St. James Theatre
| Erlanger's Theatre | |
The St. James Theatre, 2006
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| Address | 246 W. 44th St New York City United States |
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| Owner | Jujamcyn Theaters |
| Type | Broadway |
| Capacity | 1,710 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1927 |
| Architect | Warren and Wetmore |
| Website | |
| www |
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The St. James Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 246 W. 44th St. (between 7th & 8th Avenues) in New York City.
It was built by Abraham L. Erlanger, theatrical producer and a founding member of the Theatrical Syndicate, on the site of the original Sardi's restaurant. It opened in 1927 as The Erlanger. Upon Erlanger's death in 1930, control of the venue was taken over by the Astor family, who owned the land on which the theatre stood. The Astors renamed it the St. James Theatre.
The theatre was taken over by the Shuberts in 1941. They were forced to sell it to William L. McKnight in 1957 following the loss of an antitrust case. McKnight renovated the St. James and reopened it in 1958. In 1970, McKnight then transferred the theatre to his daughter Virginia and her husband James H. Binger, who had formed Jujamcyn Theaters.
The St. James Theatre is expected to undergo renovations to extend its stage by 10 feet into the alley between the Helen Hayes Theatre and the St. James. This is part of a surge in Broadway theatre renovations. The bigger stage is expected to accommodate the 2018 Broadway run of the Disney musical Frozen.
In April and May, 2013, film director Alejandro González Iñárritu spent 30 days shooting his film Birdman almost entirely within the St. James Theatre and its environs. The film depicts the production of a Broadway show during its preview nights and premiere, and utilizes the theatre's stage, lobby, and backstage areas. The theatre features in the opening montage of Woody Allen's Manhattan, his "love letter" to New York City. St. James Theatre is also shown in the season 4 finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm when Larry David and David Schwimmer star in the Broadway version of The Producers. There is also a scene on the street in front of the theatre in which Larry David gets into a confrontation with a tourist played by Stephen Colbert. The Theatre is also referenced and used in NBC's Smash in a number of episodes.
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