Eugene De Rosa (1894 – ''c.'' 1945) was an Italian American

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

, called at birth Eugenio. He worked in New York City and specialized in the design of theatres. De Rosa's business flourished from 1918 to 1929 and was at its height during the

Roaring Twenties The Roaring Twenties, sometimes stylized as Roaring '20s, refers to the 1920s decade in music and fashion, as it happened in Western society and Western culture. It was a period of economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge in the ...

, but it was largely destroyed by the Great Depression. During the 1930s he spent some years in London and settled for a while in Naples. Toward the end of World War II he was reported to be back in New York and beginning to work on post-war theatre projects, just before his death.

Early life

De Rosa was born in Calabria, in the far south of mainland Italy, in 1894. While he was still a small child his parents emigrated to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, arriving through

Ellis Island Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 mil ...

and settling in New York City, where they were living by 1898. De Rosa had four brothers, Felix, Jerry, Vincent, and John; and a sister, Sylvia. His brother Felix also became an architect.Fred-Eric DeRosa,
Eugene DeRosa, architect of the Apollo Theatre
' dated January 12, 2007, at cinematreasures.org, accessed 10 February 2012

Career

By 1918 De Rosa was practising as an architect, quickly choosing to specialize in theatre design. An early project was his

Vanderbilt Theatre The Vanderbilt Theatre was a New York City Broadway theatre, designed by architect Eugene De Rosa for producer Lyle Andrews. It opened in 1918,Vanderbilt Theatre
at Internet Broadway Database, accessed 12 February 2012 By 1919 he was in a partnership called "De Rosa & Pereira", and that year he represented several clients in appeals against decisions of the superintendent of buildings of the City of New York. During the 1920s De Rosa obtained many more commissions for new theatres. The great driving force during his

career was "the phenomenal growth in popularity of motion pictures", and his early work included the

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 ...

(1920), the Apollo on 42nd Street (1920), and

Klaw Klaw or KLAW may refer to: *Klaw (surname) *Kawhi Leonard (born 1991), American basketball player nicknamed "the Klaw" *Klaw (Marvel Comics), a fictional villain * Klaw Theatre, a broadway theatre in Manhattan, New York City *KLAW Klaw or KLAW may ...

(1921) Theatres.''Building age and national builder'', vol. 47, issues 7–12 (1925) : "the phenomenal growth in popularity of motion pictures ... This house, which was opened recently, is the design of Eugene De Rosa, architect, of New York, who is by way of being a specialist in theatre architecture, having to his credit, among others, the Times Square, Apollo, Klaw". One important design for a site on Hyatt Street in St. George, Staten Island, provided not just a grand new theatre but also stores and offices. De Rosa's business was largely destroyed by the Great Depression of the 1930s, during which he took the opportunity to travel overseas. He spent some years in London and settled for a while in Naples, where in 1935 he was reported to be "wonderfully helpful" to American and English visitors. His brother Felix De Rosa, also an architect, sold insurance during the Depression. Before or during the Second World War De Rosa returned to New York, where by 1944 he was said to be working on new theatre projects.''Pencil Points'', vol. 25, part 2 (Reinhold, 1944), p. 124: "Eugene De Rosa, New York architect, is recognized as an expert on theatre design and now on his boards are a number of postwar theatre projects." However, his death in about 1945 prevented the revival of his career.

Work

Several of De Rosa's theatres are still standing, among them the 1000-seat Lafayette Theatre, Suffern (1924), an Adamesque building with a combination of French and

Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance ( it, Rinascimento ) was a period in Italian history covering the 15th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Europe and marked the trans ...

influences ornamented in the '' Beaux Arts'' manner. An improvement scheme in 1927 added six distinctive opera boxes and further balcony seating. Unlike many others, the Lafayette was spared from demolition and multiplexing and continues to be used as a single-screen movie theatre.Craig H. Long, ''Suffern'' (2011), p. 42 Another surviving work is the

Broadway Theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...

, New York (1924), originally "B. S. Moss's Colony Theatre".Don B. Wilmeth, ''The Cambridge guide to American theatre'' (2007), p. 129: "Broadway, NYC rchitect: Eugene De Rosa Opened as B. S. Moss's Colony Theatre in 1924." The

Gallo Opera House Studio 54 is a Broadway theater and a former disco nightclub at 254 West 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Operated by the Roundabout Theatre Company, Studio 54 has 1,006 seats on two levels. The theater was ...

, New York, built in 1927 for

Fortune Gallo Fortune Thomas Gallo (May 9, 1878 – March 28, 1970) (born Fortunato Gallo) was an Italian-born opera impresario. Gallo was owner and General Manager of the traveling San Carlo Opera Company from 1913 until its disbandment in the late 1950s. ...

, was renamed as the Gallo Theatre, then Studio 52, and since 1977 has been well-known as Studio 54, a nightclub and theatre.Studio 54: A New York Fairytale
31 January 2017, at barnebys.co.uk, accessed 14 May 2020 De Rosa's huge 2,800-seat St. George Theatre,

St. George, Staten Island St. George is a neighborhood on the northeastern tip of Staten Island in New York City, along the waterfront where the Kill Van Kull enters Upper New York Bay. It is the most densely developed neighborhood on Staten Island, and the location of th ...

, begun in 1928, cost $500,000 for the theatre alone and was part of a greater development project (an office complex is attached) worth some $2,000,000. The theatre opened on December 4, 1929, only weeks after the

Wall Street Crash of 1929 The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange coll ...

, and remains in use. It is now owned by St. George Theatre Restoration Inc., a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

which aims to restore the building and to develop it as a performing arts and cultural center. Most of the ornate interior was designed not by De Rosa but by Nestor Castro.About Us
at stgeorgetheatre.com, accessed 12 February 2012

List of theatres

*43rd Street Theatre,

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(1938), closed 1952Queens list
at historictheatres.org *Apollo Theatre, 126 Clinton St, New York (1926), closed after 1950, demolished https://historictheatres.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/MM-Manhattan-Index-Cards.pdf *

Apollo Theatre The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, in central London.

, 42nd Street, New York (1920; demolished 1996) *Belmont Theatre, 48th Street, New York (1918), demolished in 1951 *Bijou Theatre, 193 Avenue B, New York (1926), renamed Charles Theatre (1950), closed 1972, is now a church *

The Broadway Theatre The Broadway Theatre (formerly Universal's Colony Theatre, B.S. Moss's Broadway Theatre, Earl Carroll's Broadway Theatre, and Ciné Roma) is a Broadway theater at 1681 Broadway (near 53rd Street) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan i ...

, New York (1924, still in use) *B.S. Moss Cameo Theater, 42nd Street (1921), demolished *Cameo Theatre, 138 West 42nd, New York (1921), renamed Bryant (1938), 1970s became an adult film, closed in 1983 *Capitol Theater, Jamaica, Queens (1926), renamed Cort Jamaica Theater (1928), Werba's in 1929, and later named Carlton Theater (1930), which closed in 1958 and was demolished in 2002 (now the home of PS268). *Central Theatre, Jersey City (1920; closed in the 1960s and is now defunct) * Coliseum Theatre (Washington Heights), 4260 Broadway, New York (1920) *Corona Theatre,

Corona, Queens Corona is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City. It borders Flushing and Flushing Meadows–Corona Park to the east, Jackson Heights to the west, Forest Hills and Rego Park to the south, Elmhurst to the southwest, and East ...

(1927), closed 1956 *

Criterion Theatre The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre at Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has a seating capacity of 588. Building the theatre In 1870, the caterers Spiers and Pond began developmen ...

, New York, 1935 re-design *Embassy Theatre, 1560 Broadway, New York, (1925) *

, New York (1927), later renamed Studio 54 *Gem Theatre,

Far Rockaway, Queens Far Rockaway is a neighborhood on the eastern part of the Rockaway peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens. It is the easternmost section of the Rockaways. The neighborhood extends from Beach 32nd Street east to the Nassau County line ...

(1933), later renamed PIX (1950s), closed in the 1970s *Inwood Theatre, 132 Dyckman New York (1927), closed after 1955 *Kenmore Theatre, Brooklyn, New York (1928-1999), was a theatre before being outfitted into a movie cinemaCezar Joseph Del Valle, ''The Brooklyn Theatre Index'
Volume I Adams Street to Lorimer Street
/ref> * Kent Theater, Bronx, New York, (mid 1930s), sold 1991 *

Klaw Theatre The Klaw Theatre was a Broadway theatre located at 251–257 West 45th Street (now a part of George Abbott Way) in Midtown Manhattan. Built in 1921 for producer Marcus Klaw, the theater was designed by Eugene De Rosa. Rachel Crothers' '' Nice ...

, 251–257 West 45th Street, New York (1921); in 1929 renamed the Avon; demolished 1954 * Lafayette Theatre, Suffern, New York (1924, still in use) *Lincoln Theatre,

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.Yonkers, New York Yonkers () is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. Developed along the Hudson River, it is the third most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City and Buffalo. The population of Yonkers was 211,569 as en ...

(1928), later renamed Brandt's Yonkers, demolished 1975 *Missouri Theatre,

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

*New Apollo Theatre, Yiddish Theatre District, Manhattan (1925), demolishedLOEW’S CANAL STREET THEATRE, 31 Canal Street, Manhattan
at nyc.gov *New Cataract Theatre, Niagara Falls *New York Theatre, 1480 Broadway, New York (1939), renamed Globe (1950s), Rialto East (1976), Line 42 (1981), Line 1&2 (1983), Big Apple 1&2 (1984) *Norworth Theatre, 121-3 West 48th Street (1918), renamed Theatre Parisien (1919), Belmont (1920), demolished 1952 *Open Air Theatre, Far Rockaway, Queens (1919) *Palestine Theatre, Yiddish Theatre District, Manhattan (1925), renamed Winston (1968), demolished 1972 *Park Lane Theatre, 1726 1st Avenue, New York (1927), closed 1952 *Republic Theatre, Brooklyn, New York (1921), renamed RKO Republic Theatre in 1937 *Ruby Theatre, 107 Rivington Street, Yiddish Theatre District, Manhattan (1925), closed 1940, demolished *Shubert Jamaica Theatre, Jamaica, Queens (1929), closed 1983 *Stadium Theatre, 2176 3rd Avenue, New York (1921), renamed Sun (1941), closed in 1945 *State Theatre, South Street, Middletown, New York (1921) * St. George Theatre, St. George, Staten Island (1928–1929, still in use) *Terminal Theatre, Brooklyn, New York (1925), closed in the 1960s *Terrace Theatre, 361 West 23rd, New York (1937) demolished *Tilyou Theatre, Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, New York (1926), closed in 1968, demolished 1973 * Times Square Theatre, New York (1920; still standing, but not in use) *Trans-Luxe Broadway Theatre, 1603 Broadway, New York (1937), renamed Bryan West (1974), Embassy 49 (1976), Pussycat Cinema (1977), & Grand Pussycat (1985), demolished 1986. *Uptown Theatre, 4037 Broadway, New York (1926), converted into a supermarket in 1955. *

Vanderbilt Theatre The Vanderbilt Theatre was a New York City Broadway theatre, designed by architect Eugene De Rosa for producer Lyle Andrews. It opened in 1918,8th Street Playhouse The Film Guild Cinema was a movie house designed by notable architectural theoretician and De Stijl member, Frederick Kiesler (earlier designs by Eugene De Rosa).https://historictheatres.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/MM-Manhattan-Index-Cards.pdf I ...

(1929), earlier designs *B.S. Moss, 8th Ave & 22nd Street, (1930) *Loew's 72nd Street Theatre, 188 East 72nd Street, New York (1926), built with designs by

John Eberson John Adolph Emil Eberson (January 2, 1875 – March 5, 1954) was an Austrian-American architect best known for the development and promotion of movie palace designs in the atmospheric theatre style. He designed over 500 theatres in his lifetime, ea ...

in 1927 *Marlboro Theatre, 4915 Broadway, New York (1926), later Mercedes Theatre (1927) for Paramount, and plans in 1936 redrawn but abandoned. *MP Theatre, 137-9 West 72nd (1931)

Alterations

*68th Street Playhouse, 1164 3rd Avenue (1933) *

Garden Theatre The Garden Theatre was a major theatre on Madison Avenue and 27th Street in New York City, New York. The theatre opened on September 27, 1890, and closed in 1925. Part of the second Madison Square Garden complex, the theatre presented Broadway ...

, June 1915 *Lenox Lyceum, 621-9 Madison Avenue, August 1911

Publications

*Eugene De Rosa, ''Selections from the recent work of Eugene De Rosa, architect: 15 West 44th Street, New York'' (Architectural Catalog Co., 1927)''Selections from the Recent Work of Eugene De Rosa, Architect: 15 West 44th Street, New York''
books.google.com, accessed 10 February 2012

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rosa, Eugene De 1894 births 1940s deaths American theatre architects People from Calabria Architects from New York City Italian emigrants to the United States 20th-century American architects