Belasco Theatre
| Belasco Theatre 111 West 44th Street New York, NY 10019 Click Here For More Info On The Theatre |
Location
The Belasco Theater is located on the north side of 44th Street, between Broadway and Sixth Avenue. It is number 30 on The Broadway Map.
Parking
See our discount parking guide for parking near this theater
Background
In 1907, Broadway mogul David Belasco opened a theater on 44th Street and called it the Stuyvesant. He might have named it for himself, except that he already had one on 42nd Street called the Belasco. However, when that one got a name-change in 1910, the man known as the Bishop of Broadway (because of his unconventional clothing choice) re-christened the Stuyvesant as the Belasco Theatre. Ever the impresario, Belasco had his theater built state-of-the-art, with high tech lighting and set equipment and special effects capabilities. Although it is on 44th Street, arguably the heart of the theatre district, the Belasco Theatre is located east of Seventh Avenue, where only a few lonely Broadway houses still stand; perhaps as a result, it isn't as popular as many of the other theaters on the Great White Way. The Belasco Theatre was eventually bought by the Shubert Organization, but legend has it that its namesake continued to attend performances there, albeit in ghost form, even after his death in 1931.
Design
The Belasco Theatre was designed by architect George Keister with a white-trimmed, red brick colonial-inspired exterior. The small lobby is dingy and painted an unattractive brown and cream; high on the walls and the ceiling are faded paintings of pastoral scenes. The interior of the Belasco Theatre shows some signs of age but is nonetheless very handsome, with numerous murals and beautiful stained glass light fixtures. The restroom lounges have a certain cozy charm, but contain only a few stalls and are desperately in need of renovation.
Directions
By Subway, take the 1/2/3/9 or the N/R/W to 42nd Street, walk north on Broadway and then make a right onto 44th Street.
Best Seats
The front orchestra or front mezzanine seats are your best bet. The extreme right and left sides of the first several rows or so have a somewhat obstructed view. If you have balcony seats, keep in mind that the entrance is through a separate doorway to the far right of the main entrance -- and be prepared for a long journey up a seemingly endless staircase.
Previous Shows
The Belasco Theatre has just over 1,000 seats and has hosted a mix of plays and musicals over the years. Some past shows have included Hit the Deck, It's a Wise Child, Brief Moment, Golden Boy, The Gentle People, Johnny Belinda, Home of the Brave, The Madwoman of Chaillot, The Flowering Peach, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, The Killing of Sister George, Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?, Oh! Calcutta!, The Rocky Horror Show, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, James Joyce's The Dead, and Dracula, the Musical.
Seating Chart:
