Samuel J. Friedman Theatre

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name =Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
nrhp_type = nrhp

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location = 261 West 47th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York
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built = December 7 1925
architect =Herbert J. Krapp
architecture =
added = 2004
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visitation_year =
refnum = 04001203 [Nrhp source1|NY|New+York|state2]
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The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (formerly the Biltmore Theatre) is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 261 West 47th Street in midtown-Manhattan.

Designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp for impresario Irwin Chanin, it opened on December 7 1925 with the play "Easy Come Easy Go". With a seating capacity of 903, it was one of Broadway's smaller venues.

The theatre was used by Federal Theatre's Living Newspaper project in the 1930s. CBS leased it for use as a radio and television studio from 1952 until 1961.

In 1987, a fire struck the Biltmore. The blaze, which was later determined to be an act of arson, destroyed the interior. After the fire, the building sat vacant for fourteen years, suffering more structural damage from water and vandals. The theatre's ownership changed hands several times between 1987 and 2001, but most plans proposed for its future use - such as a showcase for "Best of Broadway" revues - were rejected since its New York City landmark designation required it to operate only as a legitimate Broadway house if renovated.

In 2001, the property was purchased by the Manhattan Theatre Club as a permanent home for its productions. Surviving sections of the original theatre were restored and missing parts were reconstructed. With 622 seats the new Biltmore has about two-thirds of the capacity of the old, although it now boasts modern conveniences such as elevators and meeting rooms.

The theare was renamed the "Samuel J. Friedman Theatre" in a dedication ceremony held on September 4, 2008. The new name honors Broadway publicist Samuel Friedman. [Jones, Kenneth. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/120950.html "Broadway's Biltmore Becomes the Friedman on Sept. 4",] playbill.com, September 4, 2008]

Notable productions

*1940: "My Sister Eileen"
*1946: "No Exit"
*1947: "The Heiress"
*1951: "Billy Budd" (with Lee Marvin's stage-debut)
*1961: "Take Her, She's Mine"
*1963: "Barefoot in the Park"
*1968: "Loot"; "Hair"; "Staircase"
*1976: "The Robber Bridegroom"
*1978: "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds"
*1980: "Nuts"
*1982: "Deathtrap"
*1983: "Doonesbury"
*2003: "The Violet Hour"
*2005: "After the Night and the Music"
*2006: "Rabbit Hole"
*2007: "LoveMusik", "Mauritius"
*2008: "Come Back, Little Sheba"; "Top Girls", To Be or Not To Be

References

*"Lost Broadway Theatres" by Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, Princeton Architectural Press (1997) ISBN 1-56898-116-3

External links

*ibdb venue|id=1069|venue=Biltmore Theatre
* [http://www.newyorkcitytheatre.com/theaters/biltmoretheater/theater.html Broadway Theatre Guide listing]
* [http://www.playbill.com/reference/theatre_info/2151.html "At This Theatre" at Playbill.com]
* [http://www.stage-directions.com/backissues/july04/editorsnote.shtml "A Midsummer Night's Renovation" by Iris Dorbian in "Stage Directions", July 2004]