Vivian Beaumont Theatre

The Vivian Beaumont was built in 1965 and is the larger theatre space at Lincoln Center Theater, which also contains the 299-seat Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.

Located in the back corner of the enormous Lincoln Center complex on the Upper West Side. The Vivian Beaumont Theatre is the only Broadway theater not in the Times Square area.

Named For Philanthropist

Named for philanthropist Vivian Beaumont Allen, the theater opened on October 21, 1965. Upon opening, the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center moved in and stayed until 1973. Then the New York Shakespeare Festival, famously run by Joseph Papp and now part of downtown's Public Theater, took up residence at the Vivian Beaumont until 1977.

Among the plays presented by the NYSF during that time was a legendary revival of Threepenny Opera starring Raul Julia.

Theatre Was Empty For Ten Years

For the next ten years, the Vivian Beaumont Theatre was frequently without a tenant, but in 1985, things began to turn around for the theater when Gregory Mosher and Bernard Gersten came on board as Director and Executive Producer, respectively. Under Mosher and Gersten, the Vivian Beaumont presented hit revivals of John Guare's The House of Blue Leaves and Anything Goes starring Patti Lupone.

Theatre Now Known For Breathtaking Revivals and Intriguing New Plays

In 1992, Mosher left and was replaced by Andre Bishop, and since then Bishop and Gersten have proved to be a dynamic duo. The Vivian Beaumont Theatre now provides some of the most breathtaking revivals and intriguing new plays and musicals to be seen on Broadway.

Notable Performances At The Beaumont

The Vivian Beaumont Theatre has hosted numerous celebrated revivals and some excellent new works as well.

Among them are Danton's Death, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Little Foxes, Lovers, Man of La Mancha, Threepenny Opera, The House of Blue Leaves, Anything Goes, The Sisters Rosensweig, Gray's Anatomy, Carousel, Arcadia, Ivanov, Parade, Contact, The Light in the Piazza, The Coast of Utopia, South Pacific, A Free Man of Color, and War Horse.

The interior of the 1,100-seat Vivian Beaumont Theatre is somewhat nondescript, but it has an enormous thrust stage that gives performances there an 'in the round' feel.

Theatre Lacks Style But Has Function

What the performance space itself lacks in style, the rest of the building more than makes up for: In front of the Vivian Beaumont Theatre is a beautiful reflecting pool where you can peacefully relax on the benches surrounding it. The lobby is spacious with a high ceiling and enormous windows looking out onto the plaza. On one side of the lobby, you can mingle and listen to live music before the show (or come extra early for scheduled pre-performance discussions with the artists).

On the other side of the theatre, check out the gift stand, which has CDs, scripts, and T-shirts for Lincoln Center Theater shows. In the middle there are plenty of over-priced drinks and snacks to enjoy at the bar. An unusual but welcome feature of both spaces at the Lincoln Center Theater is a phalanx of lockers, which patrons are free to use for storing coats, umbrellas, and anything else during the performance.