Hilton Theatre (Broadway)
Formerly named the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, this theatre was renamed the Hilton Theatre in 2005.
The Ford Center was a spectacular phoenix that arose from two adjacent historic theatres on 42nd Street: the Lyric and the Apollo. In 1995 Toronto’s Livent company announced that it would transform these two houses into one state-of-the-art theatre that would incorporate restored elements from the original structures. In 1997 it was announced that the Ford Motor Company would grant its name and financial support to the new 1,839-seat theatre being built. The splendid new theatre opened on January 18, 1998, with the hit musical Ragtime. This was followed by a revival of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar and a highly successful revival of the musical 42nd Street.
The first two shows to play at the Hilton Theatre were the musical productions of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Hot Feet.
The Lyric Theatre at 213 W. 42nd Street was built by the Shuberts and composer Reginald DeKoven to house the type of light operas he created. The theatre opened on October 12, 1903, with a play called Old Heidelburg, starring the distinguished actor Richard Mansfield. In 1905 Douglas Fairbanks Sr. appeared there in the hit musical Fantana. Surprisingly, the producer and co-librettist of the show was Sam S. Shubert. A huge hit in 1909 proved to be Oscar Straus’s The Chocolate Soldier, a musical version of Shaw’s Arms and the Man. Another operetta hit at this theatre was Rudolf Friml’s The Firefly (1912).
In 1911 Ibsen’s The Lady From the Sea had its New York premiere. Rudolf Friml provided another hit operetta in 1913 called High Jinks.
In later years the Lyric enjoyed such hits as Fred and Adele Astaire in the musical For Goodness Sake. Bedlam ensued at the theatre when the Marx Brothers took over in the zany musical The Cocoanuts, with a book by George S. Kaufman and a score by Irving Berlin. In 1926 the popular comedy team of Bobby Clark and Paul McCullough romped successfully in a musical called The Ramblers; in 1928 Ziegfeld produced still another hit with The Three Musketeers; and Cole Porter enjoyed one of his early smashes with the musical Fifty Million Frenchmen.
After a series of flops in the early 1930’s, the Lyric became a movie theatre. It showed films until 1992, when it closed for good.
The Apollo Theatre began its life in 1910 as the Bryant, a movie and vaudeville house. In 1920 the Selwyns, notable Broadway producers, took it over, renamed it the Apollo and converted it to a legitimate house. Its first attraction on November 17, 1920, was an unsuccessful musical called Jimmie by Oscar Hammerstein II. The following year, Lionel Barrymore also failed as Macbeth. The house’s first big hit was a musical called Poppy (1923) starring the great comic W.C. Fields.
Beginning in 1924, the Apollo became famous as the home of six editions of the glittering George White’s Scandals revues, starring such luminaries as Jimmy Durante, Ethel Merman, Rudy Vallee, Ray Bolger and, in the chorus, Alice Faye.
In 1930 Bert Lahr and Kate Smith had a huge hit in the musical Flying High, and in 1932 Take a Chance, starring Ethel Merman and Jack Haley, also scored. The last legit show at the Apollo was the short-lived revue Blackbirds of 1933 with Bill Robinson.
From 1934 to 1938 the Apollo housed burlesque. Then, for 40 years it became a movie house. In 1979 the Brandt Organization closed the house and restored it to legitimacy. It reopened with the warmly received play On Golden Pond and followed this with two hits: The Fifth of July and Bent.
After a period as the Academy Theatre for rock and jazz concerts, the theatre closed in 1992.
Theatre Information:
213 West 42nd St.
New York, NY 10036
US
Box Office: Ticketmaster: (212) 307-4100
Outside NY/NJ/CT: (800) 755-4000
Public Transportation:
SUBWAY: Take the N,Q,R,W or 1,2,3,9 to 42nd Street, walk West on 42nd Street to the theatre; Take the A,C,E to 42nd Street, walk East on 42nd Street to the theatre.
Handicap Access:
Patrons requiring wheelchair accessible seats can purchase tickets: directly at the Ford Center Box Office by mailing their request to the Box Office or by faxing their request to (212) 582-5519. The center has elevators that go to the Dress Circle level only, and no escalators.
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