This venue was built by producer/director/playwright David Belasco in 1907 and was the first theater to be built in an enclosed rectangular court.
Later in 1949-53, it was leased to NBC as a radio playhouse, and is currently Shubert owned.
111 West 44th Street
This venue was built by producer/director/playwright David Belasco in 1907 and was the first theater to be built in an enclosed rectangular court.
Later in 1949-53, it was leased to NBC as a radio playhouse, and is currently Shubert owned.
Belasco was very involved in the construction and decoration of his theater. Under his direction, many features were included: a catwalk above the stage to enable stagehands to provide moving sun and moon and snow effects, individual lamps in the borderlights were set in separate compartments so that the colors would not blend unintentionally, and all lights were connected to dimmer switches, which was apparently something of an innovation at the time. The basic color scheme of the theatre was autumnal primarily featuring red, gold, brown, and green, and the walls of the orchestra level were even covered with French tapestries depicting a forest in autumn. Belasco also installed numerous amenities for his customers: special telephone and messenger call board available free of charge, massive mahogany screen in lobby to reduce street noise, a gentlemen's smoking room which was designed to resemble a library replete with writing desk, stationery, and current magazines. For his performers, Belasco added a greenroom and 15 dressing rooms.
After Belasco's death, actors and personnel claim to have seen his ghost in his private box seat every opening night until the premiere of Oh! Calcutta! in the 70's. Further, a caretaker for the theatre once told newspapers that he sometimes heard the creaky chains of Belasco's private elevator rattling backstage even though it hadn't worked for years.
Past Productions include: Oh! Calcutta! and Ain't Misbehavin'.
Current production is Follies.