Carolines on Broadway
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The First Name in Comedy | |
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| Address | 1626 Broadway |
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| Location | New York City, New York |
| Owner | Caroline Hirsch |
| Type | Comedy Nightclub |
| Capacity | 280 |
| Opened | 1981 |
| Website | |
| carolines | |
Carolines on Broadway is a venue for stand-up comedy located in Times Square in New York City on Broadway between 49th and 50th Street.
History[]
Caroline Hirsch opened Carolines as a cabaret in the Chelsea neighborhood in 1981 with two friends. Hirsch advocated to make it a comedy club and booked Jay Leno as its first performer. In 1983, Paul Reubens performed at the club, helping the club grow in popularity.[1] In 1987, Carolines moved to South Street Seaport where it became established as the country's top comedy venue. It also served as home to the A&E series, “Caroline's Comedy Hour,” which ran for six years and won a CableACE award for "Best Stand-Up Comedy Series."[citation needed][2] In 1992, the club moved to its current location on Broadway.[1]
The club's design received critical acclaim when it received the American Institute of Architecture Award for Best Interior Club Design and was featured on the cover of Interior Design Magazine.[citation needed]
Carolines celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2003 with a gala comedy concert at Carnegie Hall that featured performances by many comedians who previously performed at the club. Attendees include Richard Belzer, Lewis Black, Mario Cantone, Judy Gold, Gilbert Gottfried, David Alan Grier, Denis Leary, Kevin Meaney, Paul Mooney, Colin Quinn, Caroline Rhea, Jeffrey Ross, and, in a surprise appearance, Jon Stewart.[citation needed]
The club closed temporarily in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Supported by federal aid for live performance venues, it reopened in May 2021.[3]
References[]
- ^ a b Helfand-Rogers, Candice. "Carolines On Broadway Got Famous By Discovering Comedy Stars. Now, Its Founder Is Spotlighting Women". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-11-14.
- ^ "ABOUT CAROLINES". Carolines on Broadway. Retrieved 2021-11-14.
- ^ WABC (2021-05-25). "Carolines on Broadway comedy club making a comeback in New York City". ABC7 New York. Retrieved 2021-11-14.
External links[]
- Comedy clubs in Manhattan
- Times Square
- 1981 establishments in New York City