Lunt Fontanne Theatre
| Lunt Fontanne Theatre 205 West 46th Street New York, NY 10019 Click Here For More Info On The Theatre |
Location
The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre is located on the north side of 46th Street, just
west of Broadway between Broadway and 8th Avenue. It is number 15 on The Broadway Map
Background
The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre originally opened as the Globe Theatre in 1910.
It was built by producer Charles Dillingham and designed by famed architects
John Merven Carrère and Thomas Hastings. It was named for Shakespeare’s
legendary theater in London, though it has been used mainly for modern musicals. When
Dillingham lost his money in the 1929 stock market crash, the Globe was sold
and, in 1932, turned into a movie theater by the Brandt chain. City Playhouse Inc.
bought the house in 1957 and dubbed it the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, named for America’s most famous husband/wife acting couple,
Alfred Lunt & Lynn Fontanne. Until their retirement from the stage in the 1960, the Lunts appeared in over 40 plays, becoming a theatrical institution unto themselves. The Nederlander Organization
purchased "their" theater in 1973 and still owns it today.
Design
When the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre opened, it was the called one of Broadway's most
beautiful and elegant theaters. The original Globe Theatre’s entrance
on Broadway was built into an old brownstone house. When the firm of Roche & Roche
remodeled in 1957, they closed the Broadway entrance. The 46th Street entrance
has five bay windows topped by cornices. The Globe's original auditorium was
done in Italian Renaissance décor. The most dramatic feature was a
coved ceiling, painted to resemble the sky which could be opened when the
weather permitted. Upon remodeling the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, very little
was left of the Globe. An elegant lounge was added and its walls were decorated
with mirrors and murals of European opera houses.
Best Seats
The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre has 1,492 seats and is known for its good
sightlines.
Directions
Take the 1/2/3/9 subway train to 42nd Street. Walk north on Broadway
to 46th Street, then west to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Or you can take the A/C/E to 42nd Street, walk north on 8th Avenue to 46th Street, then east to the Lunt-Fontanne.
Parking
See our discount parking guide
for parking near this theater
Miscellaneous
The restrooms at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre are located on the basement and
mezzanine levels. No handicap accessible facilities available. The concessions
are on the main level and mezzanine.
Previous Shows
The Globe Theatre opened on January 10, 1910 with a production of The Old Town.
In 1925, the theater hosted the big hit musical No, No Nanette. After two decades as a movie house, the Globe reopened as the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on May 5, 1958, with the
Lunts starring in the drama The Visit. In 1959, The Sound of Music opened
starring Mary Martin and won six Tony Awards. In the 1970s, several famous
musicals were revived at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, including revivals
of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way To The Forum and Jerry Herman’s
Hello, Dolly! The musical Titanic opened in 1997 and won five Tony Awards,
including Best Musical. The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre closed in spring 1999 for
renovations. It was reopened in the fall of 1999 to house a transfer of the Disney hit Beauty
and the Beast.
Seating Chart:
