Palace Theatre
| Palace Theatre 1554 Broadway New York, NY 10019 Click Here For More Info On The Theatre |
Location
The Palace Theatre is located on the southeast corner of 7th Avenue and 47th
Street. It is number 14 on The Broadway Map.
Background
The Palace Theatre opened as a vaudeville house in 1913. It was conceived by theatre impresario
Martin Beck, who lost control of 75% of the Palace by the time it opened,
but kept control of the booking of acts. During the vaudeville era, the Palace Theatre
had such stars as Harry Houdini, W.C. Fields, and the Marx Brothers
grace its stage, but from the 1930s on it struggled for survival.
For many years, the Palace was a movie house, until the Nederlander Organization bought it in 1965 and restored
the theater to legitimacy.
Design
The Palace Theatre, which was originally attached to a 12-story office building, was designed by architects Kirchoff and
Rose. The façade is an example of Beaux Arts style. The original auditorium was decorated
with lavish ornamental plasterwork, and the outer lobby was decorated with marble
and bronze fittings. A major renovation in 1965 was done by the famed scene
designer Ralph Alswang. The Palace Theatre was restored again in the 1980s when its old
office building was replaced by the skyscraper Embassy Suites Hotel. A new
entrance and Broadway marquee were designed by architects Fox & Fowle.
Best Seats
The Palace Theatre has a seating capacity of 1,740 seats.
Directions
Take the 1 or 9 subway to 50th street. Walk south to 47th street, then east to the
theater.
Parking
See our Discount Parking Guide for parking near this theater.
Previous Shows
The first big hit at the Palace Theatre after its restoration in 1966 was Sweet Charity, starring Gwen Verdon and directed by Bob Fosse. Woman
of the Year, starring Lauren Bacall, won four Tony Awards, and other Tony winning
musicals to open at the Palace include La Cage aux Folles and the Will Rogers Follies. The spectacular Disney
musical Beauty and the Beast opened there in 1994, but transferred to the Lunt-Fontanne five years later. The Palace Theatre has hosted special showcases of some of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century, including Sarah Bernhardt, Bob Hope, Danny Kaye, Judy Garland, Bette Midler, Josephine Baker, and Liza Minnelli.
Seating Chart
