Walter Kerr Theatre

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Walter Kerr Theatre
Ritz Theatre
Walter Kerr Theatre - Hadestown (48295952136).jpg
Walter Kerr Theatre in 2019
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Address219 West 48th Street
Manhattan, New York City
Coordinates40°45′38″N 73°59′08″W / 40.760638°N 73.985605°W / 40.760638; -73.985605Coordinates: 40°45′38″N 73°59′08″W / 40.760638°N 73.985605°W / 40.760638; -73.985605
OwnerJujamcyn Theaters
TypeBroadway theatre
Capacity975
ProductionHadestown
Construction
Opened1921
Reopened1990
ArchitectHerbert J. Krapp
Website
www.jujamcyn.com

The Walter Kerr Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 219 West 48th Street in midtown Manhattan. Designed by Herbert J. Krapp for the Shubert family, it operated as the Ritz Theatre from 1921 to 1990. In 1990, the theatre was named after Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Theatre critic Walter Kerr,[1] and since 1980 has been owned and operated by Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth, President).[2][3] Being one of the smaller Broadway houses in the Theater District, the Walter Kerr seats 975.[4] The seats are arrayed on a main level and two balconies. The top balcony has only two rows of seats. [5] Hadestown is currently running at the Walter Kerr Theatre, after opening April 17, 2019.[6]

History[]

The Federal Theatre Project's Living Newspaper production, Power (February–August 1937)

The Shubert family engaged Herbert J. Krapp to design their Ritz Theatre in 1921. ABC operated it as a radio and then television studio between 1943 and 1965. The Shuberts sold the theatre to John Minary in 1956, who sold it to Joseph P. Blitz later that year.[7][8] In 1963, a partnership including Roger Euster acquired the property; in 1964 Euster sold his stake to Leonard B. Moore.[9][10] It remained vacant from 1965 to 1971, when it reopened with the musical Soon, book by Martin Duberman, which closed after three performances. It housed several productions in the next two years and even screened adult films for a period before it became a children's theater named in honor of Robert F. Kennedy in 1973.[11][12][13] Jujamcyn Theaters acquired the property in 1980.[14] The last production staged at the Ritz was Chu Chem in 1989. On March 5, 1990, the theatre reopened after a $2 million restoration now renamed for theater critic Walter Kerr with August Wilson's The Piano Lesson.[15] Since then it has housed seven winners of the Tony Award for Best Play: Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Angels in America: Perestroika, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Proof, Take Me Out, Doubt, and Clybourne Park. It also housed two winners of the Tony Award for Best Musical: A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and its current production, Hadestown.

In 2004, after the death of Jujamcyn owner James Binger, long-time producer, and Jujamcyn president Rocco Landesman announced his intention to buy the playhouses. In February 2005, the deal was completed. In 2009, a 50% stake in the organization was acquired by 33-year-old producer Jordan Roth. Later that same year, Roth took full control of the organization as Landesman took up the position as head of the NEA.[2]

In October 2017, Bruce Springsteen, who had the highest-grossing tour in the world in 2016, took up residency at the theatre for an eight-week run, performing five times a week. The performances are a pared-down version of his set that he would normally perform in arenas and stadiums. Springsteen liked the idea of performing for more intimate crowds and the idea of performing on Broadway.[16] Originally scheduled to run from October 12 through November 26, the show was extended three times, the last performance was December 15, 2018.[17][18][19]

Box office record[]

Springsteen on Broadway holds the box office record for the Walter Kerr Theatre. The production grossed $2,424,880 over five performances for the week ending November 4, 2018.[20]

Notable productions[]

Ritz Theatre[]

Walter Kerr Theatre[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Walter Kerr Theatre– New York, NY". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Jones, Kenneth (January 22, 2013). "Jordan Roth Is Now Principal Owner of Broadway's Jujamcyn Theaters". Playbill. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  3. ^ Jujamcyn Theaters
  4. ^ "Walter Kerr Theatre". Playbill. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  5. ^ https://seatonseat.netlify.app/posts/get-walter-kerr-theatre-seating-chart-background/
  6. ^ "Hadestown Broadway @ Walter Kerr Theatre - Tickets and Discounts". Playbill. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  7. ^ Zolotow, Sam (July 18, 1956). "Ritz Theatre Sold" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  8. ^ "48th St. Theatre Sold to Investor". The New York Times. December 21, 1956. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  9. ^ "Theater Building on 48th St. Sold". The New York Times. April 5, 1963. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  10. ^ "The Little Theater Changes Ownership". The New York Times. June 4, 1964. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  11. ^ Calta, Louis (February 17, 1972). "Ritz Theater Makes Broadway Return". The New York Times. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  12. ^ "Doctor in the House Changes Character". The New York Times. September 20, 1973. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  13. ^ "Metropolitan Briefs: Kennedy Theater Evicted". The New York Times. May 5, 1976. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  14. ^ Blau, Eleanor (November 19, 1981). "Ritz Theater to Return as a Broadway House". The New York Times. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  15. ^ Rothstein, Mervyn (March 6, 1990). "Broadway Musical Tribute To the Critic Walter Kerr". The New York Times. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  16. ^ Reidel, Michael (June 16, 2017). "Bruce Springsteen heads to Broadway this fall". New York Post. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  17. ^ @Ticketmaster (August 30, 2017). "#SpringsteenBroadway has been EXTENDED! More information coming today. There will NOT be any additional codes released for today's onsale" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  18. ^ Hetrick, Adam (November 27, 2017). "Springsteen on Broadway Extends Through June". Playbill.
  19. ^ Paulson, Michael (March 21, 2018). "Bruce Springsteen Signs Up for More Time on Broadway". The New York Times.
  20. ^ [1], Production Gross, Playbill.com

External links[]

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