Samuel J. Friedman Broadway Theatre The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre was opened on Broadway in 1925 by the Chanin Brothers under the name the Biltmore Theatre
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Location: The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre is located on
47th Street
between
8th Avenue
and Broadway.
Best Seats In The House: With the renovations completed, the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre now only holds 650 seats, with front mezzanine being the best view lines, though there are very few obstructed views in the house.
Background: The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, known for many years as the Biltmore, has one of the more interesting histories of the theaters on Broadway.In the midst of the Depression, the venue's owners, the Chanin brothers, lost the Biltmore to the Federal Theatre Project, where shows for entertainment were replaced with shows for news content. A few years later, the theater was bought by the film studio at Warner Brothers to be used as a vehicle for displaying the work of George Abbott. The Biltmore was leased to CBS in 1952 for use as a TV and radio studio, returning to a legitimate theater about a decade later. The Biltmore stood dark for years after a fire in the late '80s and was finally was bought by James Nederlander and
Stewart Lane
in 1993. Eventually the non-profit Manhattan Theatre Club, which took over the Biltmore Theatre as a Broadway venue for their productions, began a $35 million renovation of the theater, finally reopening it to the public in October 2003. The Biltmore was re-named the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in 2008.
Design: Constructed in 1925, the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (formerly called the Biltmore) was built by the Chanin brothers, who used famed architect of the era Herbert Krapp to design it. The original Biltmore Theatre was built with approximately 1000 seats and a single balcony. When renovated, the number of seats in the theater was reduced to 650, creating a more spacious feel for each patron. The Biltmore Theatre’s interior had been made a
New York City
landmark just prior to its devastating fire in 1987. Directions: Take the A, C, E or 1, 2, 3, 7, N, R, S subway to
42nd Street
. Walk north on Broadway to
47th Street
.
Parking Parking garages in this area are very expensive. We have negotiated special deals wth parking garages that will save you both your wallet and your frustration of driving around trying to find a Parking garage that is reasonably priced.
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Previous Shows: In 1926, the opening show at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, back when it was called the Biltmore Theatre, was Owen Davis’ Easy Come, Easy Go, though it was not the show’s opening night.Subsequent notable productions included My Sister Eileen, No Exit, The Heiress, Barefoot in the Park, Loot, and Hair. Since reopening in 2003 with Richard Greenberg’s play The Violet Hour, the theater has hosted such new dramas as Rabbit Hole, Mauritius, Time Stands Still, The Pitmen Painters, and Good People.
Restaurants We have created a list of bargain and value-driven restaurants that are local to this Broadway Theatre.
The guide is divided by cuisine types and only the best value restaurants make it into our guide. Click
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