The Hilton Theatre on Broadway
Hilton Theatre |
Location:
The Hilton Theatre is located on the north side of 42nd Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue.
Parking
See our discount parking guide for parking for this theater
Background:
No Broadway theater can compare to the Hilton Theatre for its off-stage drama. Flamboyant Canadian impresario Garth Drabinsky rose to prominence by producing such hits as Phantom of the Opera,
Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Show Boat. He undertook the project to build a new Broadway theater through corporate sponsorships and tax credits in under a year. In 1998, he tore down the beautiful but aged Apollo and Lyric Theatres (both of which spent years as movie houses before closing in the early '90s) and built the Ford Center for the Performing Arts specifically to launch his new musical, the epic Ragtime. The show, which is considered a modern classic by many, had a promising start, but it eventually foundered as Drabinsky was implicated in financial problems that rocked the Broadway world. In January 2005, Clear Channel Entertainment (famous for their run-ins with Howard Stern and their alleged radio and music venue monopolies) and the Hilton Hotels Corporation joined forces to
rename the Ford Center to the Hilton Theatre.
Design
The Hilton Theatre is an amalgam of brand new construction and preservation. Both the Lyric and Apollo theaters, which were built adjacent to each other in 1903 and 1920, respectively, were used to create the Hilton. The new theater has incorporated interior designs of the old ones, such as ceiling domes and side boxes, as well as the handsome facade of the old Lyric.
Best Seats
The Hilton Theatre is extremely wide and most every seat has a fine view of the stage.
The best seats are in the rows with the double letters. The Hilton Theatre has an impressive seating capacity of 1,821, making it perfect for big musicals.
Directions
The Hilton Theatre is located between Seventh and Eighth
Avenues. There are entrances into the theater on both 42nd and 43rd streets.
Transportation
By Subway:
Take the 1, 2, 3, A, B, or C train to the 42nd Street/Times Square station.
By Bus:
Take the M10 or M104.
Previous Shows
The spectacular Flaherty & Ahrens musical Ragtime opened the Hilton Theatre, back when it was called the Ford Center for the Performing Arts. The space was subsequently home to a short-lived revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, and then to a long run of the musical 42nd Street, winner of the 2001 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival. 42nd Street defined the musical comedy, with its star-is-born story, spectacular design, score of hit standards, remarkable show chorus, and fabulous ensemble tap dancing.
Seating Chart:
