Photo Flash: Times Square Theater to Be Renovated; Re-Open in 2013 with Star-Filled BROADWAY SENSATION - A 4D MUSICAL SPECTACULAR- Page 2

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 1:49pm

It won't be a theme park till we get a roller coaster..... who wants to build one?

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 1:52pm

They can just use this one as a guide ...

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 2:11pm

While I welcome the renovation of the Times Square Theatre, it is NOT the last old theatre on 42nd Street to gain attention. There is a theatre right next to the 42nd Street Hilton Hotel which was boarded up years ago, with the exterior only being cleaned up. The entrance to that theatre is on 42nd Street with the auditorium on 41st Street.

Michael Bennett: is that the Liberty Theatre, which you mentioned a few posts back? Is that actually being used as a Bar-B-Que restaurant?! Or were you talking about another theatre?

As I have mentioned in a few old threads, I had the good fortune of walking by that theatre on 41st Street when the stage door was open and a few construction workers were just hanging around. I asked if I could take a look inside and they casually said "Sure." So I walked through the stage door and onto the stage, with its lighting board still intact. Then I walked into the auditorium and saw a delapidated theatre left over from the days when these theatres were used to show 2nd rate movies 24 hours a day. When it was a legitimate theatre, the likes of Abbott & Costello performed there in the 1930's.

It needs restoration, too. I believe it is owned by that Hilton Hotel. When I go to NYC next month, I shall have a look at what is happening to that theatre now.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 2:16pm

Gypsy9 - yes, Famous Dave's BBQ is now operating in the Liberty Theatre, which was the boarded up theatre next to the Hilton. You can enter the restaurant and they will let you walk to the back to look at the auditorium.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 2:36pm

Some tourist things are fun. If I had a buck for every time a local told me to steer clear of a "tourist trap" in their city, I'd have a few bucks but would have missed out on things I really enjoyed. (Hello, Seattle Space Needle.)

I think this attraction sounds like it could be fun. But then again, I know we're supposed to be above these things, and totally write them off before they even exist yet.

Also, nowhere in the article does the explanation of 4D include a mention of live people performing. It could just be dry ice smoke coming out of the screen like Captain EO or Shrek 4D, which also has no live performers.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 2:41pm

Thanks, Smaxie. What is the garish auditorium used for now? Well, at least part of the mystery of that theatre has been solved. How was it that the 42nd Street Organization allowed this strange development? Why wasn't it utilized as another legitimate theatre? This seems right out of an Abbott & Costello routine!

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 2:42pm

Are you ****ting me? I was sitting in Famous Dave's and didn't even know it was a theatre!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 2:55pm

If the zoning issue with the theatre is true, than I imagine this 4D performance won't utilize live performers.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 3:03pm

When Donkey in Shrek 4D sneezes, water droplets hit you!

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 3:37pm

Maybe they can do the same with a 3D Adelaide.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 8:00pm

4-D does not utilize live actors.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 9:45pm

lol i love this, a lovely theatre is going to be saved and restored and will still have something to do with theatre and Broadway and everybody moans......brilliant.

I spend every other day fighting to save theatres from getting torn down, bordered up or abandoned and would give my right arm to see some of the more incredible empty theatres get this kind of treatment. Really, get a grip and be thankful that this historic building will be used again.

[ChildrenwillListen]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 10:12pm

Call me crazy but I think it sounds fun, whatever it is.

And I would love to go to a Broadway theme park

[gypsy4]

Posted: 3/21/12 at 10:23pm

I'd love to see a 4D Patti Lupone. I could see it right now "Patti Lupone, will come right at you"

[TheaterBoy7777]

Posted: 5/31/12 at 3:04pm

Here's a video I found of the interior of the theater. Jump video to 00:34. Really excited for a full renovation
http://www.wpix.com/videobeta/c84fae4b-fa9c-4edf-b642-9c796693d20f/News/RAW-VIDEO-Times-Square-Theatre-RenovationNews/RAW-VIDEO:-Times-Square-Theatre-RenovationNews/RAW-VIDEO:-Times-Square-Theatre-Renovation

[Skywalker3]

Posted: 5/31/12 at 4:26pm

Maybe Wicked should play there..

Yikes that coulor is horroble! Why did the paint it like that?

[finebydesign]

Posted: 5/31/12 at 5:00pm

"But why would anyone want to sit through a fake Broadway show and there's dozens of real Broadway shows literally around the corner?"

Well the most these tickets will be would be $30. A Broadway show costs $120 at least.

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 5/31/12 at 7:10pm

I think it's a great idea. At least another historic theater is getting a restoration that it deserves. It will be easily accessed by just about anyone, creating great publicity for Broadway. Every 4D experience that I have seen has been top-notch, so I'm sure that we can expect the same for this one. It will be something else to do between shows while in Times Square (besides eating or shopping). I think most of the 4D experiences are no more than 30 minutes or so, so I can't imagine that tickets would be more than 25 bucks. I also love the idea of entering through the original stage door, and being treated to an "authentically rigged back stage environment." Maybe a small museum could go there?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/31/12 at 7:58pm

This reminds me of The N Y Experience years ago in The Mc Graw Hill building. The old DeMille ln Times Square is partially used in Saves BBQ on 47 St.Talk about artery clogging.

[Scottsacto]

Posted: 6/1/12 at 3:40am

That paint color looks like late 70's or Early 80's. I remember a few homes that used that Garish Color in the interiors!

Does anyone know if that was the last time the place was updated? And how long has it been closed as legit Theatre? I really can not remember and do not live on the East Coast.

On the subject matter of the 4-D Show. Maybe it will encourage some Tourist that has never seen a stage production to go see one. I will be interested to see what it is all about.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 6/1/12 at 10:17am

In case anyone's curious, the designer (Gary Goddard) has produced theater, regionally, nationally, and on Broadway/in NY.

Based on his IBDb track record (Broadway), he's very hit or miss: Sherlock's Last Case, Tru, The Big Love, Jekyll & Hyde, Hair (not the return engagement in 2011, the initial revival in 2009), and Reasons to Be Pretty. NY-wise, he also produced the Encores! version of The Wiz from a season or two ago.

Regionally, he's had fingers in dozens of pies: the Broadway-bound musical Twist (which has popped up regionally several times over the years, most recently at the Alliance), Hurly Burly with Danny Aiello at the Westwood Playhouse, and more.

His biggest theater involvement, however, has been with Jesus Christ Superstar, mainly productions involving reunions of the original leads. (And now you know why I know who he is, LOL.) In 1976/77, he produced JCS as a benefit for the then-fledgling California Youth Theatre, with the help of Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Elliman (brief engagement in the '76 run), and Paul Ainsley (in the '77 run, at the Concord Pavilion in Santa Barbara), who donated their time and talents to the troupe. He returned to JCS with the massively successful "A.D. Tour" from 1992-97, which reunited Ted and Carl once more, alongside such names as Irene Cara, Dennis DeYoung, and Syreeta Wright. And of course, in 2006, he produced a sold-out benefit production which reunited Ted and Yvonne with Ben Vereen and Barry Dennen, and threw a couple of guest stars (Clint Holmes and Jack Black) into the mix.

So, in short, based on his track record as a producer, he may have some artistic bones in his body, but I'm guessing theme park is the order of the day here.

[karen24]

Posted: 11/6/13 at 12:58pm

Just wondering if anyone knows if this project is still going to happen? I live upstate so haven't gotten to 42nd St. recently to see if there's any construction/activity at this theater. I've done some Googling but haven't found any stories more recent than the ones from around March 2012.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/6/13 at 5:54pm

The theater still has a huge poster over it touting Leonard Cohen's album and tour. So.... no.

[tazber]

Posted: 11/7/13 at 2:35am

God, I had completely forgotten about this.

Posted: 11/7/13 at 11:41am

Me too Tazber... In fact, I walk by almost daily and never see any doors open. I wonder if construction has stopped...?