 Broadway Fever | 1929 | [92] |
| Casino de Paris Century Grove (1911–1926) Century Promenade (1909–1911) Cocoanut Grove Theatre (1909) | 1909 | 1928 The Optimists | 1930 | [93] |
| Casino Theatre | 1882 | 1930 Faust | 1930 | [94] |
| Casino Theatre Casa Manana (1936–1939) French Casino Theatre (1933–1936) Casino Theatre (1932–1933) Earl Carroll Theatre (1922–1932) | 1922 | 1933 Melody | 1990 | [95] |
| Century Theatre Century Opera House (1913–1915) Century Theatre (1911–1913) New Theatre (1909–1911) Millionaires' Theatre (1909) | 1909 | 1926 The Student Prince | 1930 | [96] |
| Charles Hopkins Theatre Embassy 49th Street Theatre (1982–1987) World Theatre (1935–1982) Westminster Cinema (1934–1935) Charles Hopkins Theatre (1926–1934) Punch and Judy Theatre (1914–1926) | 1914 | 1932 Housewarming | 1987 | [97] |
| Civic Repertory Theatre Haverly's 14th Street Theatre (1880–1926) 14th Street Theatre (1867–1880) Theatre Français (1866–1867) | 1866 | 1936 Bitter Stream | 1938 | [98] |
| Concert Theatre Elysee Theatre (1948–1985) Cort's 58th Street Theatre (1946–1948) Rock Church (1943–1946) Concert Theatre (1942–1943) Fine Arts (1938–1942) Filmarte Theatre (1936–1938) Cort's 58th Street Theatre (1935–1936) John Golden Theatre (1926–1935) | 1926 | 1942 Of V We Sing | 1985 | [99] |
| Criterion Theatre Vitagraph Theatre (1914–1916) Criterion Theatre (1899–1914) Olympia Theatre: Lyric (1895–1899) | 1895 | 1920 The Letter of the Law | 1935 | [100] |
| Daly's 63rd Street Theatre Experimental Theatre (1936–1938) Gilmore's 63rd Street Theatre (1934–1936) Park Lane Theatre (1932–1934) Recital Theatre (1932) Coburn Theatre (1928–1932) Daly's 63rd Street Theatre (1922–1928) 63rd Street Music Hall (1921–1922) Cort's 63rd Street Theatre (1921) 63rd Street Music Hall (1914–1921) | 1914 | 1941 Ghost for Sale | 1957 | [101] |
| Fay's Bowery Theatre Thalia Theatre (1879–1929) Bowery Theatre (1828–1879) New York Theatre (1826–1828) | 1826 | 1929 Under the Gaslight | 1929 | [102] |
| Fifth Avenue Theatre New Fifth Avenue Theatre (1873–1877) St. James Theatre (1870–1873) Gilsey's Apollo Hall (1868–1870) | 1868 | 1935 Bertha, the Sewing Machine Girl | 1939 | [103] |
| Gaiety Theatre Embassy Five Theatre (1978–1982) Victoria Theatre (1943–1978) Gaiety Theatre (1908–1943) | 1908 | 1932 Collision | 1982 | [104] |
| Garrick Theatre Theatre du Vieux Columbier (1917–1919) Garrick Theatre (1895–1917) Harrigan's Theatre (1890–1895) | 1890 | 1930 Winter Bound | 1932 | [105] |
| George M. Cohan's Theatre | 1911 | 1933 The Dubarry | 1938 | [106] |
| Hippodrome Theatre | 1905 | 1936 Jumbo | 1939 | [107] |
| Jardin de Paris New York Roof (1905–1907) Cherry Blossom Grove (1900–1905) Winter Garden Theatre (1895–1900) Olympia Theatre: Roof Garden (1895) | 1895 | 1911 Ziegfeld Follies of 1911 | 1935 | [108] |
| Knickerbocker Theatre Abbey's Theatre (1893–1896) | 1893 | 1929 Sweet Land of Liberty | 1930 | [109] |
| Lewisohn Stadium of City College of New York | 1915 | 1936 The Tsar's Bride | 1973 | [110] |
| Lyric Theatre | 1903 | 1934 Gypsy Blonde | 1934 | [111] |
| Maxine Elliott's Theatre CBS Studio No. 51 (1949–1960) CBS Radio Playhouse No. 5 (1944–1949) WOR Mutual Radio (1941–1944) Maxine Elliott's Theatre (1908–1941) | 1908 | 1948 Ballet Ballads | 1960 | [112] |
| Mercury Theatre Artef Theatre (1940–1942) Mercury Theatre (1937–1940) Comedy Theatre (1913–1937) Collier's Comedy Theatre (1910–1913) Comedy Theatre (1909–1910) | 1909 | 1939 Tell My Story | 1942 | [113] |
| Nora Bayes Theatre Lew Fields' 44th Street Roof Garden (1913–1918) | 1913 | 1939 First American Dictator | 1945 | [114] |
| Princess Theatre Cinema Verdi (1952–1955) Little Met (1948–1952) Cinema Dante (1947–1948) Princess Theatre (1944–1947) Labor Stage Theatre (1937–1944) Reo Cinema (1930–1937) Assembly Theatre (1929–1930) Princess Theatre (1929) Lucille La Verne Theatre (1928–1929) Princess Theatre (1913–1928) | 1913 | 1947 Virginia Reel | 1955 | [115] |
| Sam H. Harris Theatre Cohan and Harris (1916–1921) Candler Theatre (1914–1916) | 1914 | 1933 Pigeons and People | 1996 | [116] |
| Waldorf Theatre | 1926 | 1933 Dangerous Corner | 1968 | [117] |
| Wallack's Theatre Wallack's Theatre (1924–1940) Frazee Theatre (1920–1924) Harris Theatre (1911–1920) Hackett Theatre (1906–1911) Lew M. Fields Theatre (1904–1906) | 1904 | 1930 Find the Fox | 1997 | [118] |
Post-1866 Black Crook production
In 1866 The Black Crook opened at Niblo's Garden, a theater on Broadway, near Prince Street.[9] While there are strong arguments against it, this piece is considered the first piece of American-style musical theater.[119] Whether or not it is truly the first musical, The Black Crook marks a turning point where Broadway became less about the variety, burlesque, and minstrel shows of the past, and began to be known more for the large-scale book musical which still reigns today.[120][119]
The following list notes the 30 theaters that housed Broadway productions after The Black Crook opened but closed before the 1919 Actors' Equity strike.
| Theater former name(s) | Opened | Last theatre production | Demolished | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey's Park Theatre New Park Theatre (1874–1876) | 1847 | 1882 Divorçons | 1882 | [121] |
| Academy of Music | 1854 | 1912 The Girl from Brighton | 1926 | [122] |
| Bandbox Theatre Adolf Philipp's Fifty-Seventh Street Theatre (1912–1914) | 1912 | 1917 Nju | 1969 | [123] |
| Barnum's New American Museum Buckley's Opera House (1953–1965) Chinese Rooms (1950–1953) | 1850 | 1866 Jack and Gill Went Up the Hill | 1868 | [124] |
| Bijou Theatre Brighton Theatre (1878–1881) | 1878 | 1912 The Truth Wagon | 1915 | [125] |
| Broadway Theatre Wallack's Lyceum Theatre (1852–1861) Brougham's Lyceum Theatre (1850–1852) | 1850 | 1868 A Flash of Lightning | 1869 | [126] |
| Circle Theatre | 1901 | 1910 The Chocolate Soldier | 1954 | [127] |
| Daly's Theatre Broadway Theatre (1876–1879) Wood's Museum and Metropolitan (1868–1876) Banvard's Museum (1867–1868) | 1867 | 1912 The Drone | 1920 | [128] |
| Garden Theatre Madison Square Garden (1880–1890) Gilmore's Garden (1870?–1880) | 1870? | 1917 Three Plays for a Negro Theater | 1925 | [129] |
| Grand Opera House Pike's Opera House (1868–1869) | 1868 | 1915 Jack's Romance | 1960 | [130] |
| Herald Square Theatre New Park Theatre (1883–1894) | 1883 | 1908 The Worth of a Woman | 1915 | [131] |
| Hoyt's Theatre Madison Square Theatre (1879–1891) Daly's Fifth Avenue Theatre (1869–1879) Brougham's Theatre (1868–1869) Fifth Avenue Opera House (1865–1868) | 1865 | 1912 Everywoman | 1908 | [132] |
| Koster and Bial's Music Hall Bon Ton (1920–1924) Koster and Bial's Music Hall (1879–1920) Bryant's Opera House (1870–1879) | 1870 | 1901 Nell Gwynne | 1924 | [133] |
| Lyceum Theatre | 1885 | 1902 The Girl and the Judge | 1902 | [134] |
| Madison Square Roof Garden | 1890 | 1908 Ski-Hi | 1925 | [135] |
| Manhattan Theatre Standard Theatre (1878–1897) Eagle Variety (1875–1878) | 1875 | 1907 The Mills of the Gods | 1909 | [136] |
| New Bowery Theatre | 1859 | 1867 Little Boy Blue | 1866 | [137] |
| New Theatre Comique Globe Theatre (1870–1881) Worrell Sisters' New York Theatre (1867–1870) New York Theatre (1866–1867) Lucy Rushton's New York Theatre (1865–1866) Athenaeum (1865) | 1865 | 1868 Pickwick Papers | 1884 | [138] |
| Olympia Theatre Loew's New York (1915–1935) New York Theatre (1913–1915) Moulin Rouge (1912–1913) New York Theatre (1899–1912) Olympia Theatre: Music Hall (1895–1899) | 1895 | 1914 The Traffic | 1935 | [139] |
| Niblo's Garden | 1829 | 1894 A Tale of Corsica | 1895 | [9] |
| Olympic Theatre Laura Keene's Theatre (1856–1863) | 1856 | 1879 Assommoir | 1880 | [140] |
| Paradise Roof Garden Venetian Terrace Roof Garden (1899–1900) | 1899 | 1903 Punch, Judy & Company | 1935 | [141] |
| Princess Theatre Hermann's Gaiety Theatre (1890–1902) San Francisco Music Hall (1875–1890) Jack's Theatre Theatre Comique Jonah Theatre | 1875 | 1907 A Doll's House | 1907 | [142] |
| Savoy Theatre Schley Music Hall (1900) | 1900 | 1910 Children of Destiny | 1933 | [143] |
| Star Theatre Wallack's Theatre (1861–1880) | 1861 | 1901 The Convict's Daughter | 1901 | [144] |
| Theatre Comique Wood's Minstrel Hall (1862–1869) | 1862 | 1872 Ixion | 1872 | [145] |
| Victoria Theatre Rialto Theatre (1916–1935) Victoria Theatre (1899–1916) | 1899 | 1904 Lew Dockstader's Minstrels | 1915 | [146] |
| Wallack's Theatre Palmer's Theatre (1888–1895) Wallack's Theatre (1882–1888) | 1882 | 1915 The Doctor's Dilemma | 1915 | [147] |
| Weber's Music Hall Weber and Fields' Broadway Music Hall (1896–1906) Imperial Music Hall (1892–1896) | 1892 | 1913 Alibi Bill | 1917 | [148] |
| Winter Garden Theatre Burton's New Theatre (1856–1859) Laura Keene's Variety House (1854–1856) Metropolitan Hall (1851–1854) Jenny Lind Hall (1850–1851) Tripler Hall (1850) | 1850 | 1867 The Merchant of Venice | 1867 | [149] |
Pre-musical
The following list notes the 12 theaters that housed Broadway productions from the beginning of theater in New York City but closed before the opening of The Black Crook.
Before the advent of the musical there were multiple theaters in New York that claimed the moniker of "Broadway", including an 1847 theater named the Broadway Theatre.[150] While most early theaters were short-lived and housed touring productions from Europe, that changed with the construction of the Park Theatre in 1798.[1] These newly-constructed, long-term theaters grew in number through the nineteenth century, clustered around Broadway, and began hosting a wide array of ethnic and new forms of entertainment.[1]
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| Theater former name(s) | Opened | Last theatre production | Demolished | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Theatre Broadway Boudoir (1860–1864) Fellow's Opera House (1854–1860) | 1854 | 1864 The House That Jack Built | 1866 | [151] |
| Anthony Street Theatre Pavillion Theatre (1816–1820) Olympic Theatre (1814–1816) | 1800 | 1820 Virginius | 1821 | [152] |
| Barnum's American Museum | 1841 | 1865 The Green Monster | 1865 | [153] |
| Booth's Theatre | 1869 | 1838 The Outlaw | 1965 | [154] |
| Broadway Theatre | 1847 | 1856 King Charming | 1859 | [150] |
| Burton's Chambers Street Theatre Ferdinand Palmo's Opera House (1844–1848) | 1844 | 1860 The Romance of a Poor Young Man | 1876 | [155] |
| John Street Theatre Theatre Royal (1775–1777) John Street Theatre (1767–1775) | 1767 | 1796 Edwin and Angelina | 1797 | [156] |
| Nassau Street Theatre Van Dam Theatre (1750) New Theatre (1732–1750) | 1732 | 1754 King Lear | 1758 | [157] |
| National Theatre Italian Opera House (1833–1839) | 1833 | 1853 Uncle Tom's Cabin | 1841 | [158] |
| Olympic Theatre | 1837 | 1848 A Glance at New York In 1848 | 1854 | [159] |
| Park Theatre New Theatre (1798–1799) | 1798 | 1848 Met-A-Mora | 1848 | [160] |
| Richmond Hill Theatre New York Opera House (1834–1849) Italian Opera House (1832–1834) Richmond Hill Theatre (1831–1832) | 1831 | 1832 The Hunchback | 1849 | [161] |