Hudson Theater
The Hudson Theatre in 2003.
|
|
| Address | 139-141 West 44th Street New York City United States |
|---|---|
| Owner | Millennium & Copthorne Hotels |
| Operator | Ambassador Theatre Group |
| Capacity | 970 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1903 |
| Reopened | 2017 |
| Architect | J.B. McElfatrick & Son; Israels & Harder |
| Website | |
|
Hudson Theatre
|
|
| NRHP Reference # | 16000780 |
| Added to NRHP | November 15, 2016 |
The Hudson Theatre is a Broadway theater located at 139-141 West 44th Street, between Times Square and 6th Avenue, New York City. Opened in 1903, it became a leading theatrical venue before also serving in later years as a network radio and television studio, a night club, a movie theater, and a corporate event space.
The Hudson Theatre reopened as a Broadway theater on February 11, 2017. The UK-based Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) signed a long term lease on the theater in 2015 and invested in a complete refurbishment of the venue, bringing it back into full-time use as a Broadway playhouse. The theater is owned by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels.
In 2016, the Hudson Theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The architectural firm of J. B. McElfatrick & Son made initial drawings for the Hudson Theatre in 1902, but the firm of Israels & Harder took the project over by 1903. When the Hudson opened, on October 19 of that year with Ethel Barrymore starring in Cousin Kate, it had a number of distinctive architectural features, including an unusually large foyer, a triple-domed ceiling, and a system of diffused lighting. Built by theatrical producer Henry B. Harris, the theatre was later managed by his wife following his death on the RMS Titanic.
From the 1930s through the 1940s the theater often served as a CBS Radio studio in between theatrical engagements. In 1950, NBC purchased the theater and converted it for permanent use as a television studio. Broadway Open House and The Kate Smith Hour were among the shows that originated there. In 1954, the Hudson became home to The Tonight Show which remained there, first with host Steve Allen and later Jack Paar, until 1959.
...
Wikipedia