Daryl Roth Theatre facts for kids
The Daryl Roth Theatre is a cool performance space in New York City. It's located at 101 East 15th Street, near Union Square in Manhattan. This theater opened in 1998. It's special because it's inside an old, beautiful building. This building used to be the Union Square Savings Bank. It was designed by Henry Bacon and built a long time ago, between 1905 and 1907. The main theater can hold about 300 people sitting down or 499 standing. There's also a smaller theater called DR2. It's in a building next door at 103 East 15th Street and seats 99 people.
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History of the Building
From Bank to Theater
The building where the Daryl Roth Theatre is now used to be a bank. It was called the Union Square Savings Bank. This bank started way back in 1848. It moved to the Union Square area in 1868. Back then, many important buildings like banks were built to look grand and strong.
In 1904, the bank decided to build a brand new, bigger building. They hired a famous architect named Henry Bacon. He also designed the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.! The new bank building was finished in 1907. It was made of granite and cost a lot of money for that time.
The Union Square Savings Bank stayed in this building for many years. It even added a small office building next door in 1955. But eventually, the bank closed its doors in 1992.
Becoming a Theater
After the bank closed, a company called House of Blues bought the building in 1993. They wanted to turn it into a music venue. But their plans didn't work out. People in the neighborhood were worried about a big concert hall there.
Then, in 1996, a theater producer named Daryl Roth bought the building. She had a great idea: turn the old bank into an off-Broadway theater! Off-Broadway theaters are smaller than Broadway ones. They often show new and exciting plays.
The Daryl Roth Theatre opened in 1998. It was one of the first old buildings to be changed into a theater. In 2002, the smaller DR2 Theatre opened in the building next door.
For many years, the main entrance to the theater was on 15th Street. But in 2017, the entrance was changed back to the beautiful front doors on Union Square. This lets people enter through the grand old bank entrance.
Building Design
The Daryl Roth Theatre building is about 52 feet wide and 125 feet long. It's also 60 feet tall and has four floors. When it was built, banks often looked like ancient temples. This was a popular style at the time.
The building has a strong foundation made of brick and concrete. Its outside walls are covered with white granite. Inside, brick walls and strong columns hold up the upper floors.
Outside Look
The main front of the building faces Union Square. It has a grand entrance with four tall, fancy columns. These columns are in the Corinthian style, which means they have detailed tops. Steps lead up to the main doors. Above the columns, there's a decorative band with carvings.
The side of the building, facing 15th Street, also looks impressive. It has five sections, each with large windows. These windows have cool bronze bars. There are also carved designs above the windows. A side entrance is located on this street too.
- Architectural features of the Daryl Roth Theatre
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The gold sign at the front of the building
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A close-up of the decorative band above the columns
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A close-up of a beehive symbol on the building
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A close-up of the top of a column
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A close-up of the bottom of a column
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A close-up of the decorative top edge of the building
Shows and Productions
The Daryl Roth Theatre has hosted many different shows. As of October 2019, it has had at least 33 productions.
One very popular show was Fuerza Bruta. It ran at the Daryl Roth Theatre from 2006 to 2016. Another show, Gloria: A Life, played there from October 2018 to March 2019.
The smaller DR2 Theatre has also had its own shows. For example, Bunnicula played there in 2013. That Golden Girls Show was at DR2 from 2016 to 2017.
See also
In Spanish: Teatro Daryl Roth para niños
