Morosco Theatre

The Morosco Theatre was a Broadway theatre near Times Square in New York City from 1917 to 1982. It housed many notable productions and its demolition, along with four adjacent theaters, was controversial.[2][3]

Morosco Theatre
1963[1]
Address217 West 45th Street
New York City
United States
Coordinates40.75801°N 73.98567°W / 40.75801; -73.98567
TypeBroadway
Construction
OpenedFebruary 5, 1917
Demolished1982
ArchitectHerbert J. Krapp

History

Located at 217 West 45th Street, the Morosco Theatre was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp for the Shuberts, who constructed it for Oliver Morosco in gratitude for his helping them break the monopoly of the Theatrical Syndicate. It had approximately 955 seats. After an invitation-only preview performance on February 4, 1917, it opened to the public on February 5. The inaugural production was Canary Cottage, a musical with a book by Morosco and a score by Earl Carroll.[2][3][4]

The Shuberts lost the building in the Great Depression, and City Playhouses, Inc. bought it at auction in 1943. It was sold in 1968 to Bankers Trust Company[2] and, after a massive "Save the Theatres" protest movement mounted by various actors and other theatrical folk failed,[5][6][7][8][9] it was razed in 1982, along with the first Helen Hayes, the Bijou, and remnants of the Astor and the Gaiety theaters; it was replaced by the 49-story Marriott Marquis hotel and Marquis Theatre.[4]

Notable productions
1981
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References

Notes

  1. The sign refers to Arthur Kopit's comedy, Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad, which ran at the Morosco from August 27 to October 5, 1963. (Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad at the Internet Broadway Database)
  2. Morosco Theatre at the Internet Broadway Database
  3. The New York Times (February 5, 1917). "Morosco Theatre Opens Its Doors"
  4. Morrison, William (1999). Broadway Theatres: History and Architecture (trade paperback). Dover Books on Architecture. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications. p. 101. ISBN 0-486-40244-4.
  5. The name of the organization was "Save the Theatres, Inc., as noted in court papers. See Shubert Organization, Inc. v. Landmarks Preservation Commission of the City of New York and Save the Theatres, Inc. Archived May 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division, First Department, May 16, 1991, accessed March 10, 2013
  6. "Proposal to Save Morosco and Helen Hayes Theaters" Archived May 20, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, LHP Architects, accessed March 10, 2013
  7. Helen Epstein (1994). Joe Papp: An American Life. p. 403. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  8. "City Panel Near Vote On Save-The-Theaters Proposals". New York City: NYTimes.com. April 15, 1984. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  9. Corwin, Betty "Theatre on film and tape archive" Archived September 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, International Association of Libraries and Museums of the Performing Arts, accessed May 10, 2013

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