 |
Roundabout's innovative renovations at Studio 54 make Broadway history.
by John Istel
Over the last century, Broadway theatres have come in many shapes and sizes. Few, however, are as distinctive as Studio 54. Yes, the massive Hippodrome took up the entire city block between 43rd and 44th on Sixth Avenue in 1905 and featured diving horses, an 8,000- gallon water tank, and performances by the likes of Harry Houdini. And the intimate Helen Hayes Theatre on 44th Street may be Broadway's smallest house, with just 597 seats. But Studio 54's singularity extends beyond its fascinating, well chronicled history—from its opening as the Gallo Opera House in the 1927 to its subsequent incarnation as a television studio home to such varied fare as The Jack Paar Show, The Johnny Carson Show, The $64,000 Question, and Captain Kangaroo. In 1977 it underwent its transition into the infamous Studio 54 disco until its final closure in 1986. After years of disrepair, Roundabout entered the scene in 1998.
Studio 54's intriguing dramatic past was one aspect of the venue that Roundabout's Artistic Director Todd Haimes and his staff refused to erase as they contemplated renting the space for Roundabout's Tony Award®-winning production of Cabaret. The space, which had been empty since the disco closed, held great promise. “We all felt that Studio 54 had such a strong character that we didn't want to homogenize it like every other Broadway house,” remembers Haimes. “The theatre's aura and environment contributes to every show.” Cabaret's set designer Robert Brill helped maintain the original feel of the space even while the former nightclub was returned to its original use as a theatre. Under the pressure to get Cabaret up and running, a lot of work was left for the future. Thanks to the extraordinary success of Cabaret, which ran for almost six years, and an unprecedented commitment from the City of New York, Roundabout purchased this historic site in 2003, creating a unique permanent home for the company, and ensuring that one of Broadway's forgotten jewels would remain a theatrical venue.
Now, Studio 54 is about to make more Broadway history during a second round of renovations to be completed for the first preview of Roundabout's production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Thanks to the significant support of Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields, who provided funding for the purchase of new auditorium-style seats, the venue will become the only Broadway theatre with flexible orchestra seating. Yes, that means that Studio 54's orchestra seats will be new and more comfortable — but they will also be on platforms. “Streetcar demands a more traditional seating arrangement,” notes Julia Levy, Roundabout's Executive Director. For subsequent shows, Roundabout will be able to remove the platforms full of standard seating and replace it once again with cabaret chairs and tables.
MAKING BROADWAY HISTORY:
A Few Select Notable Innovations | |
2005
Studio 54 becomes the only Broadway theatre with flexible seating.
|
2003
Roundabout purchases Studio 54 thanks to an extraordinary commitment from Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Speaker Gifford Miller of the New York City Council.
|
1998
Roundabout moves its Tony Award®-winning production of Cabaret to Studio 54, converting the dilapidated theatre into a cabaret-style environment.
|
1982
The Winter Garden is turned into an over-sized junk pile for Cats, one of the first "environmental" sets requiring a full-scale Broadway theatre renovation.
|
1924
Set designer Norman Bel Geddes creates one of the first environmental sets by turning the Century Theatre into a mock cathedral for Max Reinhardt's production of The Miracle.
|
1915
Producer David Belasco becomes one of first Broadway producers to replace onstage footlights with spotlights from the auditorium.
|
1905
The Hippodrome, the self-proclaimed largest theatre in the world, opens.
|
1891
First Broadway theatre marquee to use electricity is lit.
|
1885
The Lyceum Theatre, built by Steele MacKaye, is one of the first to feature safety systems.
|
1852
First time that matinee performances are presented on Broadway (for Uncle Tom's Cabin, featuring five-year-old child star, Cordelia Howard).
|
Seating, however, is only the most visible part of a sizable second stage of renovation. “This phase also accomplishes a lot that audience members won't see,” reports Haimes, “We are shoring up the infrastructure. We have to replace the electrical wiring and systems, and redo the roof and replaster the domed ceiling.”
All in all, Levy estimates that this newest phase of work will result in an investment in Studio 54 of over $2.5 million. She believes it will take three to five years—and a total of $10 million to complete Roundabout's vision for the space. Ideally, that future not only maintains Studio 54's “distressed and funky feel,” as Levy puts it, but will also provide patrons with first-class modern amenities, including a patrons' lounge and additional bathrooms on the orchestra level, while offering artists a state-of-the-art facility in which to stage great musicals and plays
Studio 54's new flexibility and its old ghosts have changed the way Haimes thinks about the venue. Originally, he thought it would serve Roundabout as its “musical venue.” Now, with the immaculately refurbished American Airlines Theatre and the sleek, contemporary Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre/Laura Pels Theatre, suddenly choosing a theatre for each Roundabout show becomes an artistic kind of decision. “Our choices don't have to be based solely on the genre of each show as we originally envisioned,” says Haimes. “Now, it's much more flexible and dependent on the artistic demands of each piece.”
BACK
|
|
