Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Gershwin Theatre

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Owner
  
Paramount Group

Production
  
Wicked

Opened
  
28 November 1972

Architect
  
Ralph Alswang

Type
  
Broadway theatre

Capacity
  
1,933

Phone
  
+1 212-586-6510

Gershwin Theatre

Operator
  
Nederlander Organization

Address
  
222 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019, USA

Nyc wicked gershwin theatre


The Gershwin Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 222 West 51st Street in midtown-Manhattan in the Paramount Plaza building. The theatre is named after brothers George Gershwin, a composer, and Ira Gershwin, a lyricist. It has the largest seating capacity of any Broadway theatre, with 1,933 seats.

Contents

Designed in an Art Nouveau style by set designer Ralph Alswang, it is situated on the lower levels of a towering office complex built at an estimated cost of $12.5 million on the site of the historical Capitol Theatre. It opened as the Uris Theatre on November 28, 1972 (named for the building developer Uris Buildings Corporation) with the musical Via Galactica starring Raul Julia. It proved to be an inauspicious start for the venue, with the first show to lose a million dollars closing after only seven performances. From 1974-76 it served as a concert hall for limited engagements by a number of legendary pop music and jazz performers.

The American Theatre Hall of Fame is located in the lobby.

During the 37th Tony Awards ceremony held June 5, 1983, the theatre was rechristened to honor the Gershwins.

The Gershwin has been home to the blockbuster musical Wicked since 2003.

Wicked gershwin theatre sun march 2nd 2014


Notable productions

  • 1972: Via Galactica
  • 1973: Seesaw; Gigi
  • 1974: Sammy Davis, Jr.; Andy Williams with Michel Legrand; Johnny Mathis; Anthony Newley with Henry Mancini; Queen (first Rock band to play Broadway, in support of Mott the Hoople); The 5th Dimension; Raphael
  • 1975: Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Count Basie
  • 1975: Fonteyn & Nureyev on Broadway
  • 1976: D'Oyly Carte Opera Company; Bing Crosby; Barry Manilow; Paul Anka; Al Green with Ashford & Simpson; Season of Gilbert and Sullivan
  • 1976: Porgy and Bess, produced by the Houston Grand Opera
  • 1977: The King and I
  • 1979: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
  • 1981: The Pirates of Penzance;My Fair Lady
  • 1982: Annie
  • 1983: Show Boat
  • 1984: Shirley MacLaine on Broadway; Patti LaBelle on Broadway
  • 1984: Cyrano de Bergerac; Much Ado About Nothing, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company
  • 1985: Singin' in the Rain
  • 1987: Starlight Express
  • 1989: Barry Manilow Live on Broadway
  • 1990: Meet Me in St. Louis
  • 1990: Fiddler on the Roof
  • 1991: Moscow Circus
  • 1993: Raffi
  • 1995: Show Boat
  • 1997: Candide; 1776
  • 2000: Riverdance on Broadway
  • 2002: Oklahoma!
  • 2003: Wicked
  • Box office record

    Wicked set a box office record for the Gershwin Theatre. The production grossed $3,201,333 over nine performances for the week ending December 29, 2013. This was also the highest one-week box office gross income made by any show in Broadway history, until that time.

    References

    Gershwin Theatre Wikipedia