Location: New York, New York
Address: 226 W. 46th St.
Capacity: approx 1380
Opened: 1925
The Richard Rodgers Theatre began its life as Chanin's 46th Street Theatre, named after the construction moguls Irwin and Henry Chanin, who built the structure in 1924. The venue later dropped the Chanin title and remained the 46th Street Theatre before it was purchased in 1982 by the Nederlander Organization, which renamed it the Richard Rodgers Theatre in 1990. The building was designed by famed Broadway architect Herbert J. Krapp, who came up with the novel idea of having the rear orchestra seats slope upwards so that they eventually reached the mezzanine level. This allowed every person in the 1,380 member audience to have a clear view of the stage. The building features elegant Beaux-Arts style with impressive arches near the entryway and intricate wood and plasterwork throughout the performance hall.
The theatre kicked off its opening night with the well-received revue Greenwich Village Follies, which had already been a fixture at the Shubert and Winter Garden theatres. The show lasted a few months longer at this new location. Even from the first production, the scale and acoustics of the theatre made it ideal for musicals and comedies which continue to this day.
The Richard Rodgers Theatre took a few years to get off the ground, but by the late 1920s it was home to some of Broadway's best musicals. The venue's first big hit came in 1929 when the musical-comedy Follow Thru transferred to the theatre. Starring Zelma O'Neal and Jack Haley, the show would last for 401 performances. Hollywood heavyweight Henry Fonda would later get his first big break in the 1934 production of The Farmer Takes a Wife, which would help him land future movie roles.
One of the playhouse's biggest successes came in 1950 with the launch of Guys and Dolls, based on the story by Damon Runyon and directed by Broadway legend George S. Kaufman. The show would go on to win five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and would run for 1,200 performances. However, the longest-running show in the venue's history came in 1978 with The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which moved in from the Entermedia Theatre. It would run for 1,584 performances and win a number of Tony Awards in the process.
The Richard Rodgers Theatre has enjoyed a colorful history of ups and downs and yet is still one of the prime locations in New York City to catch an unforgettable musical comedy.
Richard Rodgers Theatre Ticket Information:
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