THE CENTURY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
was the original home of The Century Association,
founded in 1847 as a congenial meeting place for artists and writers. Membership included such noted people as Edwin
Booth, Louis Comfort Tiffany and future presidents Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt. The building was designed by
Association member Henry Hobson Richardson, and is the only remaining example of his work in Manhattan. In 1891, The
Century Association moved uptown, and the old clubhouse fell upon hard times. In January 1993, almost a century later, the
building was rediscovered and designated a historic landmark. In 1995, J.C. Compton created the Theatre First Foundation
and purchased the old clubhouse for its headquarters, named it the Century Center for the Performing Arts. As the Center's
founder and Artistic Director, she undertook a major restoration project in collaboration with architect Richard Blinder. In
place of the original meeting room, there now stands a theatre that reflects the style and warmth of the late 19th-century.
The remaining three floors of handsome rooms have been faithfully restored.
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