Lyceum Theatre (New York)
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The Lyceum Theatre is a Broadway theatre, located at 149 West 45th Street. It has the distinction of being the oldest surviving Broadway venue (along with the New Amsterdam Theatre), the oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre in New York City, and the first Broadway theatre ever to be granted landmark status (1974). It is also one of the only theatres in New York to retain and operate under its original name.
The Lyceum was built in 1903 by Daniel Frohman. Brother Charles Frohman acted as manager until his death in 1915; David Belasco later brought some of his productions into the theatre. It has traditionally been used as a venue for plays and solo performances.
The theatre maintains most of its original Beaux-Arts design, including its elaborate marble staircases and undulating marquee. Although it has three levels, it is one of the smallest Broadway theatres in terms of capacity, seating only 922. An apartment above the orchestra, originally used by Frohman, is now the headquarters of the Shubert Archives.
The Frohman brothers' earlier Lyceum Theatre was located at 4th Avenue and E. 23rd Street. Opened in 1885 and demolished in 1902, it was the first theatre to exclusively use electric lighting.
Other Lyceum Theatres in New York
Active
- The Brooklyn Lyceum is located at 225 4th Ave in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. It was built in 1910 as a public bathhouse and now hosts concerts, dance parties and other performance events.
Demolished/Lost
- Lyceum Theatre, Warren Street, active 1808-1809
- Brougham's Lyceum Theatre , also known as Wallack's Lyceum Theatre and The Broadway Theatre, was located at 485 Broadway. It opened in 1850 and was demolished in 1869.
- Berkeley Lyceum Theatre was located at 19 W.44th Street and was the original New York home of Henrik Ibsen's play Ghosts. Opened 1894; active through 1912.
- The Carnegie Lyceum was located at W. 57th St., New York. It opened in 1899 and was active through 1907.
External links and references
- [Broadway Theatre Guide]
- [Official site]
- ["At this Theatre" at Playbill.com]
- [Brooklyn Lyceum official website]
- Broadway Theatres: History and architecture, William Morrison, Dover Publications, 1999, ISBN 0486402444
- The Shuberts Present: 100 Years of American Theater, Maryann Chach, Reagan Fletcher, Mark Evan Swartz, Sylvia Wang, Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2001, ISBN 0810906147
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