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The Eugene O'Neill Theatre, previously the Forrest Theatre and the Coronet Theatre, is a
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
theater at 230 West 49th Street in the
Theater District A theater district (also spelled theatre district) is a common name for a neighborhood containing several of a city's theatres. Places *Theater District, Manhattan, New York City *Boston Theater District *Buffalo Theater District *Cleveland Theater ...
of
Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildin ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. The theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed for the
Shubert brothers The Shubert family was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district, in New York City, as the hub of the theater industry in the United States. They dominated the legitimate theater and vaudeville in the first half of the 20th cen ...
. It opened in 1925 as part of a hotel and theater complex named after 19th-century tragedian
Edwin Forrest Edwin Forrest (March 9, 1806December 12, 1872) was a prominent nineteenth-century American Shakespearean actor. His feud with the British actor William Macready was the cause of the deadly Astor Place Riot of 1849. Early life Forrest was born i ...
. The modern theater, named in honor of American playwright
Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earlier ...
, has 1,108 seats across two levels and is operated by
Jujamcyn Theaters Jujamcyn Theaters LLC , formerly the Jujamcyn Amusement Corporation, is a theatrical producing and theatre-ownership company in New York City. For many years Jujamcyn was owned by James H. Binger, former Chairman of Honeywell, and his wife, Virg ...
. The auditorium interior is a
New York City designated landmark The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and cu ...
. The facade was originally made of brick and terracotta to complement the neighboring hotel. The original facade was removed in a 1940s renovation and replaced with
stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...
; the modern theater is of painted limestone and contains a large iron balcony. The auditorium contains Adam-style detailing, a large balcony, and
box A box (plural: boxes) is a container used for the storage or transportation of its contents. Most boxes have flat, parallel, rectangular sides. Boxes can be very small (like a matchbox) or very large (like a shipping box for furniture), and can ...
seats within decorative arches. There is also a five-centered proscenium arch and a
coved ceiling A coved ceiling is a ceiling that has had the visual appearance of the point where the ceiling meets the walls improved by the addition of coving. It can also refer to a ceiling, like in a Mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid ...
with medallions. The Shuberts developed the Forrest Theatre after World War I as part of a theatrical complex around 48th and 49th Streets. When the Forrest Theatre opened on November 24, 1925, its first production was the musical ''Mayflowers''. After a series of unsuccessful shows, the Shuberts lost the theater to foreclosure in 1934, upon which it hosted '' Tobacco Road'', which became the longest-running production in Broadway history. Following a brief run as a broadcast studio in 1944, the theater was sold in 1945 to City Playhouse Theatres, which renovated the theater and renamed it the Coronet. The theater was sold in 1959 to Lester Osterman, who renamed it after Eugene O'Neill. The playwright
Neil Simon Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He has received mo ...
acquired the theater in 1967, after which he staged several of his own works there. Jujamcyn has operated the theater since 1982 and restored it in 1994. The Eugene O'Neill has hosted the musical ''
The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude dat ...
'' since 2011.


Site

The Eugene O'Neill Theatre is on 230 West 49th Street, on the south sidewalk between Eighth Avenue and
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
, in the
Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildin ...
neighborhood of
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. The rectangular land lot covers , with a frontage of on 49th Street and a depth of . The Eugene O'Neill shares the block with the
Walter Kerr Theatre The Walter Kerr Theatre, previously the Ritz Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 219 West 48th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed for the Shube ...
to the south and
Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan The Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan (originally the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Manhattan) is a hotel at 1601 Broadway, between 48th and 49th Streets, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The hotel is operated by thi ...
to the east. Other nearby buildings include
One Worldwide Plaza One Worldwide Plaza is the largest tower of Worldwide Plaza, a three-building commercial and residential complex in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Designed by David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), One ...
and St. Malachy Roman Catholic Church to the northwest, the Ambassador Theatre and the
Brill Building The Brill Building is an office building at 1619 Broadway on 49th Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, just north of Times Square and further uptown from the historic musical Tin Pan Alley neighborhood. It was built in 1931 as t ...
to the northeast, the
Morgan Stanley Building 1585 Broadway, also the Morgan Stanley Building, is a 42-story office building on Times Square in the Theater District neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The building was designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects and Emery ...
to the southeast, the
Longacre Theatre The Longacre Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 220 West 48th Street (Manhattan), 48th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. Opened in 1913, it was desi ...
and
Ethel Barrymore Theatre The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a Broadway theater at 241 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1928, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the Elizabethan, Mediterranean, and Adam styles ...
to the south, and the
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, formerly the Biltmore Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 261 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the neo-Renai ...
to the southwest.


Design

The Eugene O'Neill Theatre (previously the Forrest Theatre and the Coronet Theatre) was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed in 1925 for the
Shubert brothers The Shubert family was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district, in New York City, as the hub of the theater industry in the United States. They dominated the legitimate theater and vaudeville in the first half of the 20th cen ...
. It is part of a group of six theaters planned by the Shuberts after World War I, of which four were built. The theater was originally named in honor of actor
Edwin Forrest Edwin Forrest (March 9, 1806December 12, 1872) was a prominent nineteenth-century American Shakespearean actor. His feud with the British actor William Macready was the cause of the deadly Astor Place Riot of 1849. Early life Forrest was born i ...
(1806–1872) and was developed in tandem with the Forrest Hotel, also designed by Krapp. Since 1959, the theater has been named for playwright
Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earlier ...
(1888–1953). The Eugene O'Neill is operated by
Jujamcyn Theaters Jujamcyn Theaters LLC , formerly the Jujamcyn Amusement Corporation, is a theatrical producing and theatre-ownership company in New York City. For many years Jujamcyn was owned by James H. Binger, former Chairman of Honeywell, and his wife, Virg ...
.


Facade

The Forrest Theatre was originally designed with a facade of
brick A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...
and
terracotta Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based ceramic glaze, unglazed or glazed ceramic where the pottery firing, fired body is porous. In applied art, craft, construction, a ...
, similar to the Forrest Hotel. At the time, including a theater and hotel in the same project was an uncommon arrangement in New York City. Krapp repeated the theater/hotel arrangement in the late 1920s when he designed the Hotel Lincoln (now Row NYC Hotel) and the Majestic, Masque (Golden), and Royale (Bernard B. Jacobs) theaters. Above the theater's entrance was a wrought-iron balcony on the second story. A three-story stage house adjoined the theater. The facade was subsequently refaced in plain
stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...
, and the iron balcony outside the theater was doubled in height. The stucco facade dated to 1945, when the theater was renovated by
Walker & Gillette Walker & Gillette was an architectural firm based in New York City, the partnership of Alexander Stewart Walker (1876–1952) and Leon Narcisse Gillette (1878–1945), active from 1906 through 1945. Biographies Walker was a native of Jersey ...
. At the time, the facade was painted in bright colors to evoke the appearance of a closed performance venue in
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
. The iron balcony, as well as shutters over the windows, were designed to give this effect. The facade was renovated again in 1980, this time in beige limestone.


Auditorium

The auditorium has an orchestra level, one balcony, boxes, and a
stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...
behind the proscenium arch. The auditorium is wider than its depth, and the space is designed with plaster decorations in low
relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
.
Playbill ''Playbill'' is an American monthly magazine for theatergoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most copies of ''Playbill'' are printed for particular productions and distributed at the door as the show's pr ...
cites the theater as having 1,047 seats and
The Broadway League The Broadway League, formerly the League of American Theatres and Producers and League of New York Theatres and Producers, is the national trade association for the Broadway theatre industry based in New York, New York. Its members include theat ...
cites 1,066 seats. The Eugene O'Neill Theatre has been cited as having as many as 1,108 seats. As originally configured, the theater could accommodate 1,200 guests, making it suitable for musicals or plays. The theater was constructed with a steel skeleton frame, which at the time was still mostly used for office buildings and skyscrapers. The auditorium was originally decorated in red and gold, which was changed in 1945 to blue and gray. A paint scheme of purple and gold was added in a 1994 renovation. The auditorium is approached by an entrance lobby with a terrazzo floor and marble decorations. The lobby's plaster ceiling has moldings with acanthus motifs and medallions.


Seating areas

The orchestra level is wheelchair-accessible via the main doors. The rear (east) end of the orchestra contains a shallow promenade, and the orchestra level is raked. The promenade is separated from the main orchestra seating by columns. Originally, the promenade connected directly to the bar of the adjacent Forrest Hotel (later the Time New York). The promenade's rear wall contains
pilaster In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wal ...
s with fluting, between which are
wainscoted Panelling (or paneling in the U.S.) is a Millwork (building material), millwork wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials. Panelling was deve ...
wall sections. Above the promenade, the underside of the balcony is split into sections, divided by moldings with wave and
guilloché Guilloché (; or guilloche) is a decorative technique in which a very precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into an underlying material via engine turning, which uses a machine of the same name, also called a r ...
motifs. The corners of the promenade have stairs that rise to the rear of the balcony. The stairs have decorated
wrought iron Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.08%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4%). It is a semi-fused mass of iron with fibrous slag Inclusion (mineral), inclusions (up to 2% by weight), which give it a ...
railings. The orchestra contains plasterwork panels on the walls. Within the walls are doorways topped by
frieze In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...
s, as well as lighting sconces. There is an
orchestra pit An orchestra pit is the area in a theater (usually located in a lowered area in front of the stage) in which musicians perform. Orchestral pits are utilized in forms of theatre that require music (such as opera and ballet) or in cases when incide ...
at the front of the stage. The balcony level can only be accessed by steps. The balcony level is raked and is divided into front and rear sections by an aisle halfway across its depth. The crossover aisles are delineated by wrought iron railings. The side walls contain exit doors flanked by Adam-style pilasters. Above the doors are Adam-style latticework containing medallions with classical figures; these are topped by
segmental arch A segmental arch is a type of arch with a circular arc of less than 180 degrees. It is sometimes also called a scheme arch. The segmental arch is one of the strongest arches because it is able to resist thrust. To prevent failure, a segmental ar ...
es with bands of foliate decoration. There are depictions of seated women above each of the arches'
keystones A keystone (or capstone) is the wedge-shaped stone at the apex of a masonry arch or typically round-shaped one at the apex of a vault. In both cases it is the final piece placed during construction and locks all the stones into position, allo ...
. The rest of the balcony's side walls contain Adam-style panels with elliptical arches. The rear wall is divided into panels and contains lighting sconces. A paneled Adam-style frieze with lamps runs near the top of the balcony wall. The balcony front curves outward and has cameo panels and swag motifs. Modern light boxes are in front of the balcony, and a technical booth is at the rear. The balcony's underside contains molded bands, which divide the surface into panels with medallions and crystal light fixtures. On either side of the proscenium is an elliptically-arched wall section with three smaller arches. The smaller arches correspond to three boxes on the balcony level, which step down nearer to the stage. The
spandrel A spandrel is a roughly triangular space, usually found in pairs, between the top of an arch and a rectangular frame; between the tops of two adjacent arches or one of the four spaces between a circle within a square. They are frequently fill ...
s, above the corners of the elliptical arches, contain foliate decorations around motifs of shields. The elliptical arches contain a band with foliate and fruit decorations, bordered on either side by rope moldings. Adam-style latticework fills the space between the smaller arches and the large elliptical arch. The central arch has a foliate band and is wider than the arches to either side. The central box is separated from the other boxes by pilasters with spiral moldings. The fronts of the boxes contain cameo panels and swag motifs. Similar boxes formerly existed at the orchestra level but have been removed. According to writer William Morrison, the box sections' design is reminiscent of Spanish architecture.


Other design features

Next to the boxes is a five-centered proscenium arch. The arch contains a band with foliate and fruit decorations, bordered on either side by rope moldings. The spandrels above the proscenium arch's corners contain foliate decorations around motifs of shields. The stage originally contained a fireproof curtain, which was composed of a layer of
asbestos Asbestos () is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous crystals, each fibre being composed of many microscopic "fibrils" that can be released into the atmosphere b ...
between steel sheets. Krapp designed an electrically-powered system to move objects on the set. On all sides of the auditorium, the wall curves onto the
coved ceiling A coved ceiling is a ceiling that has had the visual appearance of the point where the ceiling meets the walls improved by the addition of coving. It can also refer to a ceiling, like in a Mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid ...
. The coved section of the ceiling contains Adam-style bands, which divide the ceiling into panels. Each of the coved panels has medallions that depict classical figures. The rest of the ceiling is surrounded by an outer band of rosettes and octagonal panels. At the center of the ceiling is a circular section, surrounded by an inner band with theatrical masks and swags.
Cartouche In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an oval with a line at one end tangent to it, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name. The first examples of the cartouche are associated with pharaohs at the end of the Third Dynasty, but the f ...
s connect the inner and outer bands of the ceiling. Five Adam-style chandeliers hang from the ceiling's corners.


History

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
became the epicenter for large-scale theater productions between 1900 and
the Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
. During the 1900s and 1910s, many theaters in Midtown Manhattan were developed by the
Shubert brothers The Shubert family was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district, in New York City, as the hub of the theater industry in the United States. They dominated the legitimate theater and vaudeville in the first half of the 20th cen ...
, one of the major theatrical syndicates of the time. The Shuberts originated from
Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...
, and expanded downstate into New York City in the first decade of the 20th century. The brothers controlled a quarter of all plays and three-quarters of theatrical ticket sales in the U.S. by 1925. After World War I, the Shuberts contemplated the construction of six theaters along 48th and 49th Streets, just north of Times Square. Of these, only four were built, and only three (the Ambassador, O'Neill, and Kerr) survive.


Development and early years


1920s

The Shuberts announced plans for their six new theaters in September 1920. The brothers believed that the 49th Street site could be as profitable as theaters on 42nd Street, which historically was Times Square's legitimate theatrical hub. The Shubert brothers erected the Ambassador, Ritz (now Walter Kerr), and 49th Street Theatres from 1920 to 1921, but they paused their development of theaters on 48th and 49th Street for several years afterward. In November 1924, the Shuberts sold eight row houses at 224–238 West 49th Street for $2 million to Daniel Darrow, who planned to build a theater and a 15-story hotel on the site. The Shuberts leased back the theater for 21 years. Construction on the Forrest Theatre began in May 1925. Though the Forrest was technologically advanced and had an elaborate interior design, there was relatively little media coverage about the theater. This might have been in part because of the city's plethora of theaters: just before the Forrest opened, there were 192 legitimate theaters and 548 movie houses in New York City. The Forrest opened on November 24, 1925, with the musical ''The Mayflowers'' featuring
Ivy Sawyer Ivy Sawyer (February 13, 1897 – November 16, 1999) was a British-born American cabaret and ballroom dancer, singer, and stage actress. The London-born Sawyer danced professionally with John Jarrot until she met and married fellow dancer ...
,
Joseph Santley Joseph Mansfield Santley (born Joseph Ishmael Mansfield, January 10, 1890 – August 8, 1971) was an American actor, singer, dancer, writer, director, and producer of musical theatrical plays motion pictures and television shows. He adopted ...
, and
Nancy Carroll Nancy Carroll (born Ann Veronica Lahiff; November 19, 1903 – August 6, 1965) was an American actress. She started her career in Broadway musicals and then became an actress in sound films and was in many films from 1927 to 1938. She was t ...
.; ; ''The Mayflowers'' closed after 81 performances.; The Forrest's other productions in the mid-1920s were largely unsuccessful, with a succession of flops including ''The Matinee Girl'', ''Mama Loves Papa'', and ''Rainbow Rose'' in 1926. The first hit at the theater was '' Women Go on Forever'' with
Mary Boland Mary Boland (born Marie Anne Boland; January 28, 1882 – June 23, 1965) was an American stage and film actress. Early years Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boland was the daughter of repertory actor William Augustus Boland, and his wife M ...
,
James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...
, and
Osgood Perkins James Ridley Osgood Perkins (May 16, 1892 – September 21, 1937) was an American actor. Life and career Perkins was born in West Newton, Massachusetts, son of Henry Phelps Perkins Jr., and his wife, Helen Virginia (née Anthony). His maternal g ...
, which opened in 1927 and ran for 118 performances.; This was followed by what theatrical historians Louis Botto and Robert Viagas called "potboilers whose very titles denoted their doom": ''Bless You, Sister'' in 1927, as well as ''Mirrors'', ''The Skull'', ''The Common Sin'', and ''The Squealer'' in 1928. In between all these flops, the husband-and-wife team of Ruth St. Denis and
Ted Shawn Ted Shawn (born Edwin Myers Shawn; October 21, 1891 – January 9, 1972) was a male pioneer of American modern dance. He created the Denishawn School together with his wife Ruth St. Denis. After their separation he created the all-male company Te ...
danced at the Forrest in 1929.


1930s and early 1940s

The Forrest finally saw some long-running shows in 1930, when the theater hosted a transfer of John Drinkwater's comedy ''Bird in Hand'', the mystery play ''The Blue Ghost'', and a transfer of the burlesque-themed
farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity o ...
''Stepping Sisters''.; The same year,
Edgar Wallace Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a British writer. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was a war correspondent during th ...
's drama ''On the Spot'' ran at the Forrest for 167 performances, and the theater temporarily became Wallace's Forrest Theatre. By then, the Broadway theatrical industry was suffering due to the Great Depression: eighty-seven percent of productions in the 1929–1930 season had flopped. ''In the Best of Families'', which transferred to the Forrest in March 1931, had 141 total performances.; None of the seven subsequent shows at the Forrest, within a thirteen-month period starting in October 1931, had more than 36 performances. A minor hit came in November 1932 with a transfer of ''The Good Fairy'', featuring
Helen Hayes Helen Hayes MacArthur ( Brown; October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was an American actress whose career spanned 80 years. She eventually received the nickname "First Lady of American Theatre" and was the second person and first woman to have w ...
and
Walter Connolly Walter Connolly (April 8, 1887 – May 28, 1940) was an American character actor who appeared in almost 50 films between 1914 and 1939. His best known film is ''It Happened One Night'' (1934). Early years Connolly attended St. Xavier Coll ...
.; Despite the run of flops, the Forrest Theatre initially remained solvent because it had a doorway at the rear of its orchestra, which led to the Forrest Hotel's bar, making it the only Broadway theater with direct access to a bar. This was part of a Depression-era trend in which Broadway theatrical operators had begun offering promotions and services to attract visitors. As ''Variety'' magazine reported, the Forrest's bar gave rise to the sentiment that "the show is a flop, but the bar is a hit". However, by January 1933, the Lawyers Title and Guaranty Company moved to foreclose on a $960,000 mortgage loan on the Forrest Theatre and Hotel. The next month, ''
As Husbands Go ''As Husbands Go'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Hamilton MacFadden and written by S. N. Behrman and Sonya Levien. It is based on the 1931 play ''As Husbands Go'' by Rachel Crothers. The film stars Warner Baxter, Helen Vin ...
'' opened at the Forrest; ; and ran for 144 performances. The Ballets Jooss performed a limited run at the end of 1933, and seven flops followed in the first eight months of 1934. With the mortgage loan in foreclosure, the Forrest Theatre and Hotel were sold to Lawyers Title at an auction in August 1934. The firm of Sam Grisman and Harry H. Oshrin leased the Forrest Theatre for a year in September 1934 for their play '' Tobacco Road''. The same month, ''Tobacco Road'' transferred to the Forrest, having opened at the Masque the previous December. ''Tobacco Road'' proved a success and, in September 1936, the producers renewed their lease of the Forrest Theatre for another five years. ''Tobacco Road'' became the longest-running Broadway production in 1939 after having performed continuously at the Forrest for five years. When it finally ended in May 1941, ''Tobacco Run'' had run for about 3,180 performances, making it Broadway's longest-running play at the time. The Shuberts then reacquired control of the Forrest but had little success for the next four years. ''Tobacco Road'' returned in 1942, but the revival closed after just 34 performances;; the theater hosted '' Claudia'' and ''
Three Men on a Horse ''Three Men on a Horse'' is a three-act farce co-authored by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott. The comedy focuses on a man who discovers he has a talent for choosing the winning horse in a race as long as he never places a bet himself. Originally ...
'' the same year.


City Playhouse operation

The empty Forrest Theatre was leased to the
Mutual Broadcasting System The Mutual Broadcasting System (commonly referred to simply as Mutual; sometimes referred to as MBS, Mutual Radio or the Mutual Radio Network) was an American commercial radio network in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the Old-time radio, golden ...
in March 1944 for six months. Muriel White acquired the theater that July for $260,000 in cash; she was scheduled to take over once the Shuberts' lease expired in August 1945. Just as the lease was set to expire, Louis Lotito of City Playhouse Theatres bought the Forrest for $260,000. Lotito's company renovated the theater with a blue-and-gray color scheme.; The dressing rooms and facade were rebuilt, and a cooling system and new seats were installed. The draperies, including the fireproof curtain, were also replaced. In addition, Lotito renamed the Forrest as the Coronet in September 1945, believing that the old name was associated with a "jinx house". Walker & Gillette oversaw the renovations. The first production at the refurbished theater was ''Beggars Are Coming to Town'' on October 27, 1945.; ; Though ''Beggars'' only had 25 performances,; it was followed the same year by
Elmer Rice Elmer Rice (born Elmer Leopold Reizenstein, September 28, 1892 – May 8, 1967) was an American playwright. He is best known for his plays ''The Adding Machine'' (1923) and his Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of New York tenement life, '' Street Sce ...
's ''Dream Girl'', which had a much longer run of 348 performances. This was followed by another hit, '' All My Sons'' by
Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are '' All My Sons'' (1947), ''Death of a Salesman'' ( ...
, which opened in January 1947 and featured
Ed Begley Edward James Begley Sr. (March 25, 1901 – April 28, 1970) was an American actor of theatre, radio, film, and television. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film ''Sweet Bird of Youth'' (1962) and ...
, Arthur Kennedy, and
Karl Malden Karl Malden (born Mladen George Sekulovich; March 22, 1912 – July 1, 2009) was an American actor. He was primarily a character actor, who according to Robert Berkvist, "for more than 60 years brought an intelligent intensity and a homespun aut ...
for 328 performances. The revue '' Angel in the Wings'' opened at the Coronet that December, starring
Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
and Grace Hartman for 308 performances.; Another revue,
Burt Shevelove Burt Shevelove (September 19, 1915 – April 8, 1982) was an American musical theater playwright, lyricist, librettist, and director. Biography Born in Newark, New Jersey, he graduated from Brown University and Yale (Master's degree). At ...
and
Gower Champion Gower Carlyle Champion (June 22, 1919 – August 25, 1980) was an American actor, theatre director, choreographer, and dancer. Early years Champion was born on June 22, 1919, in Geneva, Illinois, as the son of John W. Champion and Beatrice Car ...
's ''Small Wonder'', premiered at the Coronet in 1948.
Mae West Mae West (born Mary Jane West; August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American stage and film actress, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned over seven decades. She was known for her breezy ...
's classic play ''
Diamond Lil Diamond Tooth Lil was an American cultural figure popular in the early 20th century as an icon of wealth and libertine burlesque. Several individuals called themselves "Diamond Lil" or "Diamond Tooth", creating an amalgamated legacy clouded b ...
'' was revived in 1949,; ; running for 181 performances. Less successful was a double bill of
Terence Rattigan Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan (10 June 191130 November 1977) was a British dramatist and screenwriter. He was one of England's most popular mid-20th-century dramatists. His plays are typically set in an upper-middle-class background.Geoffrey Wan ...
's ''The Browning Version'' and ''Harlequinade'' the same year. The revue ''
Tickets, Please! ''Tickets, Please!'' is a musical revue. It contains sketches by Sketches by Harry Herrmann, Edmund Rice, Jack Roche and Ted Luce, with music and lyrics by Lyn Duddy, Joan Edwards, Mel Tolkin, Lucille Kallen and Clay Warnick. Incidental music i ...
'' opened at the Coronet in early 1950 and ran for 245 performances.
Samson Raphaelson Samson Raphaelson (March 30, 1894 – July 16, 1983) was a leading American playwright, screenwriter and fiction writer. While working as an advertising executive in New York, he wrote a short story based on the early life of Al Jolson, called ' ...
's play ''
Hilda Crane ''Hilda Crane'' (also known as ''The Many Loves of Hilda Crane'') is a 1956 American drama film made by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Philip Dunne and produced by Herbert B. Swope Jr. from a screenplay adapted by Dunne from the play by ...
'' was also hosted at the Coronet later the same year. Revivals of two
Lillian Hellman Lillian Florence Hellman (June 20, 1905 – June 30, 1984) was an American playwright, prose writer, memoirist and screenwriter known for her success on Broadway, as well as her communist sympathies and political activism. She was blacklisted aft ...
plays were staged next: ''
The Autumn Garden ''The Autumn Garden'' is a 1951 play by Lillian Hellman. The play is set in September, 1949 in a summer home in a resort on the Gulf of Mexico, about 100 miles from New Orleans. The play is a study of the defeats, disappointments and diminished ex ...
'' in 1951 and ''The Children's Hour'' in 1952. A revival of the play ''Jane'', with
Edna Best Edna Clara Best (3 March 1900 – 18 September 1974) was a British actress. Early life Born in Hove, Sussex, England, she was educated in Brighton and later studied dramatic acting under Miss Kate Rorke who was the first professor of Drama at ...
, was produced in 1952 between the two Hellman plays.; Liam O'Brien's play '' The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker'' with
Burgess Meredith Oliver Burgess Meredith (November 16, 1907 – September 9, 1997) was an American actor and filmmaker whose career encompassed theater, film, and television. Active for more than six decades, Meredith has been called "a virtuosic actor" and "on ...
was staged at the end of 1953, followed the next year by ''All Summer Long'' and ''Quadrille''. In 1955, the Coronet hosted a transfer of ''
The Bad Seed ''The Bad Seed'' is a 1954 novel by American writer William March, the last of his major works published before his death. Nominated for the 1955 National Book Award for Fiction, ''The Bad Seed'' tells the story of a mother's realization that h ...
'','''' as well as a double bill of Arthur Miller's ''
A Memory of Two Mondays ''A Memory of Two Mondays'' is a one-act play by Arthur Miller. He began writing the play in 1952, while working on '' The Crucible'', and completed it in 1955. Based on Miller's own experiences, the play focuses on a group of desperate workers ...
'' and ''
A View from the Bridge ''A View from the Bridge'' is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was first staged on September 29, 1955, as a one-act verse drama with ''A Memory of Two Mondays'' at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway. The run was unsuccessful, and M ...
''.; The Coronet's productions in 1956 included ''The Great Sebastians'', '' The Sleeping Prince'', and '' Saint Joan.'' This was followed in 1957 by ''
The Waltz of the Toreadors ''The Waltz of the Toreadors'' (''La Valse des toréadors'') is a 1951 play by Jean Anouilh. Plot This bitter farce is set in 1910 France and focuses on General Léon Saint-Pé and his infatuation with Ghislaine, a woman with whom he danced at a g ...
'' and in 1958 by ''The Firstborn'' and ''The Disenchanted''.


Osterman and O'Neill operation

The investor Lester Osterman signed a contract in May 1959 to buy the theater for $1.2 million, to be effective that September. Osterman planned to rename the Coronet after his favorite playwright, Eugene O'Neill, making it the first Broadway house to be renamed for a playwright. O'Neill's widow
Carlotta Monterey Carlotta Monterey (born Hazel Neilson Taasinge; December 28, 1888 – November 18, 1970) was an American stage and film actress. She was the third and final wife of playwright Eugene O'Neill. Carlotta Monterey was born Hazel Neilson Taasinge o ...
initially opposed the move, citing concerns that O'Neill would not have wanted a commercial venue to be named for him, but Monterey ultimately relented. In preparation for the renaming, Osterman repainted the theater and commissioned an
etched glass Glass etching, or "French embossing", is a popular technique developed during the mid-1800s that is still widely used in both residential and commercial spaces today. Glass etching comprises the techniques of creating art on the surface of glass ...
portrait of O'Neill. The Phoenix Theatre's version of O'Neill's play ''
The Great God Brown ''The Great God Brown'' is a play by Eugene O'Neill, first staged in 1926. O'Neill began writing notes for the play in 1922 – "Play of masks – removable – the man who really is and the mask he wears before the world" – and wrote the play be ...
'' opened in October 1959, just before the renaming. The Coronet was to have been formally renamed at a ceremony on November 27, 1959, with a preview of
William Inge William Motter Inge (; May 3, 1913 – June 10, 1973) was an American playwright and novelist, whose works typically feature solitary protagonists encumbered with strained sexual relations. In the early 1950s he had a string of memorable Broad ...
's play ''A Loss of Roses'', but this was canceled when the preview was rescheduled at the last minute. The preview of ''Loss of Roses'' ultimately opened on November 30, though the production only had 25 regular performances.; The Eugene O'Neill Theatre initially hosted flops when it was renamed.; The first hit at the Eugene O'Neill was the
Charles Gaynor Charles Beauclerk Gaynor (born April 3, 1907, Boston, Massachusetts – December 18, 1975, Washington, D.C.) was an American musical composer. His revues include ''Lend an Ear'' (1948) and '' Show Girl'' (1961), and he contributed songs to the 1973 ...
revue ''Show Girl'' with
Carol Channing Carol Elaine Channing (January 31, 1921 – January 15, 2019) was an American actress, singer, dancer and comedian who starred in Broadway and film musicals. Her characters usually had a fervent expressiveness and an easily identifiable voice, ...
, which opened in 1961; ; and had 100 performances. This was followed by Terence Rattigan's ''Ross'' at the end of 1961 and
Herb Gardner Herbert George Gardner (December 28, 1934 – September 25, 2003), was an American commercial artist, cartoonist, playwright and screenwriter. Early life Born in Brooklyn, New York, Gardner was the son of a bar owner. His late brother, Robert ...
's '' A Thousand Clowns'' in 1962.
Jerry Bock Jerrold Lewis Bock (November 23, 1928November 3, 2010) was an American musical theater composer. He received the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama with Sheldon Harnick for their 1959 musical ''Fiorello!'' and the Tony ...
,
Sheldon Harnick Sheldon Mayer Harnick (born April 30, 1924) is an American lyricist and songwriter best known for his collaborations with composer Jerry Bock on musicals such as ''Fiorello!'' and '' Fiddler on the Roof''. Early life Sheldon Mayer Harnick was ...
, and
Joe Masteroff Joe Masteroff (December 11, 1919 – September 28, 2018) was an American playwright. Early life Masteroff was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Jewish parents Louis Masteroff from Korsun, Russia (now Ukraine) and to the former Rose Pogost f ...
's musical ''
She Loves Me ''She Loves Me'' is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. The musical is the third adaptation of the 1937 play '' Parfumerie'' by Hungarian playwright Miklós László, following the 194 ...
'' was then staged at the Eugene O'Neill in 1963. Osterman sold the Eugene O'Neill Theatre to David J. Cogan, who also owned the Biltmore Theatre, in December 1964 for $1.35 million. Cogan jointly owned the Eugene O'Neill with playwright
Neil Simon Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He has received mo ...
, who in 1967 bought Cogan's half-ownership stake, thereby acquiring full ownership. During the late 1960s, two hits transferred to the Eugene O'Neill: ''The Odd Couple'' in 1966; and ''
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'' is an absurdist, existential tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's ''Ham ...
'' in 1968. This was followed by the West End musical ''
Canterbury Tales ''The Canterbury Tales'' ( enm, Tales of Caunterbury) is a collection of twenty-four stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. It is widely regarded as Chaucer's ''magnum opus ...
'' in 1969. Simon's wife
Marsha Mason Marsha Mason (born April 3, 1942) is an American actress and director. She has been nominated four times for the Academy Award for Best Actress: for her performances in '' Cinderella Liberty'' (1973), '' The Goodbye Girl'' (1977), '' Chapter Two ...
helped manage the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. Simon preserved the theater's name after acquiring full control, but he staged several of his own plays there.; ; Among these productions were ''
Last of the Red Hot Lovers ''Last of the Red Hot Lovers'' is a comedy by Neil Simon. It premiered on Broadway in 1969. Production The play opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 28, 1969, and closed on September 4, 1971, after 706 performances and si ...
'' in 1969, ''
The Prisoner of Second Avenue ''The Prisoner of Second Avenue'' is a 1975 American black comedy film directed and produced by Melvin Frank and starring Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft. The film was adapted from the 1971 play by Neil Simon. Plot The story revolves around the es ...
'' in 1971, '' The Good Doctor'' in 1973, and ''
God's Favorite ''God's Favorite'' is a play by Neil Simon, loosely based on the Biblical Book of Job. It was produced on Broadway in 1974. Production Produced by Emanuel Azenberg, the play opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 11, 1974 ...
'' in 1974, all of which were hits. This was followed by one play that Simon did not produce: Leah Napolin and
Isaac Bashevis Singer Isaac Bashevis Singer ( yi, יצחק באַשעװיס זינגער; November 11, 1903 – July 24, 1991) was a Polish-born American Jewish writer who wrote and published first in Yiddish and later translated himself into English with the help ...
's '' Yentl'', which opened in 1975.; Simon staged two more of his own hits in the late 1970s: ''
California Suite ''California Suite'' is a 1976 play by Neil Simon. Similar in structure to his earlier ''Plaza Suite'', the comedy is composed of four playlets set in Suite 203-04, which consists of a living room and an adjoining bedroom with an ensuite bath, in ...
'' in 1976 and a transfer of '' Chapter Two'' in 1979. His play ''
I Ought to Be in Pictures ''I Ought to Be in Pictures'' is a comedy drama play written by Neil Simon, his 18th. The play opened on Broadway in 1980. It was subsequently made into a film, released in 1982. The play involves a film screenwriter who has abandoned his famil ...
'' was also a hit in 1980. Mason oversaw a restoration of the theater that year, redecorating the interior in beige and red velvet and the exterior in limestone. Conversely, Simon had two flops in the early 1980s: ''Fools'' in 1981 and ''Little Me'' in 1982. In addition, a transfer of the musical ''Annie'' was performed at the Eugene O'Neill in 1981.


Jujamcyn operation


1982 to 1999

Jujamcyn acquired the Eugene O'Neill Theatre in March 1982 from Neil Simon. The theater did not show any hits in the first year that Jujamcyn operated it.; ''The Wake of Jamey Foster'' and ''Monday After the Miracle'' had short runs in 1982,; but ''
Moose Murders ''Moose Murders'' is a play by Arthur Bicknell, self-described as a mystery farce. A notorious flop, it is now widely considered the standard of awfulness against which all Broadway failures are judged, and its name has become synonymous with ...
'', which closed after its premiere on February 22, 1983, remained especially notorious in the decades afterward. The theater finally had a moderately successful play later in 1983, when a revival of
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...
's ''
The Glass Menagerie ''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his Histrionic persona ...
'' opened there. This was followed by a major hit, '' Big River'', which opened in 1985 and ran 1,005 performances over the next two years. The Eugene O'Neill's other productions of the decade included a limited concert engagement by
Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
in 1987, as well as
David Henry Hwang David Henry Hwang (born August 11, 1957) is an American playwright, librettist, screenwriter, and theater professor at Columbia University in New York City. He has won three Obie Awards for his plays '' FOB'', '' Golden Child'', and '' Yell ...
's ''
M. Butterfly ''M. Butterfly'' is a play by David Henry Hwang. The story, while entwined with that of the opera ''Madama Butterfly'', is based most directly on the relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei Pu, a Peking opera singer. T ...
'' in 1988. The
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and cu ...
(LPC) had started to consider protecting the Eugene O'Neill as a landmark in 1982, with discussions continuing over the next several years. The LPC designated the Eugene O'Neill's interior as a landmark on December 8, 1987, though the commission declined to give landmark status to the exterior. This was part of the commission's wide-ranging effort in 1987 to grant landmark status to Broadway theaters. The
New York City Board of Estimate The New York City Board of Estimate was a governmental body in New York City responsible for numerous areas of municipal policy and decisions, including the city budget, land-use, contracts, franchises, and water rates. Under the amendments effec ...
ratified the designations in March 1988. Jujamcyn, the Nederlanders, and the
Shuberts The Shubert family was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district, in New York City, as the hub of the theater industry in the United States. They dominated the legitimate theater and vaudeville in the first half of the 20th cen ...
collectively sued the LPC in June 1988 to overturn the landmark designations of 22 theaters, including the Eugene O'Neill, on the merit that the designations severely limited the extent to which the theaters could be modified. The lawsuit was escalated to the
New York Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in the New York State Unified Court System. (Its Appellate Division is also the highest intermediate appellate court.) It is vested with unlimited civ ...
and the
Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
, but these designations were ultimately upheld in 1992. The first hit to open at the Eugene O'Neill in the 1990s was a revival of Tennessee Williams's ''
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams. An adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", the play was written by him between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his p ...
''. This was followed in 1991 by the short-lived play '' La Bête'' and a magic show by
Penn & Teller Penn & Teller, Penn Jillette and Teller, are American magicians, entertainers, and scientific skeptics who have performed together since the late 1970s. They are noted for their ongoing act that combines elements of comedy with magic. The duo h ...
. The next production, ''
Five Guys Named Moe ''Five Guys Named Moe'' is a musical with a book by Clarke Peters and lyrics and music by Louis Jordan and others. The musical is based on an earlier musical short of the same name by Louis Jordan from 1943. It had its UK debut at the Cotteslo ...
'', opened in 1992 and stayed at the Eugene O'Neill for a year. The play ''Grease!'' opened in 1994 and ran for 1,503 performances. During this time, Jujamcyn hired Campagna & Russo Architects to design a $1 million renovation of the theater's interior. Restoration architect Francesca Russo used historical photos to design plasterwork and decorations that approximated the theater's original appearance. The LPC granted an award for the theater's restoration in 1994. After ''Grease!'' closed, the Eugene O'Neill saw two flops in 1998:
Peter Whelan Peter Whelan (3 October 1931 – 3 July 2014) was a British playwright. Whelan was born and raised in Stoke-on-Trent, England. As a student from 1951–55 Whelan was an inspirational figure in the newly-formed Drama Society at the experimenta ...
's 13-performance run of ''
The Herbal Bed ''The Herbal Bed'' (1996) is a play by Peter Whelan, written specifically for the Royal Shakespeare Company. The play is set in the year 1613 and is about Susanna Hall, daughter of William Shakespeare, who is accused of adultery with local haber ...
'' and
Rob Bartlett Robert James Bartlett (born May 18, 1957) is an American comedian, actor, impressionist, and writer, and Owner/Director of RAFCO Theatrical, who gained widespread fame on the radio show ''Imus in the Morning''. ''Imus in the Morning'' Bartlett ...
's four-performance run of ''More to Love''. The theater's last production of the 1990s was ''
Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a montag ...
'', which opened in 1999.


2000s to present

The play ''Waiting in the Wings'' transferred to the Eugene O'Neill in early 2000; it was followed later that year by ''The Full Monty'', which ran for over two years. A revival of the musical ''Nine'' was then performed at the theater in 2003. The
off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
play ''
Caroline, or Change ''Caroline, or Change'' is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics and book by Tony Kushner. The score combines spirituals, blues, Motown, classical music, and Jewish klezmer and folk music. The show ran both Off-Broadway and on Broad ...
'' relocated to the Eugene O'Neill in February 2004, but it closed that August due to poor ticket sales. The Eugene O'Neill hosted two productions in 2005: ''Good Vibrations'' and ''Sweeney Todd''.
Rocco Landesman Rocco Landesman (born July 20, 1947) is a long-time Broadway theatre producer. He served as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts from August 2009 to December 2012. He is a part owner of Jujamcyn Theaters. Early life Landesman was bor ...
bought the Eugene O'Neill and Jujamcyn's four other theaters in 2005, along with the air rights above them. Jordan Roth joined Jujamcyn as a resident producer the same year. The Eugene O'Neill then hosted ''Spring Awakening'', which opened in 2006 and ran for two years. In 2009, Roth acquired a 50 percent stake in Jujamcyn and assumed full operation of the firm when Landesman joined the National Endowments of the Arts. The same year, the Eugene O'Neill hosted '' 33 Variations'' and ''
Fela! ''Fela!'' is a jukebox musical with a book by Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis, based on music and lyrics by the late Nigerian singer Fela Kuti, with additional music by Aaron Johnson and Jordan McLean and additional lyrics by Jim Lewis. It is base ...
''. The musical ''
The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude dat ...
'' then opened at the Eugene O'Neill in March 2011. During the run of ''The Book of Mormon'', the Eugene O'Neill held a one-night reading of
Dustin Lance Black Dustin Lance Black (born June 10, 1974) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and LGBT rights activist. He is known for writing the film ''Milk'', for which he won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2009. He has also sub ...
's play '' 8'' on September 17, 2011. ''The Book of Mormon'' was particularly successful compared to other original productions that premiered during the 2010–2011 season, and it recouped its production costs within nine months of opening. The theater closed on March 12, 2020, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. It reopened on November 5, 2021, with performances of ''The Book of Mormon''. As part of a settlement with the
United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United State ...
in 2021, Jujamcyn agreed to improve disabled access at its five Broadway theaters, including the Eugene O'Neill.


Notable productions


Forrest Theatre

* 1926: ''
The Woman Disputed ''The Woman Disputed'' is a 1928 American silent film. Norma Talmadge stars as a good-hearted Austrian prostitute drawn into a romantic triangle on the eve of World War I. Based on a Denison Clift play, the nationalities of the characters had t ...
'' * 1927: '' Women Go on Forever''
* 1929: ''
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
'' * 1930: '' On the Spot''
* 1931: ''
Lean Harvest ''Lean Harvest'' is a 1931 play by the British writer Ronald Jeans. It portrays a married couple in the years after the First World War, with the ''New Statesman'' review concluding that the moral of the play was "too much money and too little mo ...
'' * 1932: '' The Good Fairy''
* 1933: ''
As Husbands Go ''As Husbands Go'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Hamilton MacFadden and written by S. N. Behrman and Sonya Levien. It is based on the 1931 play ''As Husbands Go'' by Rachel Crothers. The film stars Warner Baxter, Helen Vin ...
''
* 1934,
1942:
'' Tobacco Road'' * 1942: ''
Three Men on a Horse ''Three Men on a Horse'' is a three-act farce co-authored by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott. The comedy focuses on a man who discovers he has a talent for choosing the winning horse in a race as long as he never places a bet himself. Originally ...
''
* 1942: '' Claudia''
* 1943: ''
King Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Batt ...
'' * 1943: '' Bright Lights of 1944'' * 1944: ''
The Man Who Had All the Luck ''The Man Who Had All the Luck'' is a play by Arthur Miller, his second major play (after '' No Villain''). ''The Man Who Had All the Luck'' follows protagonist David Beeves’ existential exploration into the enigmatic question of how fate and t ...
''


Coronet Theatre

* 1945: '' Dream Girl''
* 1947: '' All My Sons''
* 1947: '' Angel in the Wings''
* 1949: ''
Diamond Lil Diamond Tooth Lil was an American cultural figure popular in the early 20th century as an icon of wealth and libertine burlesque. Several individuals called themselves "Diamond Lil" or "Diamond Tooth", creating an amalgamated legacy clouded b ...
''
* 1949: '' The Browning Version/ Harlequinade''
* 1950: ''
Tickets, Please! ''Tickets, Please!'' is a musical revue. It contains sketches by Sketches by Harry Herrmann, Edmund Rice, Jack Roche and Ted Luce, with music and lyrics by Lyn Duddy, Joan Edwards, Mel Tolkin, Lucille Kallen and Clay Warnick. Incidental music i ...
''
* 1950: ''
Hilda Crane ''Hilda Crane'' (also known as ''The Many Loves of Hilda Crane'') is a 1956 American drama film made by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Philip Dunne and produced by Herbert B. Swope Jr. from a screenplay adapted by Dunne from the play by ...
''
* 1951: '' Not for Children'' * 1951: ''
The Autumn Garden ''The Autumn Garden'' is a 1951 play by Lillian Hellman. The play is set in September, 1949 in a summer home in a resort on the Gulf of Mexico, about 100 miles from New Orleans. The play is a study of the defeats, disappointments and diminished ex ...
''
* 1952: ''
Jane Jane may refer to: * Jane (given name), a feminine given name * Jane (surname), related to the given name Film and television * ''Jane'' (1915 film), a silent comedy film directed by Frank Lloyd * ''Jane'' (2016 film), a South Korean drama fil ...
''
* 1952: '' The Children's Hour''
* 1953: ''
The Little Hut ''The Little Hut'' is a 1957 British romantic comedy film made by MGM starring Ava Gardner, Stewart Granger and David Niven. It was directed by Mark Robson, produced by Robson and F. Hugh Herbert, from a screenplay by Herbert, adapted by Nancy ...
'' * 1953: '' The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker''
* 1954: '' All Summer Long''
* 1954: ''
Quadrille The quadrille is a dance that was fashionable in late 18th- and 19th-century Europe and its colonies. The quadrille consists of a chain of four to six '' contredanses''. Latterly the quadrille was frequently danced to a medley of opera melodie ...
''
* 1955: ''
The Bad Seed ''The Bad Seed'' is a 1954 novel by American writer William March, the last of his major works published before his death. Nominated for the 1955 National Book Award for Fiction, ''The Bad Seed'' tells the story of a mother's realization that h ...
''
* 1955: ''
A Memory of Two Mondays ''A Memory of Two Mondays'' is a one-act play by Arthur Miller. He began writing the play in 1952, while working on '' The Crucible'', and completed it in 1955. Based on Miller's own experiences, the play focuses on a group of desperate workers ...
/
A View from the Bridge ''A View from the Bridge'' is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was first staged on September 29, 1955, as a one-act verse drama with ''A Memory of Two Mondays'' at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway. The run was unsuccessful, and M ...
''
* 1956: '' The Sleeping Prince''
* 1956: '' Saint Joan''
* 1957: ''
The Waltz of the Toreadors ''The Waltz of the Toreadors'' (''La Valse des toréadors'') is a 1951 play by Jean Anouilh. Plot This bitter farce is set in 1910 France and focuses on General Léon Saint-Pé and his infatuation with Ghislaine, a woman with whom he danced at a g ...
''
* 1958: ''
Summer of the Seventeenth Doll ''Summer of the Seventeenth Doll'' is an Australian play written by Ray Lawler and first performed at the Union Theatre in Melbourne on 28 November 1955. The play is considered to be the most significant in Australian theatre history, and a " ...
'' * 1958: '' The Disenchanted''
* 1959: ''
The Great God Brown ''The Great God Brown'' is a play by Eugene O'Neill, first staged in 1926. O'Neill began writing notes for the play in 1922 – "Play of masks – removable – the man who really is and the mask he wears before the world" – and wrote the play be ...
''


Eugene O'Neill Theatre

* 1960: '' The Hostage'' * 1961: '' Let It Ride'' * 1961: ''
Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...
''
* 1962: '' A Thousand Clowns''
* 1963: ''
She Loves Me ''She Loves Me'' is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. The musical is the third adaptation of the 1937 play '' Parfumerie'' by Hungarian playwright Miklós László, following the 194 ...
''
* 1964: ''
Something More! ''Something More!'' is a musical with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Marilyn Bergman and Alan Bergman. The book by Nate Monaster is based on the 1962 novel ''Portofino P.T.A.'' by Gerald Green. Composer Robert Prince contributed some music ...
'' * 1966: ''
The Odd Couple Odd Couple may refer to: Neil Simon play and its adaptations * ''The Odd Couple'' (play), a 1965 stage play by Neil Simon ** ''The Odd Couple'' (film), a 1968 film based on the play *** ''The Odd Couple'' (1970 TV series), a 1970–1975 televisi ...
''
* 1967: ''
The Freaking Out of Stephanie Blake ''The Freaking Out of Stephanie Blake'' is a 1967 stage comedy which starred Jean Arthur and was produced by Cheryl Crawford. The play was written by Richard Chandler, who was Crawford's assistant.Zolotow, Sam. "Jean Arthur Due On Stage In Fall: A ...
'' * 1968: ''
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'' is an absurdist, existential tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's ''Ham ...
''
* 1969: ''
Canterbury Tales ''The Canterbury Tales'' ( enm, Tales of Caunterbury) is a collection of twenty-four stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. It is widely regarded as Chaucer's ''magnum opus ...
''
* 1969: ''
Last of the Red Hot Lovers ''Last of the Red Hot Lovers'' is a comedy by Neil Simon. It premiered on Broadway in 1969. Production The play opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 28, 1969, and closed on September 4, 1971, after 706 performances and si ...
''
* 1971: ''
The Prisoner of Second Avenue ''The Prisoner of Second Avenue'' is a 1975 American black comedy film directed and produced by Melvin Frank and starring Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft. The film was adapted from the 1971 play by Neil Simon. Plot The story revolves around the es ...
''
* 1973: '' The Good Doctor''
* 1974: ''
God's Favorite ''God's Favorite'' is a play by Neil Simon, loosely based on the Biblical Book of Job. It was produced on Broadway in 1974. Production Produced by Emanuel Azenberg, the play opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 11, 1974 ...
''
* 1975: '' Yentl''
* 1976: ''
California Suite ''California Suite'' is a 1976 play by Neil Simon. Similar in structure to his earlier ''Plaza Suite'', the comedy is composed of four playlets set in Suite 203-04, which consists of a living room and an adjoining bedroom with an ensuite bath, in ...
''
; ; * 1977: ''
Your Arms Too Short to Box with God ''Your Arms Too Short to Box with God: A Soaring Celebration in Song and Dance'' is a Broadway musical based on the Biblical Book of Matthew, with music and lyrics by Alex Bradford and a book by Vinnette Carroll, who also directed. Micki Grant was ...
'' * 1979: '' Chapter Two''
* 1980: ''
I Ought to Be in Pictures ''I Ought to Be in Pictures'' is a comedy drama play written by Neil Simon, his 18th. The play opened on Broadway in 1980. It was subsequently made into a film, released in 1982. The play involves a film screenwriter who has abandoned his famil ...
''
* 1981: '' Fools''
* 1981: ''
Annie Annie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress * Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer The ...
''
* 1982: '' Little Me''
* 1982: ''
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ''The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'' is a musical with a book by Texas author Larry L. King and Peter Masterson and music and lyrics by Carol Hall. It is based on a story by King that was inspired by the real-life Chicken Ranch in La Grang ...
'' * 1983: ''
Moose Murders ''Moose Murders'' is a play by Arthur Bicknell, self-described as a mystery farce. A notorious flop, it is now widely considered the standard of awfulness against which all Broadway failures are judged, and its name has become synonymous with ...
''
; * 1983: ''
The Glass Menagerie ''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his Histrionic persona ...
''
* 1985: '' Big River''
* 1987: '' Tom Waits in Concert on Broadway''
* 1988: ''
M. Butterfly ''M. Butterfly'' is a play by David Henry Hwang. The story, while entwined with that of the opera ''Madama Butterfly'', is based most directly on the relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei Pu, a Peking opera singer. T ...
''
; * 1990: ''
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams. An adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", the play was written by him between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his p ...
''
* 1991: '' La Bête''
* 1991: '' Penn & Teller: The Refrigerator Tour''
* 1991: ''
A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ''A Christmas C ...
'' * 1992: ''
Five Guys Named Moe ''Five Guys Named Moe'' is a musical with a book by Clarke Peters and lyrics and music by Louis Jordan and others. The musical is based on an earlier musical short of the same name by Louis Jordan from 1943. It had its UK debut at the Cotteslo ...
''
* 1994: '' Grease''
* 1998: ''
The Herbal Bed ''The Herbal Bed'' (1996) is a play by Peter Whelan, written specifically for the Royal Shakespeare Company. The play is set in the year 1613 and is about Susanna Hall, daughter of William Shakespeare, who is accused of adultery with local haber ...
''
* 1999: ''
Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a montag ...
''
* 2000: '' Waiting in the Wings''
* 2000: ''
The Full Monty ''The Full Monty'' is a 1997 British comedy film directed by Peter Cattaneo, starring Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, William Snape, Steve Huison, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Barber and Hugo Speer. The screenplay was written by Simon Beaufoy. The film ...
''
; * 2003: ''
Nine 9 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 9 or nine may also refer to: Dates * AD 9, the ninth year of the AD era * 9 BC, the ninth year before the AD era * 9, numerical symbol for the month of September Places * Nine, Portugal, a parish in the ...
''
* 2004: ''
Caroline, or Change ''Caroline, or Change'' is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics and book by Tony Kushner. The score combines spirituals, blues, Motown, classical music, and Jewish klezmer and folk music. The show ran both Off-Broadway and on Broad ...
''
* 2005: ''
Good Vibrations "Good Vibrations" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys that was composed by Brian Wilson with lyrics by Mike Love. It was released as a single on October 10, 1966 and was an immediate critical and commercial hit, topping record ...
''
* 2005: ''
Sweeney Todd Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the villain of the penny dreadful serial '' The String of Pearls'' (1846–47). The original tale became a feature of 19th-century melodrama and London legend. A barber from Fleet Stre ...
''
* 2006: '' Spring Awakening''
* 2009: '' 33 Variations''
* 2009: ''
Fela! ''Fela!'' is a jukebox musical with a book by Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis, based on music and lyrics by the late Nigerian singer Fela Kuti, with additional music by Aaron Johnson and Jordan McLean and additional lyrics by Jim Lewis. It is base ...
''
* 2011: '' 8'' * 2011: ''
The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude dat ...
''


Box office record

''The Book of Mormon'' achieved the box office record for the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. The production grossed $2,224,280 over nine performances for the week ending January 4, 2015.


See also

*
List of Broadway theatres 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. Beginning with the first large long-term theater in the city, the Park Theatr ...
*
List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...


References


Notes


Citations


Sources

* * * *


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Eugene ONeill Theatre Broadway theatres Theater District, Manhattan Jujamcyn New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan New York City interior landmarks 1925 establishments in New York City Event venues established in 1925