Buy Tickets To The Current Show At The Al Hirschfeld Theatre
Location:
The Al Hirschfeld Theatre is located on the south side of West 45th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues.
It is marked as the Martin Beck Theatre on The Broadway Map
Design:
When originally built, the Martin Beck Theatre was designed to attract attention and was the most opulent theatre of its time. Using fluted columns, a curved balcony and Byzantine details, the interior of this land marked theatre was as awe-inspiring as the outside. Since it has dressing rooms for 200 actors the Al Hirschfeld Theatre is ideal for large musicals with big casts.
Background:
The Martin Beck Theatre (Later renamed to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre) was opened in 1924 by the famous vaudeville impresario Martin Beck. Amongst his many vaudeville accolades, Martin Beck discovered the illusionist Houdini in 1899 who was performing rudimentary magic tricks in St. Paul, Minnesota. Beck convinced Houdini to focus on his "escape" routines and gave him his start in Beck's chain of Orpheum theaters. Although the business relationship with Houdini would sour in later years, Houdini's brother, Dash, later wrote that Houdini owed all his success to the "Astute" Martin Beck. Although Beck was voted out of the presidency of the newly "Public" Orpheum circuit in 1923, Beck remained a potent force in theatrical circles. He
opened the impressive Martin Beck Theater on Broadway in 1924, the only theater in New York
on which there was no mortgage.
The theatre has continuously operated as a successful Broadway venue for over eighty years.
In 2003 the theatre was renamed to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, who's namesake's 100th birthday followed his death in that year. Al Hirschfeld, a famous American caricaturist, is best known for his simple black and white satirical portraits of celebrities and Broadway Theatre stars. The Al Hirschfeld Theatre includes an on-going show of his works.
Best Seats In The House:
The Al Hirschfeld Theatre has a seating capacity of 1,292 for plays and 1,282 for musicals.
The best seats are center orchestra, rows E thru L and in the mezzanine rows A thru C.
Directions:
By Subway:
Take the A,C,E trains to 42nd Street. North 3 blocks to 45th Street and then west to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
Miscellaneous information:
The restrooms at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre are downstairs and the concession stand is on main level.
Previous Shows:
The premier show at the Martin Beck Theatre was Madame Pompadour in 1924, Cabin in the Sky was the current show when Martin Beck died in 1940.
Tony award winning shows at the Theatre have included 1960 "Bye Bye Birdie", 1972 "Sweet Bird of Youth" and 1987 "Into the Woods". The show "Man Of La Mancha" was the current broadway show during the renaming of the theatre from the Martin Beck Theatre to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in June 2003.
Restaurants We have created a list of bargain and value-driven restaurants that are local to this Broadway Theatre.
The guide is divided by cuisine types and only the best value restaurants make it into our guide. Click
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