Times Square Theatre

The Times Square Theatre is a former Broadway theatre, located at 217 West 42 Street (Manhattan) New York City.

The Times Square was built in 1920 by the Selwyn brothers. It was one of three theatres they built and controlled on 42nd Street, along with the Apollo and the American Airlines Theatre. Notable shows presented at the Times Square included the original New York productions of George and Ira Gershwin's "Strike Up the Band" in 1930 and Noel Coward's "Private Lives" in 1931. "Battling Butler", the basis for the Buster Keaton film of the same name, transferred from the Selwyn to the Times Square in 1924.

Only three years after "Private Lives", the Times Square was converted to a cinema. It would remain in operation as a movie theatre until the early 1990s, when it was closed.

The City and State of New York took possession of the Times Square in 1990. In 1992, it was one of six 42nd Street theatres to fall under the protection of the New 42nd Street organization. Along with the Liberty Theatre, it is the only New 42nd Street property that has not been restored, demolished or converted. Many interior elements of the theatre are landmarked, and must be preserved. However, there is no requirement that the Times Square must be used as a theatrical venue.

One of the challenges to returning the Times Square to use as a Broadway theatre is the fact that all entrances to the property are located directly on 42nd Street. This presents a challenge because of the amount of pedestrian and vehicle traffic that would be created on the busy thoroughfare. All of the other 42nd Street theatres, including the American Airlines, the Hilton and the New Amsterdam, have exits on 41st or 43rd street, facilitating access for both theatre patrons and crews loading sets and costumes into the building.

In 2004, the apparel company Ecko unlimited announced plans to use the Times Square as a retail store. However, to date, the theatre is still closed. Fact|date=June 2007

External links

* [http://www.new42.org/about_history_times.cfm Information and photos at the New 42nd Street website]
* [http://www.ibdb.com/venue.asp?ID=1365 Information at the Internet Broadway Database]
* [http://www.nytheatre-wire.com/ab00123t.htm Interview with New 42nd Street president Cora Cahan]

ources

* "Broadway Theatres: History and Architecture", William Morrison, 1999, Dover Publications, ISBN 0486402444
* "Lost Broadway Theatres", Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, Princeton Architectural Press, 1997, ISBN 1-56898-116-3