By Kenneth Jones
12 Nov 2004
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| From Top: The Biltmore Theatre shortly after its reopening; Before its renovation; Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the reopening ceremony |
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| photo by Andrew Ku |
The landmarked Biltmore Theatre, the Broadway home of Manhattan Theatre Club, has been included in the National Register of Historic Places, the not-for-profit troupe announced Nov, 12.
The Biltmore, located at 261 West 47th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, "joins a distinguished group of New York City performing arts venues, including the New Amsterdam Theatre, Radio City Music Hall, the Apollo Theatre and Carnegie Hall, with this prestigious designation."
MTC re-opened the Biltmore Theatre on Oct. 15, 2003 after a two-year, $35 million restoration following years of neglect and damage (including a water-damaged interior, spoiled plasterwork and a basement level flooded with water). Since its re-opening, the Biltmore has received numerous accolades, including the Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award, the New York Landmark Conservancy's highest honor for excellence in historic preservation. It is currently home to the Craig Lucas comedy Reckless starring Mary-Louise Parker.
The Biltmore opened in 1925 and, in its early years, played host to such plays as Brother Rat with Jose Ferrer and See My Lawyer starring Milton Berle. In the '60s, it was the original home of the groundbreaking musical Hair and Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park. It suffered extensive damage in the intervening years due to weather, vandalism and neglect and was closed in 1987 following a devastating fire.
Originally a 950-seat space with "a difficult configuration and lack of audience amenities," according to MTC, the theatre was reconfigured into "an historically sensitive restoration with a 650-seat theatre and improved public facilities."
The Biltmore rehabilitation was designed by Polshek Partnership Architects, whose credits include Zankel Hall, The Rose Center for Earth and Science, Carnegie Hall and the Brooklyn Museum.
For a thumbnail look at the history of the Biltmore, click on Playbill On-Line's At This Theatre feature.
At MTC, Lynne Meadow is artistic director and Barry Grove is executive producer. Visit www.manhattantheatreclub.com.
