John Golden Theatre
| John Golden Theatre 252 West 45th Street New York, NY 10019 Click Here For More Info On The Theatre |
Location
The John Golden Theatre is located on the south side of 45th Street, west of
Broadway near 8th Avenue. It is number 25 on The Broadway Map
Background
The John Golden Theatre, built in 1927, was originally called the Theatre Masque. It was one
of the theaters built by the Chanin Brothers, the duo responsible for several Broadway houses. However, the moguls lost control of their theatre empire during the Depression, and as a result the
Majestic Theatre, Royale Theatre, and Theatre Masque were acquired by the
Shuberts. It is the smallest of their theaters and was built to house more intimate plays. In 1937, the Theatre Masque was named
the John Golden Theatre, after the illustrious producer. For a few years
in the mid-'40s, the theater was leased as a movie house, but for most of its life this space has proven to be a great home for plays and small-cast musicals.
Design
The façade of the Golden Theatre was part of a single wall of variegated
brick with three blind arches. The building was designed in the Spanish Renaissance
style and the interior had a strong Spanish flavor. It was designed in the
Mission Revival style, with rough plaster walls, wrought iron fixtures, and
a beamed ceiling.
Best Seats
The John Golden Theatre has 805 seats. Because of its relatively small size, the John Golden Theatre offers great sightlines all around.
Directions
By subway, take the A/C/E to 42nd Street, walk north on Eighth Avenue, and then turn right onto 45th Street. Or take the 1/2/3 to 42nd Street, walk north on Broadway, and make a left onto 45th Street.
Parking
See our discount parking guide
for parking near this theater
Miscellaneous
There are no steps into the John Golden Theatre. Restrooms are located down
two flights of stairs.
Previous Shows
The premiere show at Theatre Masque was Puppets of Passion, an Italian play.
The Theatre Masque’s biggest hit was a drama in 1929 called Rope’s
End by Patrick Hamilton, influenced by the murderers Leopold and Loeb. In
1953, after it had been named the John Golden Theatre, Victor Borge had a big hit here with his one-man show, and the Pulitzer Prize
winning The Gin Game won Jessica Tandy a Tony Award for her performance. More recently, the John Golden Theatre has been home to acclaimed plays like Master Class and Side Man. And now, bringing to mind the theater's first tenant, the John Golden houses the popular puppet musical Avenue Q.
Seating Charts:
