Mark Hellinger Theatre
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The Mark Hellinger Theatre was a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 237 West 51st Street in midtown-Manhattan until it was converted into the Times Square Church in 1989.
Designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb, it was built by Warner Bros. as the first New York City movie palace to show talkies. It opened as Warner's Hollywood Theatre on April 22, 1930 with Hold Everything.
Throughout the next two decades it alternated between a movie house and a legitimate theatre, permanently converting to the latter as the Mark Hellinger, rechristened in honor of the Broadway critic and columnist. It opened under its new name on January 22, 1949 with the musical All for Love.
The Nederlander Organization purchased the venue in 1970. Following a series of flops in the 1980s, they first leased, then later sold the theatre to the Times Square Church. Before selling Nederlander allegedly refused an offer to buy it from British impresario Cameron Mackintosh.
Although the front entrance to the building currently is located on 51st Street, this was actually a side entrance when the theater was built. The main entrance originally was on Broadway, with a narrow lobby leading to a Grand Foyer on 51st Street. The lobbies are sumptuous and large, the seating capacity of over 1800 is one of the largest in the theatre district, and the stage is among the largest and best-equipped of all of New York's theaters. All of these factors have encouraged various parties to try and reclaim the building as a performing arts theater, but to no avail.
[edit] Notable productions
- 1949: The Mikado; The Pirates of Penzance
- 1951: Two on the Aisle
- 1953: Hazel Flagg
- 1955: Plain and Fancy; Ankles Aweigh
- 1956: My Fair Lady
- 1962: The Sound of Music
- 1964: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Fade Out - Fade In
- 1965: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
- 1966: A Joyful Noise
- 1967: Illya Darling
- 1969: Dear World; Coco
- 1971: Man of La Mancha; Jesus Christ Superstar
- 1973: Seesaw
- 1976: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue; Porgy and Bess (Houston Grand Opera)
- 1977: Shenandoah
- 1978: Platinum
- 1979: Sugar Babies
- 1982: A Doll's Life
- 1983: Merlin
- 1984: Oliver!
- 1986: Rags
- 1988: Legs Diamond
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