Jump to content

Richard Rodgers Theatre

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 2601:7c0:4102:48e0:6233:4bff:fe9f:5af4 (talk) at 03:08, 21 September 2016 (Production history). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Richard Rodgers Theatre
Chanin's 46th Street Theatre, 46th Street Theatre
Map
Address226 West 46th Street
New York City
United States
OwnerNederlander Organization
Capacity1,319
ProductionHamilton
Construction
Opened1928
ArchitectIrwin Chanin
Website
www.richardrodgerstheatre.com

The Richard Rodgers Theatre is a Broadway theater located at 226 West 46th Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue, in New York City. The theatre was built by Irwin Chanin in 1925 and was originally called Chanin's 46th Street Theatre. Chanin almost immediately leased it to the Shuberts, who bought the building outright in 1931 and renamed it the 46th Street Theatre. In 1945, the theatre was taken over by Robert W. Dowling.[1] In 1960, it was purchased by the producer Lester Osterman.,[2] who sold it to producers Stephen R. Friedman and Irwin Meyer in 1978.[3] In 1981, it was purchased and renovated by the Nederlander Organization, who in 1990 changed the house's name to the Richard Rodgers Theatre in memory of the composer.[4]

The theatre currently holds the distinction of having housed the greatest number (eleven) of Tony Award-winning Best Plays and Best Musicals, more than any other theatre on Broadway.[5]

Chanin's seating plan

The Richard Rodgers Theatre is notable in that it was the first to feature Chanin's 'democratic' seating plan. In most earlier Broadway theatres, patrons seated in the cheaper balcony and mezzanine sections utilized separate entrances from patrons who had purchased the more expensive orchestra section seats. Instead, all patrons entered the new theatre through the same doors, and a series of steps inside the house led to the upper seating areas.

Production history

Production First Preview Opening Date Closing Date Notes
The Greenwich Village Follies December 24, 1925 May 1926
DuBarry Was a Lady December 6, 1939 Transferred from the Rodgers to the Royale Theatre in October 1940 before closing on December 12, 1940.
Finian's Rainbow January 10, 1947 October 2, 1948
Guys and Dolls November 24, 1950 November 28, 1953 1951 Tony Award for Best Musical
Ondine February 18, 1954 July 3, 1954
The Bad Seed December 8, 1954 Transferred from the Rodgers to the Coronet Theatre in April 1955 before closing on September 27, 1955.
Damn Yankees May 5, 1955 1956 Tony Award for Best Musical. Transferred from the Rodgers to the Adelphi Theatre in May 1957 before closing on October 12, 1957.
Redhead February 5, 1959 March 19, 1960 1959 Tony Award for Best Musical
Donnybrook! May 17, 1961 May 18, 1961 July 15, 1961
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying October 12, 1961 October 14, 1961 March 6, 1965 1962 Tony Award for Best Musical
1776 March 16, 1969 1969 Tony Award for Best Musical. Transferred from the Rodgers to the St. James Theatre in December 1970, where it played until April 1971. 1776 then moved to the Majestic Theatre before closing on February 13, 1972.
Raisin October 10, 1973 October 18, 1973 December 7, 1975 1974 Tony Award for Best Musical
Chicago May 12, 1975 June 3, 1975 August 22, 1977
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas June 19, 1978 March 27, 1982
Nine April 22, 1982 May 9, 1982 February 4, 1984 1982 Tony Award for Best Musical
Fences March 17, 1987 March 26, 1987 June 26, 1988 1987 Tony Award for Best Play
Lost in Yonkers February 12, 1991 February 21, 1991 January 3, 1993 1991 Tony Award for Best Play
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying March 10, 1995 March 23, 1995 July 14, 1996
Chicago October 23, 1996 November 14, 1996 1997 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Transferred from the Rodgers to the Shubert Theatre in February 1997, where it played until January 2003. Chicago then moved to Ambassador Theatre, where it is still running.
Steel Pier March 27, 1997 April 24, 1997 June 28, 1997
Side Show September 19, 1997 October 16, 1997 January 3, 1998
Footloose October 5, 1998 October 22, 1998 July 2, 2000
Seussical November 1, 2000 November 30, 2000 May 20, 2001
Private Lives April 19, 2002 April 28, 2002 September 1, 2002 awards for Scenic Design by Tim Hatley; Costume Design by Jenny Beavan
Movin' Out September 30, 2002 October 24, 2002 December 11, 2005
Tarzan March 24, 2006 May 10, 2006 July 8, 2007
Cyrano de Bergerac October 12, 2007 November 1, 2007 January 6, 2008
In The Heights February 14, 2008 March 9, 2008 January 9, 2011 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo March 11, 2011 March 31, 2011 July 3, 2011
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess December 17, 2011 January 12, 2012 September 23, 2012 2012 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof December 18, 2012 January 17, 2013 March 30, 2013
The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream April 15, 2013 April 16, 2013 May 5, 2013
Romeo and Juliet August 24, 2013 September 19, 2013 December 8, 2013
If/Then March 5, 2014 March 30, 2014 March 22, 2015
Hamilton July 13, 2015 August 6, 2015 2016 Tony Award for Best Musical; 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Box office record

Hamilton achieved the box office record for the Richard Rodgers Theatre. The production grossed $2,282,207 for the week ending July 17th, 2016.[6]

References