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 Buildi ...

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 ...

Carrère and Hastings Carrère and Hastings, the firm of John Merven Carrère ( ; November 9, 1858 – March 1, 1911) and Thomas Hastings (March 11, 1860 – October 22, 1929), was one of the outstanding American Beaux-Arts architecture firms. Located in New York City ...

Beaux-Arts style Beaux-Arts architecture ( , ) was the academic architectural style taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, particularly from the 1830s to the end of the 19th century. It drew upon the principles of French neoclassicism, but also incorporat ...

Alfred Lunt Alfred David Lunt (August 12, 1892 – August 3, 1977) was an American actor and director, best known for his long stage partnership with his wife, Lynn Fontanne, from the 1920s to 1960, co-starring in Broadway and West End productions. After th ...

Lynn Fontanne Lynn Fontanne (; 6 December 1887 – 30 July 1983) was an English actress. After early success in supporting roles in the West End theatre, West End, she met the American actor Alfred Lunt, whom she married in 1922 and with whom she co-starred i ...

Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and ...

Nederlander Organization The Nederlander Organization, founded in 1912 by David T. Nederlander in Detroit, and currently based in New York City, is one of the largest operators of live theaters and music venues in the United States. Its first acquisition was a lease on ...

New York City 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 ...

bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a na ...

William Zeckendorf William Zeckendorf Sr. (June 30, 1905 – September 30, 1976) was a prominent American real estate developer. Through his development company Webb and Knapp — for which he began working in 1938 and which he purchased in 1949 — he developed ...

Cy Feuer Cy Feuer (January 15, 1911 – May 17, 2006) was an American theatre producer, director, composer, musician, and half of the celebrated producing duo Feuer and Martin. He won three competitive Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Th ...

Stanley Stahl Stanley Stahl (1924–1999) was an American banker and real estate investor from New York City. Early life Stanley Stahl was born to a Jewish family on June 16, 1924 in New York City.Eighth Avenue and Broadway, near

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 ...

in the Theater District 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 Buildi ...

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 rectangular

land lot In real estate, a lot or plot is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner(s). A plot is essentially considered a parcel of real property in some countries or immovable property (meaning practically the same thing) in o ...

covers . The theater has a

frontage Frontage is the boundary between a plot of land or a building and the road onto which the plot or building fronts. Frontage may also refer to the full length of this boundary. This length is considered especially important for certain types of ...

of on 46th Street and a depth of about . The Lunt-Fontanne shares the block with the Paramount Hotel (including Sony Hall) and

Lena Horne Theatre The Lena Horne Theatre (previously the Mansfield Theatre and the Brooks Atkinson Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 256 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1926, it was designed by Herbert ...

to the west, as well as the

Hotel Edison Hotel Edison is at 228 West 47th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Opened in 1931, it is part of the Triumph Hotels brand, owned by Shimmie Horn and Gerald Barad. Thomas Edison turned on the lights when it opened. It accommodated 1,0 ...

to the north. Other nearby buildings include 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-Renais ...

to the northwest; the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and Morgan Stanley Building to the north; the

Palace Theatre Palace Theatre, or Palace Theater, is the name of many theatres in different countries, including: Australia * Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria *Palace Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales Canada *Palace Theatre, housed in the Robillard Block, M ...

, Embassy Theatre, and I. Miller Building to the east; the

New York Marriott Marquis The New York Marriott Marquis is a Marriott hotel on Times Square, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Designed by architect John C. Portman Jr., the hotel is at 1535 Broadway, between 45th and 46th Streets. With 1 ...

to the south; and the Richard Rodgers Theatre, Music Box Theatre, and Imperial Theatre to the southwest.

Design

The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was designed by

Carrère and Hastings Carrère and Hastings, the firm of John Merven Carrère ( ; November 9, 1858 – March 1, 1911) and Thomas Hastings (March 11, 1860 – October 22, 1929), was one of the outstanding American Beaux-Arts architecture firms. Located in New York City ...

in the

Beaux-Arts style Beaux-Arts architecture ( , ) was the academic architectural style taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, particularly from the 1830s to the end of the 19th century. It drew upon the principles of French neoclassicism, but also incorporat ...

. It was constructed for Charles Dillingham, opening in 1910 as the Globe Theatre.; ; The Lunt-Fontanne is the only surviving theater of four that Carrère and Hastings designed, as well as the last theater designed by that firm. Thompson–Starrett Co. was the main contractor. The

Nederlander Organization The Nederlander Organization, founded in 1912 by David T. Nederlander in Detroit, and currently based in New York City, is one of the largest operators of live theaters and music venues in the United States. Its first acquisition was a lease on ...

operates the theater.

Facade

46th Street

The primary

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § ...

of the Lunt-Fontanne's facade is on 46th Street and was originally the carriage entrance. It is symmetrically arranged, though the facade is shorter than its width. The first story, at ground level, was designed as a raised basement. The facade is divided into a central pavilion with five vertical

bays A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a na ...

, which is flanked by slightly recessed outer pavilions.; This arrangement, described as being in a modified

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 ...

style, was reminiscent of Carrère and Hastings's earlier design for the Century (New) Theatre on Central Park West. The westernmost portion of the facade contains the stage house, which is faced in brick and is recessed behind the main portion of the facade. The first story contains a granite

water table The water table is the upper surface of the zone of saturation. The zone of saturation is where the pores and fractures of the ground are saturated with water. It can also be simply explained as the depth below which the ground is saturated. T ...

, blocks of rusticated stone, and doorways in each bay. The recessed doorways are originally designed as archways, which are partially concealed by the marquee. The westernmost door is the stage door. The easternmost two sets of doors lead into the ticket lobby, and the other doors contain auxiliary exits from the auditorium. Each of the lobby and auditorium doors contain paneled-wood doors with bronze handles, and the openings are also flanked by display boxes. The marquee above the doorways was added after the theater opened; it contains a band with foliate decorations, above which acanthus leaves rise vertically. The first story is topped by a frieze containing foliate decorations and flowers. Above the five central doorways are archivolts with sculpted heads, as well as

modillion A modillion is an ornate bracket, more horizontal in shape and less imposing than a corbel. They are often seen underneath a cornice which it helps to support. Modillions are more elaborate than dentils (literally translated as small teeth). Al ...

blocks with alternating somber and snarling faces. The arches and faces served to identify the building's theatrical use. On the upper stories, the five central bays form a pavilion with double-height arches. A terrace projects slightly from the second floor, above the first story's modillions, with a

balustrade A baluster is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its c ...

made of

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 inclusions (up to 2% by weight), which give it a wood-like "grain" ...

. This terrace was originally connected to the auditorium's first balcony level. There are

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 between each arch, topped by

capitals Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used fo ...

in the Ionic style. Each of the archways contains a multi-paneled window, with a broken

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedim ...

and a

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 ...

bar dividing the second and third floor. Above the centers of the arches are terracotta cartouches. The spandrels at the arches' corners contain semi-nude or nude female figures, holding theatrical masks that depict comedy and tragedy. The fourth floor of the center bays has square openings with

sash window A sash window or hung sash window is made of one or more movable panels, or "sashes". The individual sashes are traditionally paned windows, but can now contain an individual sheet (or sheets, in the case of double glazing) of glass. History ...

s, which are surrounded by eared frames and flanked by carvings of caryatids. The caryatids are topped by depictions of bows and helmets in the center three arches, as well as musical instruments in the outer two arches. A wave molding also runs above the fourth floor. The outer bays are faced in

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 ...

. These have double-height windows at the second and third floors, with molded window frames and projecting

lintel A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented structural item. In the case of ...

s above. There is a circular window at the fourth story above each double-height window. Simple sash windows are placed on the side of the western pavilion, which projects from the stage house. A

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 ...

with panels, as well as a

course Course may refer to: Directions or navigation * Course (navigation), the path of travel * Course (orienteering), a series of control points visited by orienteers during a competition, marked with red/white flags in the terrain, and corresponding ...

with

dentil A dentil (from Lat. ''dens'', a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice. Dentils are found in ancient Greek and Roman architecture, and also in later styles such as Neoclassical, Federal, Georgian R ...

s, runs above the outer pavilions. Above that is a cornice, which runs the whole width of the facade. The central pavilion has a deeply projecting

parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). ...

, below which are

brackets A bracket is either of two tall fore- or back-facing punctuation marks commonly used to isolate a segment of text or data from its surroundings. Typically deployed in symmetric pairs, an individual bracket may be identified as a 'left' or 'r ...

and a decorative band of heads, cartouches, and panels. The theater's tiled roof is above the parapet.

Former Broadway entrance

The Globe Theatre was built with an entrance on 1555 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Streets.; The Broadway elevation was described in the ''New York Dramatic Mirror'' as the main entrance, though other sources stated that the Broadway entrance was secondary to that on 46th Street. The Broadway elevation was four stories high and measured wide. It had been adapted from a brownstone residence and contained signs in front of it. The facade was flanked by Ionic pilasters and contained interspersed stone panels. The second floor was decorated with "elaborately ornamented" arched

casement window A casement window is a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges at the side. They are used singly or in pairs within a common frame, in which case they are hinged on the outside. Casement windows are often held open using a cas ...

s. There were also masks, garlands, cherubs, pediments, and a cornice on the facade. The entrance led to the box-office vestibule and a corridor to the auditorium. The Broadway entrance is no longer extant. It was cut off from the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 1957 when the theater was renovated. While the Broadway elevation physically existed for half a century afterward, it did not serve as an entrance, and tall signs were built in front of the four-story facade. In 2006, the old Broadway entrance was demolished, along with a neighboring Howard Johnson's restaurant at 1551 Broadway. The Broadway entrance was replaced with an American Eagle Outfitters store.

Interior

Original interior

The Globe Theatre's original interiors included ornamental plaster from Crane & Mahoney, metal lath from Arthur Greenfield Inc., and limestone from Farnum Cheshire. The structural frame was made of steel and concrete. The theater had an Italian Renaissance design with a color palette of gold, blue, and ivory white, as well as "rose du Barry" curtains. At ground level, the promenade from Broadway was decorated in gold and rose. The entire 46th Street frontage functioned as a large exit corridor. The entrance vestibule from 46th Street was designed as a promenade with a similar color scheme to the rest of the theater. The promenade from 46th Street measured long and wide. A foyer at the second story (originally the first balcony level) led to the terrace on the 46th Street frontage of that story.; Dillingham's offices were housed on the upper stories, above the auditorium. The Globe Theatre, Broadway, New York (2)

The Globe Theatre, Broadway, New York (2)

The auditorium was designed in a fan shape; according to contemporary publications, that shape allowed both optimal acoustics and sightlines.; The fan shape also allowed the audience to be closer to the performers than in other theaters, creating a more intimate house. The auditorium had an orchestra level, two balconies, boxes, and a stage behind the

proscenium A proscenium ( grc-gre, προσκήνιον, ) is the metaphorical vertical plane of space in a theatre, usually surrounded on the top and sides by a physical proscenium arch (whether or not truly "arched") and on the bottom by the stage floor ...

arch.; There were 1,416 seats in total; the orchestra alone had 15 rows of seats. The seats could be individually cooled by ice or heated by hot air from vents underneath. At the rear of the second balcony level, three holes could provide spotlight illumination. There were twelve boxes, arranged in two tiers on both sides of the auditorium. The boxes were at the front of the theater and stepped down toward the proscenium; they were separated by Corinthian columns. Rose-colored curtains were also hung above the upper tier of boxes. The auditorium had 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 ...

when it was built. The original design included a retractable ceiling, as well as a movable roof above. According to contemporary sources, the ceiling had a retractable oval panel, which would be moved "when weather permits" to allow starlight and keep the auditorium cooler in summer. The historian William Morrison could not find a reference to the ceiling ever opening; he said that retracting the roof would have been difficult because of debris buildup. The proscenium arch was surrounded by a molded frame on all sides in a way that suggested "a rich frame to a picture". The large stage was capable of accommodating all the necessary theatrical equipment.; The backstage areas had "modern and convenient dressing rooms", including showers for the actors. An elevator connected the stage to a six-story dressing room wing in the rear. The theater had provisions for fireproofing, such as modern standpipe and sprinkler equipment, automatic alarms, and watchmen's systems.

Modifications

When the theater was renovated in 1958, most of the old Globe's interiors were removed and redecorated in an 18th-century style. According to Robert Dowling, who helped redevelop the theater, the promenade was redecorated in a

rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...

style with "exotic" wall decorations. The mezzanine contained a lounge with paneled mirrors, as well as murals depicting opera houses in Europe. Blue rococo floor coverings were installed throughout the theater, with a layer of thick foam underneath. In the auditorium, the two levels of balconies were removed, and a single balcony level with 700 seats was installed. The orchestra level was arranged with 800 seats. In both levels, the first few rows were upholstered in rococo blue silk above rubber foam cushions, with additional cushions for short guests. Tickets to the front-row seats were higher than those for the remaining seats, which were salvaged from the old Globe's interiors. Modern estimates of the seating capacity vary: ''

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 p ...

'' cites a capacity of 1,470 seats, while the Broadway League cites 1,519 seats. After the renovation, the proscenium measured across, while the stage was deep. A new curtain with a sunburst design was installed, and a mural with depictions of theatrical muses was painted on the ceiling. The ceiling mural, painted by Edward Melcarth, was decorated with clouds, which hid ventilation openings. The retractable ceiling was also removed with the renovation. The rear (west) wall was moved about west, and the remaining walls were retained.

History

Times Square 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 ...

. Manhattan's theater district had begun to shift from Union Square and

Madison Square Madison Square is a public square formed by the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The square was named for Founding Father James Madison, fourth President of the United S ...

during the first decade of the 20th century. From 1901 to 1920, forty-three theaters were built around Broadway in Midtown Manhattan, including the Globe Theatre. The Globe was developed by Charles Dillingham, who first was a theatrical critic and then an associate of impresario Daniel Frohman in the late 1890s. Dillingham began to produce more of his own plays in the first decade of the 20th century, upon Frohman's urging.

Globe Theatre

Development and early years

The Dillingham Theatre Company bought a plot at 1555 Broadway and a assemblage at 203-217 West 46th Street in November 1907. Dillingham hired Carrère and Hastings to design a theater along Broadway and 46th Street. The Dillingham Theatre Company took title to the land in January 1908, and plans for the theater were filed that March. Dillingham originally wanted to call his new theater the Gaiety, but George M. Cohan and

Sam H. Harris Sam Henry Harris (February 3, 1872 – July 3, 1941) was a Broadway producer and theater owner. Career Sam Harris was born on Manhattan's Lower East Side to poor Jewish parents. After a stint as a cough drop salesman and boxing manager, Harris' ...

were also planning a theater with the same name across 46th Street. In March 1909, Thompson-Starrett was hired as the main contractor. The same month, Dillington announced he would name his theater in honor of the

Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and ...

, the

Shakespearean William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

playhouse in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. That October, Carrère and Hastings filed plans to renovate the existing brownstone at 1555 Broadway, adapting it as the Globe's entrance. The theater opened on January 10, 1910, with the musical ''The Old Town'' featuring Dave Montgomery and Fred Stone.; ; The year of its opening, the Globe also hosted ''The Echo'', which featured the now-popular song

Skidamarink "Skidamarink" or "Skinnamarink" is a popular preschool sing-along song from North America. Originally titled "Skid-dy-mer-rink-adink-aboomp" or "Skiddy-Mer-Rink-A-Doo",

, as well as a four-week limited engagement from French actress

Sarah Bernhardt Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 or 23 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including ''La Dame Aux Cameli ...

. The theater's early offerings were mostly revues and musicals because Dillingham largely produced musicals. ''The Slim Princess'' with

Elsie Janis Elsie Janis (born Elsie Bierbower, March 16, 1889 – February 26, 1956) was an American actress of stage and screen, singer, songwriter, screenwriter and radio announcer. Entertaining the troops during World War I immortalized her as " the s ...

, which premiered in 1911, was the next musical by Dillingham to be staged at the Globe, and Bernhardt returned for another limited engagement the same year. Janis, Montgomery, and Stone returned in 1912 for ''The Lady of the Slipper'', which was a hit with 232 performances. Montgomery and Stone also starred in ''Chin-Chin'', which opened in 1914 and had 295 performances at the Globe. Dillingham also staged the musical ''

Stop! Look! Listen! ''Stop! Look! Listen!'' is a musical in three acts with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and book by Harry B. Smith. The piece had additional music by Henry Kailimai and Jack Alau and additional lyrics by G. H. Stover and Sylvester Kalama. ' ...

'' at the Globe in 1915, with a

ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott J ...

score composed by

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; yi, ישראל ביילין; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-American composer, songwriter and lyricist. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russ ...

. The first straight play at the Globe premiered in 1916, with J. Hartley Manners's ''The Harp of Life''. The play featured Manners's wife

Laurette Taylor Laurette Taylor (born Loretta Helen Cooney; April 1, 1883Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Manhattan, New York, New York; Roll: 1119; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 859; FHL microfilm: 1241119. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 Un ...

along with young British actress

Lynn Fontanne Lynn Fontanne (; 6 December 1887 – 30 July 1983) was an English actress. After early success in supporting roles in the West End theatre, West End, she met the American actor Alfred Lunt, whom she married in 1922 and with whom she co-starred i ...

(a later namesake of the theater). Fred Stone returned the next year in ''Jack O' Lantern'', following the death of Stone's partner Montgomery. ''The Canary'', featuring Julia Sanderson and Joseph Cawthorn, premiered in 1918; the Globe also hosted a limited run of that year's ''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Ai ...

''. The decade ended with ''She's a Good Fellow'' with

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 adopte ...

and the Duncan Sisters in 1919,; the run of which was truncated by the

1919 Actors' Equity Association strike The 1919 Actors' Equity Association strike officially spanned from August 7, 1919, to September 6, 1919. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the theatre industry was revolutionized by powerful management groups that monopolized and centraliz ...

. Dillingham had produced all of the theater's musicals and plays during the 1910s, while

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...

and Anne Caldwell collaborated on many of the musical scores.

1920s and early 1930s

The Globe Theatre, 46th Street and Broadway, New York

Dillingham had originally leased the theater from the Dillingham Theatre Company, operated by the Gould family. In April 1920, he bought the theater outright for $1.25 million, with plans to remodel the property for his offices. That July, W. T. Smith filed plans for a seven-story office wing at 1555 Broadway. Elaborate

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own dur ...

s at the Globe, which were staged starting in the late 1910s, continued into the 1920s. These included the 1920 edition of ''

George White's Scandals ''George White's Scandals'' were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modeled after the ''Ziegfeld Follies''. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W. C. F ...

'',; ; the Globe's first show that did not have Dillingham as a writer. It was followed the same year by another Dillingham play, ''Tip Top'' with Stone and the Duncan Sisters, running 241 performances. The 1921 edition of the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was staged at the Globe,; ; and Kern and Caldwell's production ''Good Morning, Dearie'' opened the same year. Further editions of ''George White's Scandals'' premiered in 1922 and 1923. The former edition's score inspired the opera ''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' () is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play '' Porgy'', ...

'', while the latter saw little success. Dillingham leased the theater to

Oliver Morosco Oliver Morosco (June 20, 1875 – August 25, 1945) was an American theatrical producer, director, writer, film producer, and theater owner. He owned the Morosco Photoplay Company. He brought many of his theater actors to the screen. Frank A. Garb ...

in January 1923 for the production of ''Lady Butterfly'' at the then-exorbitant price of $6,000 a week. Fred Stone and his daughter Dorothy performed later that year in the musical ''Stepping Stones'',; ; another Dillingham production. This was followed in 1924 by comedian

Ed Wynn Isaiah Edwin Leopold (November 9, 1886 – June 19, 1966), better known as Ed Wynn, was an American actor and comedian. He was noted for his ''Perfect Fool'' comedy character, his pioneering radio show of the 1930s, and his later career as a d ...

's ''The Grab Bag'', which ran 184 performances. A major hit came to the Globe in 1925 with the opening of '' No, No, Nanette'', where featured performer

Louise Groody Louise Groody (1897–1961) was an American Broadway musical comedy star of the 1920s who introduced to New York audiences the song " Tea for Two" in the musical '' No, No, Nanette''. Early life Louise Groody was born on March 27, 1897, in Waco ...

became the first musical-comedy performer to earn over $1 million.

Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the ''Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He also p ...

was slated to run the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' at the Globe the following year, but he was not allowed to use the name due to a disagreement with his partners

Klaw and Erlanger Klaw and Erlanger was an entertainment management and production partnership of Marc Klaw and Abraham Lincoln Erlanger based in New York City from 1888 through 1919. While running their own considerable and multi-faceted theatrical businesses ...

.; As a result, in 1926, he hosted ''No Foolin'' (subsequently ''Ziegfeld's American Revue'') at the Globe. The same year, Dillingham produced ''Criss Cross'' with Fred and Dorothy Stone, and ''Oh, Please!'' featured

Beatrice Lillie Beatrice Gladys Lillie, Lady Peel (29 May 1894 – 20 January 1989), known as Bea Lillie, was a Canadian-born British actress, singer and comedic performer. She began to perform as a child with her mother and sister. She made her West End theat ...

. Fred Stone also planned to return to the Globe in 1928, appearing in ''

Three Cheers Hip hip hooray (also hippity hip hooray; ''Hooray'' may also be spelled and pronounced hoorah, hurrah, hurray etc.) is a cheer called out to express congratulation toward someone or something, in the English-speaking world and elsewhere. By a sol ...

'' with Dorothy, but he was replaced at the last minute with

Will Rogers William Penn Adair Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American vaudeville performer, actor, and humorous social commentator. He was born as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, in the Indian Territory (now part of Oklahom ...

; the play ran through early 1929.

Bankruptcy and cinematic use

By 1930, the Globe Theatre was leased to Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO) as a movie house, at least until a new RKO theater was finished on the site of the old Columbia Theatre. That year, the Dillingham Theater Company obtained a $200,000 second mortgage on the theater. Upon the expiry of RKO's lease in July 1931, the Globe returned to legitimate use. The play '' The Cat and the Fiddle'', which opened later that year, was the last legitimate production at the Globe before the theater became a cinema for 25 years.; ; Due to the Globe's financial troubles, ''The Cat and the Fiddle'' was moved to George M. Cohan's Theatre in May 1932. At the time, the second mortgage holder, Spear Securities, sought to foreclose on the theater. Dillingham's friends, including Fred Stone, attempted to recover the theater on his behalf. W 46 St Dec 2021 37

Dillingham ultimately went into bankruptcy in 1933 with debts of over $7 million. A major factor in the bankruptcy was 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 which many Broadway theaters were impacted by declining attendance. Spear Securities acquired the theater at a foreclosure auction in October 1932 for $1.125 million. Brandt Theatres subsequently began to lease the Globe for films. By the next year, the theater was owned by the Globe Land Corporation, and the

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress) ...

held a $1.1 million first mortgage on the theater. Under Brandt's management, the Globe largely showed reruns, which drew complaints from the operator of the rival Roxy Theatre. In February 1936, Harry Brandt of Brandt Theatres announced that he had purchased the Globe for $1.15 million, subject to existing mortgages. He then announced that he would renovate the Globe to serve as headquarters for his company. Brandt announced in 1938 that the Globe would begin to offer five-act vaudeville, followed by one film. The Globe hosted numerous premieres of films, including ''

The Road Back ''The Road Back'', also translated as ''The Way Back'', (german: Der Weg zurück) is a novel by German author Erich Maria Remarque, commonly regarded as a sequel to his 1929 novel ''All Quiet on the Western Front''. It was first serialized in th ...

'' in 1937 and ''

The Roosevelt Story ''The Roosevelt Story'' is a 1947 American documentary film written and directed by Lawrence M. Klee. The film is a documentary about the private and public life of Franklin D. Roosevelt. The film was narrated by Ed Begley, Gene Blakely, Kelly Fl ...

'' in 1947. Among the other films screened at the theater were '' Souls at Sea'' (1937), '' One of Our Aircraft Is Missing'' (1942), '' Eagle Squadron'' (1942), '' Somewhere in France'' (1943), '' The Macomber Affair'' (1947), ''

Anna Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221) ...

'' (1951), and ''

On the Threshold of Space ''On the Threshold of Space'' (aka ''Threshold of Space'') is a 1956 drama directed by Robert D. Webb, starring Guy Madison, Virginia Leith and John Hodiak. It was Hodiak's final film; he died six months before it was released. ''On the Threshol ...

'' (1956). In 1951, Al Beckman and Johnny Pransky considered acquiring the Globe for their vaudeville circuit.

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

Renovation and reopening

By 1955, Roger L. Stevens, Robert Whitehead, and Robert W. Dowling were negotiating to acquire the Globe Theatre for legitimate use. Stevens and Dowling reneged after conducting a study, which found they would have to spend $400,000 to renovate the theater and that the venue would only be able to fit about 1,300 people. The next June, Stevens partnered with

William Zeckendorf William Zeckendorf Sr. (June 30, 1905 – September 30, 1976) was a prominent American real estate developer. Through his development company Webb and Knapp — for which he began working in 1938 and which he purchased in 1949 — he developed ...

in another bid to acquire the theater, with

Cy Feuer Cy Feuer (January 15, 1911 – May 17, 2006) was an American theatre producer, director, composer, musician, and half of the celebrated producing duo Feuer and Martin. He won three competitive Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Th ...

and Ernest Martin as the producers. Despite some delays in September 1956, Stevens, Whitehead, Dowling, and Zeckendorf ultimately acquired the theater in 1957 under the City Playhouses name.; Stevens and Whitehead were affiliated with Producers Theatre, while Dowling was affiliated with the City Investing Company, both of which had a 40 percent ownership stake. Zeckendorf's company

Webb and Knapp Webb and Knapp was a real estate development firm. The company is most famous for developing the Roosevelt Airfield, which was the launching site of the transatlantic flights of Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. It was also the firm at which ...

owned the remaining 20 percent of the theater. The firm of Roche and Roche renovated the interior extensively, replacing the two balcony levels with a single balcony, as well as closing and sealing the Broadway entrance. In addition, the original decorations were largely eliminated and replaced with 18th-century design details. The renovated theater had a plexiglass marquee on 46th Street with scalloped decorations, under which was a black-and-white sidewalk. When the theater was purchased, it was supposed to reopen in January 1958. The premiere attraction was planned to be the musical ''Zuleika'', which was then swapped with Shakespeare's ''

Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...

''. In February 1958, the Globe was renamed in honor of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, who planned to retire after the inaugural show at the theater. The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre opened on May 5, 1958, with

Friedrich Dürrenmatt Friedrich Dürrenmatt (; 5 January 1921 – 14 December 1990) was a Swiss author and dramatist. He was a proponent of epic theatre whose plays reflected the recent experiences of World War II. The politically active author's work included avant- ...

's '' The Visit'', starring Lunt and Fontanne.; ; Dowling, Stevens, and Whitehead had been threatened with a fine if they had not opened ''Visit'' by May 5. This production was the last one to feature Lunt and Fontanne on Broadway. Later that year, Zeckendorf's company

Webb and Knapp Webb and Knapp was a real estate development firm. The company is most famous for developing the Roosevelt Airfield, which was the launching site of the transatlantic flights of Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. It was also the firm at which ...

sold the former entrance building at 1555 Broadway to the Rubinstein-Klein Realty Corporation. The revival of ''Much Ado About Nothing'', with John Gielgud and Margaret Leighton, opened in 1959.; It was followed the same year by the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ''

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, ''The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. S ...

'', which had 1,443 performances during the next three years, including some at the

Mark Hellinger Theatre The Mark Hellinger Theatre (formerly the 51st Street Theatre and the Hollywood Theatre) is a church building at 237 West 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, which formerly served as a cinema and a Broadway theat ...

.

1960s to 1980s

In 1960, City Playhouses leased the theater to producers

Cy Feuer Cy Feuer (January 15, 1911 – May 17, 2006) was an American theatre producer, director, composer, musician, and half of the celebrated producing duo Feuer and Martin. He won three competitive Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Th ...

and Ernest H. Martin for $2 million. The musical ''Little Me'' with

Sid Caesar Isaac Sidney Caesar (September 8, 1922 – February 12, 2014) was an American comic actor, comedian and writer. With a career spanning 60 years, he was best known for two pioneering 1950s live television series: ''Your Show of Shows'' (1950� ...

opened in 1962; in spite of critical acclaim, the musical's run ended early due to a newspaper strike. The following year,

Martha Graham Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991) was an American modern dancer and choreographer. Her style, the Graham technique, reshaped American dance and is still taught worldwide. Graham danced and taught for over seventy years. She ...

and her dance company performed at the Globe. Richard Burton appeared in a revival of ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'' in 1964, the longest run of the play on Broadway; it was followed by several short musical runs. Feuer and Martin obtained total control of the Lunt-Fontanne the same year, when they bought the remaining ownership stake from the Kratter Corporation for $1 million. The partners sold the Lunt-Fontanne to developer Stanley Stahl in 1965. That year, the theater staged ''Skyscraper'' with Julie Harris's first musical appearance,
; ; followed in 1966 by '' Walking Happy'' with

Norman Wisdom Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, (4 February 1915 – 4 October 2010) was an English actor, comedian, musician and singer best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring a hapless onscreen character often called Norman ...

.
; ; Shows of the late 1960s included

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

's Broadway debut in 1967,; followed the same year by '' How Now, Dow Jones''.; ; Another revival of ''Hamlet'' was staged at the Lunt-Fontanne in 1969, this time with Nicol Williamson.; The theater then underwent a renovation and was leased for one year by Lester Osterman. Afterward, Hal Linden and

Keene Curtis Keene Holbrook Curtis (February 15, 1923 – October 13, 2002) was an American character actor. Early life Curtis was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Polley Francella (née Holbrook), a teacher, and Ira Charles Curtis, a railway and civil s ...

starred in the musical '' The Rothschilds''.; ; The Nederlander Organization started operating the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 1973. For much of that decade, the Lunt-Fontanne staged many revivals. Among them were ''

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Inspired by the farces of the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman playwright Plautu ...

'' in 1972, ''

The Pajama Game ''The Pajama Game'' is a musical based on the 1953 novel '' 7½ Cents'' by Richard Bissell. The book is by George Abbott and Richard Bissell; the music and lyrics are by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. and dances were staged by Bob Fosse in hi ...

'' in 1973, '' Hello, Dolly!'' in 1978, and ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythi ...

'' in 1979. The theater also hosted original productions during the 1970s, such as ''Rex'' in 1976.; ; In 1981, Duke Ellington's revue '' Sophisticated Ladies'' opened at the Lunt-Fontanne, running for 767 performances.; This was followed by two revivals staged in 1983 by Zev Buffman: '' Private Lives'' and ''

The Corn Is Green ''The Corn Is Green'' is a 1938 semi-autobiographical play by Welsh dramatist and actor Emlyn Williams. The play premiered in London at the Duchess Theatre in September 1938; with Sybil Thorndike as Miss Moffat and Williams himself portraying Mo ...

''. In addition,

Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, over a career spanning seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalis ...

made her Broadway premiere the same year in a limited solo engagement.; This was followed by a revival of ''

The Wiz ''The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz"'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls (and others) and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's children's novel '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' ...

'' in 1984, and Jerry Weintraub purchased a stake in the operation of the Lunt-Fontanne the same year. A revival of ''

The Iceman Cometh ''The Iceman Cometh'' is a play written by American playwright Eugene O'Neill in 1939. First published in 1946, the play premiered on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 9, 1946, directed by Eddie Dowling, where it ran for 136 perf ...

'' followed in 1985. The originals '' Uptown... It's Hot!'' and ''Smile'' were staged in 1986, as well as a transfer of '' The Gospel at Colonus'' in 1988. In addition to these, the Lunt-Fontanne hosted special appearances, including illusionist Doug Henning (1984);

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, world music, ...

vocalist

Jerry Garcia Jerome John Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician best known for being the principal songwriter, lead guitarist, and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence ...

(1987); rock band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (1989); and singer Freddie Jackson (1989). Stahl and James M. Nederlander considered leasing out the Lunt-Fontanne as a movie theater in 1989, citing a downturn in theatrical bookings; ''

The Threepenny Opera ''The Threepenny Opera'' ( ) is a " play with music" by Bertolt Brecht, adapted from a translation by Elisabeth Hauptmann of John Gay's 18th-century English ballad opera, '' The Beggar's Opera'', and four ballads by François Villon, with mu ...

'' opened later that year. The theater also hosted the 43rd Tony Awards in 1989, followed by the 44th Tony Awards in 1990. 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 Lunt-Fontanne as a landmark in 1982, with discussions continuing over the next several years. The LPC designated the Lunt-Fontanne's facade as a landmark on December 8, 1987, but the modified interior was denied landmark status. 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 ratified the designations in March 1988. The Nederlanders, 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 ...

, and Jujamcyn collectively sued the LPC in June 1988 to overturn the landmark designations of 22 theaters, including the Lunt-Fontanne, 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 tribunals in the United States, federal court cases, and over Stat ...

, but these designations were ultimately upheld in 1992.

1990s to present

Lunt Fontanne Theatre, New York City, NY

A second revival of ''Peter Pan'', featuring

Cathy Rigby Cathleen Roxanne Rigby (later Mason, later McCoy, born December 12, 1952), known as Cathy Rigby, is an actress, speaker, and former artistic gymnast. Her performance in the 1968 Summer Olympics helped to popularize the sport of gymnastics in th ...

, was staged at the Lunt-Fontanne in 1990, as was a concert by Harry Connick Jr. A 1991 transfer of ''

Oh, Kay! ''Oh, Kay!'' is a musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and a book by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. It is based on the play ''La Présidente'' by Maurice Hennequin and Pierre Veber. The plot revolves around the advent ...

'' closed during previews; ''Catskills on Broadway'' opened later the same year and ran for 13 months. Afterward, several flops were staged at the Lunt-Fontanne, including the musical ''Ain't Broadway Grand'' in 1993, as well as '' The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public'' and ''Comedy Tonight'' in 1994. Carol Channing, who had previously performed at the Lunt-Fontanne during the 1978 revival of ''Hello, Dolly!'', returned for another revival in 1995, which ran 118 performances. The

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...

produced ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...

'' in 1996, and the Sovremennik Theatre had eight Russian-language performances of two productions later that year. The musical ''Titanic'' opened in 1997 and was a hit, earning enough money to fund renovations of the theater. In addition, the theater's owners sold some

air rights Air rights are the property interest in the "space" above the earth's surface. Generally speaking, owning, or renting, land or a building includes the right to use and build in the space above the land without interference by others. This lega ...

to the developers of the neighboring Planet Hollywood Hotel in 1998. After ''Titanic'' run ended in March 1999, the theater was closed for much of the year while Sachs Morgan Studio renovated it, changing the lighting and paint scheme. The Planet Hollywood Hotel was being built during the same time, requiring contractors on that hotel to carefully monitor the Lunt-Fontanne for damage. ''

Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine ...

'' opened at the Lunt-Fontanne in late 1999, transferring from the

Palace Theatre Palace Theatre, or Palace Theater, is the name of many theatres in different countries, including: Australia * Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria *Palace Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales Canada *Palace Theatre, housed in the Robillard Block, M ...

with a downsized cast, and ran until 2007. The Lunt-Fontanne was again renovated, and the bar area was demolished and rebuilt to accommodate a new building to the east. ''The Little Mermaid'' then ran at the Lunt-Fontanne from 2007 to 2009. The Lunt-Fontanne generally hosted shorter musicals and appearances in the 2010s. These included '' The Addams Family'' in 2010 and 2011; '' Ghost the Musical'' and '' A Christmas Story: The Musical'' in 2012; '' Motown: The Musical'' from 2013 to 2015; and '' Finding Neverland'' in 2015. 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 Stat ...

in 2014, the Nederlanders agreed to improve disabled access at their nine Broadway theaters, including the Lunt-Fontanne. The theater hosted a limited engagement by Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons and

Kristin Chenoweth Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (; born Kristi Dawn Chenoweth; July 24, 1968)Kristin Cheno ...

's solo '' My Love Letter to Broadway'' in 2016; the musical '' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' in 2017; and '' Summer: The Donna Summer Musical'' in 2018. Numerous performers had limited engagements at the Lunt-Fontanne in 2019 before the opening of ''

Tina Tina may refer to: People * Tina (given name), people and fictional characters with the given name ''Tina'' Places * Tina, Iran, a village in Khuzestan Province, Iran * Tina, Tunisia, a town in Sfax Governorate, Tunisia *Tina, Guadalcanal, Solom ...

'' that November. 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 identi ...

, reopening on October 8, 2021, with performances of ''Tina'', which ran until August 2022. A revival of '' Sweeney Todd'' starring Josh Groban and

Annaleigh Ashford Annaleigh Amanda Ashford (née Swanson; born June 25, 1985) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is known for her work on television as Betty DiMello on the Showtime period drama ''Masters of Sex'', and on Broadway as Lauren in '' Kin ...

is scheduled to open at the theater in early 2023.

Notable productions

Globe Theatre

* 1910: ''

The Girl in the Train ''Die geschiedene Frau'' (''The Divorcée''), is an operetta in three acts by Leo Fall with a libretto by Victor Léon based on Victorien Sardou's ''Divorçons!''. Conducted by the composer, It opened to considerable success at the Carltheater i ...

'' * 1911: ''

A Gentleman of Leisure ''A Gentleman of Leisure'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse. The basic plot first appeared in a novella, ''The Gem Collector'', in the December 1909 issue of '' Ainslee's Magazine''. It was substantially revised and expanded for publication as a ...

'' * 1913: ''

Mlle. Modiste ''Mlle. Modiste'' is an operetta in two acts composed by Victor Herbert with a libretto by Henry Blossom. It concerns hat shop girl Fifi, who longs to be an opera singer, but who is such a good hat seller that her employer, Mme. Cecil, discourages ...

'' * 1915: ''

Stop! Look! Listen! ''Stop! Look! Listen!'' is a musical in three acts with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and book by Harry B. Smith. The piece had additional music by Henry Kailimai and Jack Alau and additional lyrics by G. H. Stover and Sylvester Kalama. ' ...

''
* 1916: '' Betty'' * 1918: '' Hitchy-Koo'' * 1918,
1921:
''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Ai ...

'' * 1920,
1922,
1923:
''

George White's Scandals ''George White's Scandals'' were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modeled after the ''Ziegfeld Follies''. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W. C. F ...

'' * 1922: '' The Bunch and Judy'' * 1923: '' Stepping Stones''
* 1925: '' Aren't We All?'' * 1925: '' No, No, Nanette''
* 1926: '' Criss Cross''
* 1928: ''

Three Cheers Hip hip hooray (also hippity hip hooray; ''Hooray'' may also be spelled and pronounced hoorah, hurrah, hurray etc.) is a cheer called out to express congratulation toward someone or something, in the English-speaking world and elsewhere. By a sol ...

''
* 1931: '' The Cat and the Fiddle''

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

* 1958: '' The Visit'' * 1958: ''

Goldilocks "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" (originally titled "The Story of the Three Bears") is a 19th-century English fairy tale of which three versions exist. The original version of the tale tells of an obscene old woman who enters the forest hom ...

'' * 1959: ''

Les Ballets Africains Les Ballets Africains is the national dance company of Guinea and is based in Conakry. It is one of the first African national dance companies. It has toured extensively around the world. Although the French name might suggest the idea of European ...

'' * 1959: ''

Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...

''
* 1959: ''

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, ''The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. S ...

''
* 1962: '' Little Me''
* 1963: '' Arturo Ui'' * 1964: ''

Luther Luther may refer to: People * Martin Luther (1483–1546), German monk credited with initiating the Protestant Reformation * Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), American minister and leader in the American civil rights movement * Luther (gi ...

'' * 1964: ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

''
* 1964: '' Wiener Blut'' * 1964: ''

Ben Franklin in Paris ''Ben Franklin in Paris'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Sidney Michaels, and music by Mark Sandrich, Jr. with two songs contributed by Jerry Herman. Premise The story is a somewhat fictionalized account of Benjamin Franklin's adventures ...

'' * 1965: ''

Bajour Bajaur District ( ps, باجوړ ولسوالۍ, ur, ) is a district in Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Until 2018, it was an agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, then during restructuring that merg ...

'' * 1965: ''

Skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ri ...

'' * 1966: '' Walking Happy'' * 1967: ''

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

''
* 1967: '' How Now, Dow Jones''
* 1968: ''

Her First Roman ''Her First Roman'' is a musical with music, lyrics, and book by Ervin Drake, based on the 1898 George Bernard Shaw play '' Caesar and Cleopatra''. Original production During its out-of-town tryout, the original director Michael Benthall was fire ...

'' * 1968: '' You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running'' * 1969: '' Come Summer'' * 1969: ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

''
* 1969: ''

La Strada ''La strada'' () is a 1954 Italian drama film directed by Federico Fellini and co-written by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano. The film tells the story of Gelsomina, a simple-minded young woman (Giulietta Masina) bought from her mother ...

'' * 1970: ''

Look to the Lilies ''Look to the Lilies'' was a short-lived Broadway musical with a book by Leonard Spigelgass, lyrics by Sammy Cahn, and music by Jule Styne. Based on both the 1962 novel and film versions of '' Lilies of the Field'', it tells the story of a gr ...

'' * 1970: '' The Rothschilds''
* 1972: ''

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Inspired by the farces of the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman playwright Plautu ...

''
* 1972: ''

Ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or s ...

'' * 1973: ''

6 Rms Riv Vu ''6 Rms Riv Vu'' is a play by Bob Randall, who also wrote the book for ''The Magic Show''. Play ''6 Rms Riv Vu'' derives its title from shorthand used by real estate agents in classified advertising. In this case, a six-room apartment with a v ...

'' * 1973: ''

The Pajama Game ''The Pajama Game'' is a musical based on the 1953 novel '' 7½ Cents'' by Richard Bissell. The book is by George Abbott and Richard Bissell; the music and lyrics are by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. and dances were staged by Bob Fosse in hi ...

''
; ; * 1974: '' The Sunshine Boys'' * 1975: ''

Raisin A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, the word ''raisin'' is reserved for the ...

'' * 1976: '' Rex''
* 1976: ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...

'' * 1977: ''

Primitive Mysteries ''Primitive Mysteries'' is a modern dance work choreographed by Martha Graham to music by Louis Horst. Graham also designed the original costumes. The piece premiered on February 2, 1931 at the Craig Theatre in New York City. From the first perfor ...

'' * 1977: '' The Shadow Box'' * 1978: '' Hello, Dolly!''
* 1978: '' A Broadway Musical'' * 1979: ''

Beatlemania Beatlemania was the fanaticism surrounding the English rock band the Beatles in the 1960s. The group's popularity grew in the United Kingdom throughout 1963, propelled by the singles " Please Please Me", " From Me to You" and " She Loves You" ...

'' * 1979: ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythi ...

''
* 1981: '' Sophisticated Ladies''
* 1983: '' Private Lives''
* 1983: ''

The Corn Is Green ''The Corn Is Green'' is a 1938 semi-autobiographical play by Welsh dramatist and actor Emlyn Williams. The play premiered in London at the Duchess Theatre in September 1938; with Sybil Thorndike as Miss Moffat and Williams himself portraying Mo ...

''
* 1984: ''

The Wiz ''The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz"'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls (and others) and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's children's novel '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' ...

''
* 1985: ''

The Iceman Cometh ''The Iceman Cometh'' is a play written by American playwright Eugene O'Neill in 1939. First published in 1946, the play premiered on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 9, 1946, directed by Eddie Dowling, where it ran for 136 perf ...

''
* 1986: '' Uptown... It's Hot!''
* 1986: ''

Smile A smile is a facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. Some smiles include a contraction of the muscles at the corner of the eyes, an action known as a Duchenne smile. Among humans, a smile expresses ...

''
* 1988: '' The Gospel at Colonus''
* 1989: ''

The Threepenny Opera ''The Threepenny Opera'' ( ) is a " play with music" by Bertolt Brecht, adapted from a translation by Elisabeth Hauptmann of John Gay's 18th-century English ballad opera, '' The Beggar's Opera'', and four ballads by François Villon, with mu ...

''
* 1990: ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythi ...

''
* 1991: ''

Oh, Kay! ''Oh, Kay!'' is a musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and a book by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. It is based on the play ''La Présidente'' by Maurice Hennequin and Pierre Veber. The plot revolves around the advent ...

''
* 1994: '' The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public''
; * 1995: '' Hello, Dolly!''
* 1996: '' Three Sisters'' * 1996: ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...

''
* 1997: ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unite ...

''
* 1999: ''

Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine ...

''
* 2008: '' The Little Mermaid''
* 2010: '' The Addams Family''
* 2012: '' Ghost the Musical''
* 2012: '' A Christmas Story: The Musical''
* 2013: '' Motown: The Musical''
* 2015: '' Finding Neverland''
* 2016: '' Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on Broadway!''
* 2016: '' Kristin Chenoweth: My Love Letter to Broadway''
* 2017: '' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory''
* 2018: '' Summer: The Donna Summer Musical''
* 2019: ''

Morrissey Steven Patrick Morrissey (; born 22 May 1959), known professionally as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since th ...

'' * 2019: '' Pure Yanni'' * 2019: '' Mel Brooks on Broadway'' * 2019: '' Regina Spektor: Live On Broadway'' * 2019: '' Criss Angel Raw—The Mindfreak Unplugged'' * 2019: '' Dave Chappelle on Broadway'' * 2019: '' Manilow Broadway'' * 2019: '' Tina: The Musical''
* 2023: '' Sweeney Todd''

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

* * * * * *

External links

* * {{Authority control Beaux-Arts architecture in New York City Broadway theatres Carrère and Hastings buildings Nederlander Organization New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan Theater District, Manhattan Theatres completed in 1910

Design

Facade

46th Street

Former Broadway entrance

Interior

Original interior

Modifications

History

Globe Theatre

Development and early years

1920s and early 1930s

Bankruptcy and cinematic use

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

Renovation and reopening

1960s to 1980s

1990s to present

Notable productions

Globe Theatre

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

External links