Lunt-Fontanne Theatre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

Globe Theatre (1910–1957)
Seen in 2019
Address	205 West 46th Street Manhattan, New York City United States
Coordinates	40°45′33″N 73°59′10″W / 40.75922°N 73.9861°W / 40.75922; -73.9861
Owner	Stahl Organization and Nederlander Organization
Operator	Nederlander Organization
Type	Broadway
Capacity	1,505
Construction
Opened	January 10, 1910
Closed	1931
Reopened	May 5, 1958
Rebuilt	1957
Years active	1910–1931 1958–present
Architect	Carrère and Hastings
New York City Landmark
Designated	December 8, 1987
Reference no.	1350
Designated entity	Facade

The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre is a famous Broadway theater in New York City. You can find it at 205 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan. It first opened in 1910 and was originally called the Globe Theatre.

The theater was designed by Carrère and Hastings in a grand style called Beaux-Arts. It was built for a man named Charles Dillingham. Later, the theater was renamed after a famous acting couple, Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. Its first name, Globe Theatre, was inspired by Shakespeare's famous playhouse in London.

Today, the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre has about 1,505 seats spread across two levels. The Nederlander Organization runs the theater. The front of the building, called the facade, is so special that it's protected as a New York City landmark.

The main part of the theater you see from 46th Street used to be where carriages would enter. The front of the building has the main entrance on the east side, along with exits for the audience and the stage area. The upper parts of the building have a central section with five arches, and simpler sections on each side. There used to be another fancy entrance on Broadway, but it was taken down in 1958.

When it first opened, the inside of the theater had three levels and special box seats. The roof and the ceiling of the main hall could even open up, but they don't do that anymore.

The Globe Theatre first opened its doors on January 10, 1910. In its early days, it mostly showed musicals and revues. In the 1930s, it became a movie theater. Then, in 1957, some developers bought it and completely updated the inside. It reopened on May 5, 1958, with its new name, the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Over the years, it has changed owners a few times, and since 1973, the Nederlanders have been running it.

Where the Theater Is Located

The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre is at 206 West 46th Street in New York City. It's on the north side of the street, between Eighth Avenue and Broadway, very close to Times Square. This area is known as the Theater District.

The land the theater sits on is about 13,957 square feet (1,296.6 square meters). The theater's front on 46th Street is about 139 feet (42 meters) wide, and it goes back about 100 feet (30 meters).

The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre shares its block with other famous buildings. To the west, you'll find the Paramount Hotel and the Lena Horne Theatre. To the north is the Hotel Edison. Many other theaters are nearby, like the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Palace Theatre, and Richard Rodgers Theatre.

How the Theater Was Designed

The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was designed by the architects Carrère and Hastings. They used the beautiful Beaux-Arts style. It was built for Charles Dillingham and opened in 1910 as the Globe Theatre. This theater is the only one still standing out of four that Carrère and Hastings designed. Thompson–Starrett Co. was the main company that built it. Today, the Nederlander Organization manages the theater.

The Outside of the Building

46th Street Entrance

Entrance doorways

The main front of the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre is on 46th Street. This part of the building was originally where carriages would enter. It's designed to look balanced, even though it's wider than it is tall. The first floor, at street level, looks like a slightly raised base. The front is divided into a central section with five arched openings, and simpler sections on either side. This style is similar to an Italian Renaissance design. The far west side of the building is where the stage is, and it's made of brick, set back from the main front.

The first floor has a granite base and rough-looking stone blocks. There are doorways in each section. These doorways are arched, but they are partly hidden by the large sign (marquee) above them. The door furthest to the west is the stage door. The two doors furthest to the east lead into the ticket lobby. The other doors are exits from the main seating area. All the lobby and audience doors are made of wood with bronze handles and have display boxes next to them.

The marquee above the doors was added after the theater opened. It has pretty leaf and flower designs. Above the five central doorways, there are arches with sculpted heads and decorative blocks with different faces. These arches and faces were meant to show that the building was a theater.

Arched window in one of the five center bays

Outer pavilion

On the upper floors, the five central sections have tall, double-height arches. A small terrace sticks out from the second floor, with a wrought iron railing. This terrace used to connect to the first balcony inside. There are tall, thin columns (pilasters) between each arch, topped with Ionic-style capitals. Each arch has a window with many small panes. Above the arches are decorative terracotta designs. The corners of the arches have female figures holding masks that show comedy and tragedy.

The fourth floor of the central sections has square windows. These windows are surrounded by fancy frames and carvings of caryatids (carved female figures used as columns). Above the caryatids, you can see bows and helmets in the middle three arches, and musical instruments in the outer two. A wavy design runs above the fourth floor.

The outer sections of the building are covered in stucco. They have tall, double-height windows on the second and third floors, with decorative frames. There's a round window on the fourth floor above each of these tall windows. Simple windows are on the side of the western section, which is part of the stage area. A decorative band with panels and a row of small blocks (dentils) runs above the outer sections. Above that is a cornice, which goes across the entire front of the building. The central section has a deep, projecting wall (parapet) at the top, with decorative supports and a band of heads and designs below it. The theater's tiled roof is above this parapet.

Old Broadway Entrance

Broadway entrance

The Globe Theatre used to have an entrance at 1555 Broadway. This entrance was four stories tall and about 24 feet (7.3 meters) wide. It was made from an old brownstone house and had signs in front of it. The entrance led to the ticket area and a hallway to the main seating area.

This Broadway entrance doesn't exist anymore. It was separated from the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 1957 when the theater was renovated. Even though the building was still there for about 50 years, it wasn't used as an entrance. In 2006, the old Broadway entrance was torn down and replaced by an American Eagle Outfitters store.

Inside the Theater

Original Look

The Globe Theatre's original inside had fancy plasterwork and metal details. The main structure was made of steel and concrete. The theater was designed in an Italian Renaissance style, with colors like gold, blue, and ivory white, and "rose du Barry" colored curtains. The entrance area from Broadway was decorated in gold and rose. The entire 46th Street front acted as a large exit hallway. The entrance from 46th Street was a long hallway, about 88 feet (27 meters) long and 27 feet (8.2 meters) wide. A lobby on the second floor led to the terrace on 46th Street. The theater's owner, Dillingham, had his offices on the upper floors above the main seating area.

Original auditorium with balconies

The main seating area (auditorium) was shaped like a fan. This shape was believed to make the sound and views perfect for everyone. It also made the audience feel closer to the performers. The auditorium had a main floor (orchestra level), two balconies, special box seats, and a stage. There were 1,416 seats in total. The seats could even be cooled by ice or heated by warm air from vents underneath! There were twelve box seats, arranged in two rows on both sides of the auditorium.

The auditorium had a curved ceiling. The original design included a ceiling that could open, and a movable roof about 20 feet (6.1 meters) above. Some old records say the ceiling had an oval panel that would open "when weather permits" to let in starlight and keep the theater cool in summer. However, one historian couldn't find proof that the ceiling ever actually opened. The arch around the stage was designed to look like a rich frame around a picture. The large stage could hold all the equipment needed for shows.

The backstage areas had "modern and convenient dressing rooms" with showers for the actors. An elevator connected the stage to a six-story building behind it, which held the dressing rooms. The theater also had fire safety features like sprinklers and alarms.

Changes Over Time

When the theater was updated in 1958, most of the old Globe's inside was removed and redecorated in an 18th-century style. The entrance area was redecorated with fancy wall designs. The mezzanine (a floor between the main floor and the first balcony) had a lounge with mirrors and paintings of opera houses in Europe. Blue floor coverings were put in throughout the theater, with thick foam underneath.

In the main seating area, the two old balconies were removed. Instead, a single balcony with 700 seats was added. The main floor (orchestra level) was set up with 800 seats. The first few rows on both levels had fancy blue silk seats with soft cushions. Some modern estimates say the theater has 1,470 seats, while others say 1,519 or 1,505 seats.

After the renovation, the stage arch was about 49 feet (15 meters) wide, and the stage was 34 feet (10 meters) deep. A new curtain with a sunburst design was put in. A painting of theatrical muses (goddesses of the arts) was added to the ceiling. This ceiling painting, by Edward Melcarth, had clouds that hid the ventilation openings. The old retractable ceiling was also removed. The back wall was moved about 30 feet (9.1 meters) to the west, but the other walls stayed the same.

History of the Theater

Around the early 1900s, Times Square became the main place for big theater shows in New York City. Many theaters were built in Midtown Manhattan between 1901 and 1920, including the Globe Theatre. The Globe was built by Charles Dillingham, who started as a theater critic and then became a producer.

The Globe Theatre Years

Building and Early Shows

Cigarette trading card showing the Globe Theatre, c. 1910s

In 1907, Dillingham's company bought land on Broadway and 46th Street. He hired Carrère and Hastings to design the theater. Dillingham first wanted to call it the Gaiety, but another theater with the same name was being planned nearby. So, in 1909, he decided to name his theater after the famous Shakespearean playhouse in London, the Globe Theatre.

The theater opened on January 10, 1910, with a musical called The Old Town. That same year, the Globe also hosted The Echo, which included the popular song Skidamarink. The famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt also performed there for a few weeks. Most of the early shows at the Globe were musicals and revues because Dillingham mostly produced those types of shows. Many popular musicals were staged there, like The Slim Princess (1911) and The Lady of the Slipper (1912).

In 1914, Chin-Chin ran for 295 performances. Dillingham also put on the musical Stop! Look! Listen! in 1915, with music by Irving Berlin. The first non-musical play, The Harp of Life, opened in 1916. This play featured Lynn Fontanne, who the theater would later be named after. The decade ended with She's a Good Fellow in 1919, but its run was cut short by a strike.

1920s and Early 1930s

Early view of the theater from 46th Street, looking west

In 1920, Dillingham bought the theater for $1.25 million. Big musical shows continued at the Globe in the 1920s. These included George White's Scandals in 1920, 1922, and 1923. The 1921 Ziegfeld Follies was also staged there.

In 1925, a huge hit called No, No, Nanette opened at the Globe. Its star, Louise Groody, became the first musical-comedy performer to earn over $1 million! In 1926, Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. put on No Foolin' (later called Ziegfeld's American Revue) at the Globe.

Becoming a Movie Theater

By 1930, the Globe Theatre was leased to RKO Pictures and became a movie house. In 1931, the musical The Cat and the Fiddle was the last live show at the Globe before it became a cinema for 25 years. Because of money problems, The Cat and the Fiddle had to move to another theater. Dillingham himself went bankrupt in 1933, partly because of the Great Depression, which hurt many Broadway theaters.

Theater entrance on 46th Street

A company called Spear Securities bought the theater in 1932. Then, Brandt Theatres started leasing the Globe to show movies. The Globe mostly showed older movies, which upset the owner of a nearby theater. In 1936, Harry Brandt bought the Globe and planned to make it his company's headquarters. The Globe hosted many movie premieres, like The Road Back in 1937 and The Roosevelt Story in 1947.

The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Era

Renovation and Reopening

By 1955, some theater producers and developers wanted to buy the Globe Theatre and bring live shows back. In 1957, a group of them, including Robert W. Dowling and William Zeckendorf, finally bought the theater.

The company Roche and Roche completely renovated the inside. They removed the two old balconies and put in just one. They also closed off the Broadway entrance. The old decorations were mostly taken out and replaced with an 18th-century style. The renovated theater got a new clear plastic sign (marquee) on 46th Street.

In February 1958, the Globe was renamed the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre to honor famous actors Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. They planned to retire after performing in the first show at the newly named theater.

The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre officially opened on May 5, 1958, with the play The Visit, starring Lunt and Fontanne. This was their last performance on Broadway. Later that year, the old Broadway entrance building was sold. In 1959, the musical The Sound of Music opened at the Lunt-Fontanne and ran for a very long time, with 1,443 performances!

1960s to 1980s

Viewed from across 46th Street

In 1960, the theater was leased to producers Cy Feuer and Ernest H. Martin. The musical Little Me opened in 1962, but its run ended early because of a newspaper strike. In 1964, Richard Burton starred in a revival of Hamlet, which was the longest-running Hamlet on Broadway. Feuer and Martin bought full control of the theater in 1964, then sold it to developer Stanley Stahl in 1965.

Famous shows in the late 1960s included Marlene Dietrich's first Broadway performance in 1967. The Nederlander Organization started running the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 1973. For much of the 1970s, the theater showed many revivals (new productions of old shows), like A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1972) and Hello, Dolly! (1978).

In 1981, the Duke Ellington musical Sophisticated Ladies opened and ran for 767 performances. Other shows included revivals of Private Lives (1983) and The Wiz (1984). Famous performers like illusionist Doug Henning (1984), singer Jerry Garcia (1987), and rock band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (1989) also had special performances there. The theater also hosted the 43rd Tony Awards in 1989 and the 44th Tony Awards in 1990.

In 1987, the front of the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was officially named a New York City landmark. This meant its outside look was protected. Theater owners, including the Nederlanders, tried to fight these landmark rules in court, but the rules were upheld in 1992.

1990s to Today

The theater, staging Beauty and the Beast

A revival of Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby was staged in 1990. The comedy Catskills on Broadway opened in 1991 and ran for 13 months. Several shows that didn't do well followed. In 1995, Carol Channing returned for another revival of Hello, Dolly!.

The musical Titanic opened in 1997 and was a big success. After Titanic finished its run in 1999, the theater was closed for renovations. Beauty and the Beast then opened at the Lunt-Fontanne in late 1999 and ran until 2007. The theater was renovated again, and The Little Mermaid opened in 2008.

In the 2010s, the Lunt-Fontanne hosted shorter musicals and special appearances. These included The Addams Family (2010), Motown: The Musical (2013-2015), and Finding Neverland (2015). In 2014, the Nederlanders agreed to make their theaters, including the Lunt-Fontanne, more accessible for people with disabilities.

Other shows included Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2017) and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (2018). Many performers had limited shows in 2019 before the musical Tina opened that November. Tina set a new record for the theater's ticket sales in December 2019, earning over $1.8 million in one week!

The theater closed on March 12, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on October 8, 2021, with Tina, which ran until August 2022. A new production of Sweeney Todd starring Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford opened in early 2023.

Famous Shows at the Theater

Here are some of the well-known shows that have played at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. This list only includes Broadway shows, not movies. No shows were held at the theater between 1936 and 1958.

Globe Theatre

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

See Also

• List of Broadway theaters
• List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets