What is the Oldest Continuously Operating Broadway Theatre in Ny

Tupungato / Shutterstock.com

15 of New York City's most spectacular theaters

Come for the shows, stay for the stunning architecture and interiors

By Nov 13, 2017, 1:54pm EST

View as Map

Tupungato / Shutterstock.com

Among New York City's many iconic buildings are a good number of performing arts venues—Broadway houses, former Wonder Theatres, and off-Broadway venues in repurposed buildings among them. The shows that play at these spaces may be the main draw (hello, Hamilton), but the architecture is often just as compelling.

Here, you'll find 15 of the city's most stunning theaters—ones that have withstood the test of time, have interesting back stories, or and still boar interiors that are worth gawking at. Did we miss your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

Read More

If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

When this historic Bronx theater debuted in 1929, it was touted as one of the "Loew's Wonder Theatres," along with its counterparts located in Queens, Brooklyn, Washington Heights, and Jersey City. Architect John Eberson bestowed the Paradise Theater with designs inspired by a 16th-century Italian baroque garden and a ceiling meant to evoke the feeling of being under a moonlit sky. Both the building itself and its interiors have been designated city landmarks; these days, it's being utilized as a church.

• Open in Google Maps

Few theaters have as rich a history as Harlem's iconic Apollo Theater. The building was originally constructed in 1914 and designed by George Keister. It initially operated as a whites-only burlesque theater, but in 1934, the theater was purchased by Sidney Cohen and began welcoming Harlem's black community. Over the years, everyone from James Brown to the Jackson 5 to Beyoncé has performed there. In 2001, the Apollo received a renovation helmed by Beyer Blinder Belle that restored its interiors and welcomed a new marquee.

• Open in Google Maps

Federico Rostagno/Shutterstock.com

This Upper West Side venue dates back to 1926, when film producer Herbert Lubin made the determination that New York needed a chain of deluxe movie palaces for motion pictures and vaudeville. The 2,894-seat theater was designed by architect Walter Ahlschlager and features neo-Grecian details that include gilded plaster moldings, marble floors, a huge corridor mural, and bronze doors.

• Open in Google Maps

It's safe to say that all of the buildings that make up the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts are stunning, but let's take a moment to appreciate the Eero Saarinen-designed Vivian Beaumont Theater. This venue is younger than others on this list, debuting in 1965. Its modern design features an airy lobby topped with a large, travertine-covered roof, which is home to the NYPL's performing arts library. A sculpture by Henry Moore sits in the public plaza in front of the theater.

• Open in Google Maps

The erstwhile "Mecca Temple"—once used by the Shriners—was designed by architect Harry P. Knowles in the neo-Moorish style. Its features include a terra cotta roof dome and mosaic-patterned walls and columns. In 2010, the landmarked building underwent a $75 million renovation that restored the original lobby and brought in new seats.

• Open in Google Maps

This iconic performing arts venue has been captivating visitors since its 1930s debut. The ornate Art Deco design was the product of a collaboration between Edward Durrell Stone and interior designer Donald Deskey. During the 1990s, late architect Hugh Hardy was tapped to give the auditorium a modern revamp that has remained in place since. From its red and gold-themed main hall, to its elegant bathrooms, this place is truly stunning.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Shutterstock.com

If you've been lucky enough to score tickets to Hamilton, you're likely familiar with this Broadway theater. Architect Herbert J. Krapp designed this venue, formerly known as the 46th Street Theatre, as the first venue on the Great White Way with a "democratic" seating plan that allowed patrons with cheaper seats to enter through the same doors as those with pricier seats. Though it's a bit dated, the interiors are still something worth marveling at—the AIA Guide to New York City calls it "a style that could be coined as Broadway Renaissance."

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

In its prime, the Palace Theatre was one of the most sought-after venues among vaudeville performers. These days, almost all of the Kirchoff & Rose-designed facade is hidden behind massive billboards but after a 2014 renovation, the interiors are pretty stunning. Another renovation could be in the Palace's future: In 2015, the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a $2 billion renovation plan that includes expanding the theater three floors below ground, a new lobby, and new dressing rooms.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

The Majestic, which opened in 1927, is another NYC theater that was designed by Herbert Krapp. Its architectural flair includes a domed ceiling with elaborate detailing, ornate statues that frame the stage, and fancy chandeliers. In 1987, both the building's interior and exterior were designated city landmarks.

• Open in Google Maps

Located on West 45th Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues, the Lyceum Theatre is Broadway's oldest continuously operating stage—and one that the AIA Guide describes as "magnificent," thanks to its "the grandest of Beaux Arts facades." The 922-seat theater is a landmark, so much of its design is intact, including a stunning marble staircase, elaborate facade detailing, and its undulating marquee.

• Open in Google Maps

Tupungato / Shutterstock.com

The Public Theater has the distinction of being one of very first buildings to be named a New York City landmark back in 1965. Its red brick HQ, located a few blocks south of Astor Place, was once home to a library created by John Jacob Astor. It was turned into a theater by Joseph Papp in 1967, and underwent an extensive renovation a few years back that modernized the place while keeping its vintage charm intact.

• Book with OpenTable
• Open in Google Maps

Scott Lynch

In 2015, Dumbo's St. Ann's Warehouse unveiled a brand new theater within the Tobacco Warehouse, a 19th-century structure that was retrofitted—to the tune of $31 million—into a stunning new performance space. The new structure has a 10,000-square-foot open performance space with seating for 700, and a 7,800-square-foot open-air garden designed by Brooklyn Bridge Park landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.

• Open in Google Maps

David Sundberg

It's hard to single out just one of the Brooklyn Academy of Music's buildings for the purposes of this map, but the Peter Jay Sharp building is a good contender. The granite and terra cotta building was designed by Herts & Tallant in 1908 and is home to both the Howard Gilman Opera House and BAM Rose Cinemas. Its stunning facade features an undulating canopy (part of a later addition by Hugh Hardy) and arched windows; the interiors are decked out with dramatic ceilings and plasterwork.

• Open in Google Maps

Shutterstock.com

For decades years, this historic Brooklyn theater sat crumbling and abandoned until the city decided to move forward with a $94 million restoration project in January 2013. Architects Martinez+Johnson restored the theater's French Renaissance decor, including its glazed terra cotta ornamental facade, the ornate ceilings, and its plaster walls. The theater is now even more glorious than ever before and hosts a multitude of events—concerts, comedy shows, and the like—every year.

• Open in Google Maps

At one point in time, the St. George Theater on Staten Island looked like it was headed for demolition but luckily it was saved in 2004 and has since gone on to host a series of performances and events. Designed by architect Eugene De Rosa, the theater first opened in December 1929. Its Baroque interiors were crafted by designer Nestor Castro and feature stained glass along with gold plasterwork.

• Open in Google Maps

Link copied to the clipboard.

Paradise Theater

When this historic Bronx theater debuted in 1929, it was touted as one of the "Loew's Wonder Theatres," along with its counterparts located in Queens, Brooklyn, Washington Heights, and Jersey City. Architect John Eberson bestowed the Paradise Theater with designs inspired by a 16th-century Italian baroque garden and a ceiling meant to evoke the feeling of being under a moonlit sky. Both the building itself and its interiors have been designated city landmarks; these days, it's being utilized as a church.

• Open in Google Maps

Apollo Theater

Few theaters have as rich a history as Harlem's iconic Apollo Theater. The building was originally constructed in 1914 and designed by George Keister. It initially operated as a whites-only burlesque theater, but in 1934, the theater was purchased by Sidney Cohen and began welcoming Harlem's black community. Over the years, everyone from James Brown to the Jackson 5 to Beyoncé has performed there. In 2001, the Apollo received a renovation helmed by Beyer Blinder Belle that restored its interiors and welcomed a new marquee.

• Open in Google Maps

Federico Rostagno/Shutterstock.com

Beacon Theatre

This Upper West Side venue dates back to 1926, when film producer Herbert Lubin made the determination that New York needed a chain of deluxe movie palaces for motion pictures and vaudeville. The 2,894-seat theater was designed by architect Walter Ahlschlager and features neo-Grecian details that include gilded plaster moldings, marble floors, a huge corridor mural, and bronze doors.

• Open in Google Maps

Vivian Beaumont Theater

It's safe to say that all of the buildings that make up the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts are stunning, but let's take a moment to appreciate the Eero Saarinen-designed Vivian Beaumont Theater. This venue is younger than others on this list, debuting in 1965. Its modern design features an airy lobby topped with a large, travertine-covered roof, which is home to the NYPL's performing arts library. A sculpture by Henry Moore sits in the public plaza in front of the theater.

• Open in Google Maps

New York City Center

The erstwhile "Mecca Temple"—once used by the Shriners—was designed by architect Harry P. Knowles in the neo-Moorish style. Its features include a terra cotta roof dome and mosaic-patterned walls and columns. In 2010, the landmarked building underwent a $75 million renovation that restored the original lobby and brought in new seats.

• Open in Google Maps

Radio City Music Hall

This iconic performing arts venue has been captivating visitors since its 1930s debut. The ornate Art Deco design was the product of a collaboration between Edward Durrell Stone and interior designer Donald Deskey. During the 1990s, late architect Hugh Hardy was tapped to give the auditorium a modern revamp that has remained in place since. From its red and gold-themed main hall, to its elegant bathrooms, this place is truly stunning.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Shutterstock.com

Richard Rodgers Theatre

If you've been lucky enough to score tickets to Hamilton, you're likely familiar with this Broadway theater. Architect Herbert J. Krapp designed this venue, formerly known as the 46th Street Theatre, as the first venue on the Great White Way with a "democratic" seating plan that allowed patrons with cheaper seats to enter through the same doors as those with pricier seats. Though it's a bit dated, the interiors are still something worth marveling at—the AIA Guide to New York City calls it "a style that could be coined as Broadway Renaissance."

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Palace Theatre

In its prime, the Palace Theatre was one of the most sought-after venues among vaudeville performers. These days, almost all of the Kirchoff & Rose-designed facade is hidden behind massive billboards but after a 2014 renovation, the interiors are pretty stunning. Another renovation could be in the Palace's future: In 2015, the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a $2 billion renovation plan that includes expanding the theater three floors below ground, a new lobby, and new dressing rooms.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Majestic Theatre

The Majestic, which opened in 1927, is another NYC theater that was designed by Herbert Krapp. Its architectural flair includes a domed ceiling with elaborate detailing, ornate statues that frame the stage, and fancy chandeliers. In 1987, both the building's interior and exterior were designated city landmarks.

• Open in Google Maps

Lyceum Theatre

Located on West 45th Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues, the Lyceum Theatre is Broadway's oldest continuously operating stage—and one that the AIA Guide describes as "magnificent," thanks to its "the grandest of Beaux Arts facades." The 922-seat theater is a landmark, so much of its design is intact, including a stunning marble staircase, elaborate facade detailing, and its undulating marquee.

• Open in Google Maps

Tupungato / Shutterstock.com

The Public Theater

The Public Theater has the distinction of being one of very first buildings to be named a New York City landmark back in 1965. Its red brick HQ, located a few blocks south of Astor Place, was once home to a library created by John Jacob Astor. It was turned into a theater by Joseph Papp in 1967, and underwent an extensive renovation a few years back that modernized the place while keeping its vintage charm intact.

• Book with OpenTable
• Open in Google Maps

Scott Lynch

St. Ann's Warehouse

In 2015, Dumbo's St. Ann's Warehouse unveiled a brand new theater within the Tobacco Warehouse, a 19th-century structure that was retrofitted—to the tune of $31 million—into a stunning new performance space. The new structure has a 10,000-square-foot open performance space with seating for 700, and a 7,800-square-foot open-air garden designed by Brooklyn Bridge Park landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.

• Open in Google Maps

David Sundberg

BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building

It's hard to single out just one of the Brooklyn Academy of Music's buildings for the purposes of this map, but the Peter Jay Sharp building is a good contender. The granite and terra cotta building was designed by Herts & Tallant in 1908 and is home to both the Howard Gilman Opera House and BAM Rose Cinemas. Its stunning facade features an undulating canopy (part of a later addition by Hugh Hardy) and arched windows; the interiors are decked out with dramatic ceilings and plasterwork.

• Open in Google Maps

Shutterstock.com

Kings Theatre

For decades years, this historic Brooklyn theater sat crumbling and abandoned until the city decided to move forward with a $94 million restoration project in January 2013. Architects Martinez+Johnson restored the theater's French Renaissance decor, including its glazed terra cotta ornamental facade, the ornate ceilings, and its plaster walls. The theater is now even more glorious than ever before and hosts a multitude of events—concerts, comedy shows, and the like—every year.

• Open in Google Maps

St. George Theatre

At one point in time, the St. George Theater on Staten Island looked like it was headed for demolition but luckily it was saved in 2004 and has since gone on to host a series of performances and events. Designed by architect Eugene De Rosa, the theater first opened in December 1929. Its Baroque interiors were crafted by designer Nestor Castro and feature stained glass along with gold plasterwork.

• Open in Google Maps

winterwujjok.blogspot.com

Source: https://ny.curbed.com/maps/nyc-best-theaters-performance-centers

Share this post