Theater District, Manhattan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Theater District
Neighborhood
The Golden Theatre, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre and Booth Theatre on West 45th Street in Manhattan's Theater District
Country	United States
State	New York
City	New York City
Borough	Manhattan
Zip code	10018, 10019, 10036
Area codes	212, 332, 646, and 917

The Theater District is a famous neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City. It's where most of the amazing Broadway theaters are located. You can also find other theaters, movie theaters, restaurants, and hotels here. This exciting area includes the bright lights of Times Square. The part of Broadway that runs through the Theater District is often called "The Great White Way."

Besides the theaters, you'll find recording studios, music company offices, and TV studios. There's also Duffy Square, Shubert Alley, the Brill Building, and Madame Tussauds New York.

Where is the Theater District?

The City of New York officially defines the Theater District for planning purposes. It stretches from West 40th Street to West 57th Street. It goes from Sixth Avenue on the east to Eighth Avenue on the west. There's also a small extra part west of Eighth Avenue, between 42nd Street and 45th Street.

The Times Square Alliance, a group that helps improve the area, describes the district a bit differently. Their area is shaped irregularly but is mostly within 40th Street, 6th Avenue, 53rd Street, and 9th Avenue. Almost all Broadway theaters are in this district. As of 2024, only the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center is a Broadway-class theater outside this area.

Other Nearby Theater Spots

There's an area called Theatre Row on 42nd Street. It runs from Ninth Avenue to Eleventh Avenue. This area has many Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway theaters, which are usually smaller than Broadway theaters.

A Look Back: History of the Theater District

How the Theater District Started

In 1836, the mayor of New York, Cornelius Lawrence, opened 42nd Street. He wanted the city to grow north. The Theater District started to attract theaters and restaurants after the Metropolitan Opera House moved nearby in 1883. Oscar Hammerstein I opened his Victoria Theatre on 42nd Street in 1899. Getting to the Theater District became easier when electric trolley lines started in 1899. Then, the New York City Subway's first line opened in 1904.

The nickname "The Great White Way" came from Broadway's bright lights. In 1880, a section of Broadway was lit up by electric lamps. It was one of the first streets in the United States to have electric lights. By the 1890s, another part of Broadway was so bright with electric advertising signs that people called it "The Great White Way." As theaters moved uptown, the nickname stuck to the Theater District.

Over the years, people also called the district "the Rialto" or "The Main Stem." Around 1900, it was simply known as "The Street."

By the 1970s, 42nd Street became a bit run-down and was seen as unsafe. However, in the 1990s, the city worked hard to make the whole area much better. Many old businesses closed, and new theaters, movie houses, restaurants, and tourist spots opened up.

In 1974, the outside of the Lyceum Theatre became the first Broadway theater to be named a landmark. This means it's a special building that needs to be preserved. In 1979, the New Amsterdam Theatre's outside and inside also became landmarks.

Keeping Theaters Safe: Preservation Efforts

Joe Papp's "Save the Theatres" Campaign

In 1982, a famous theater producer named Joseph Papp started a campaign called "Save the Theatres." He wanted to stop several historic theater buildings from being torn down by developers. Papp's group, with help from the Actors Equity union, worked to protect these important places.

Papp helped pay for the campaign, made posters, and put ads in newspapers. He also got actors to help promote the idea of saving the theaters. He even tried to get the United States government to make the Theater District a "National Historic Site," but that didn't happen.

After that, the "Save the Theatres" campaign focused on getting the Theater District recognized as a special historic area by New York City. In 1983, they suggested a plan to protect the theaters. Mayor Ed Koch then created a Theater Advisory Council, which included Papp. This led to the area being officially named the "Theater Subdistrict." This new rule allowed theaters to sell their unused building rights to developers of nearby buildings. This helped theaters get money to stay open and keep their historic buildings.

Landmark Status for Individual Theaters

In 1982, the city considered protecting nearly 50 "legitimate theaters" as individual landmarks. This happened after two theaters, the Helen Hayes and Morosco, were torn down. Being a landmark means a building cannot be changed without special permission, which helps protect it from being destroyed.

The first theaters to become landmarks under this plan were the Neil Simon, Ambassador, and Virginia (August Wilson) in 1985. More theaters gained landmark status in 1987 and 1988. By early 1988, 26 current or former Broadway theaters had landmark status.

Some theater owners were not happy about these rules. They felt it limited what they could do with their buildings. Major theater companies like the Shuberts and the Nederlanders even sued the city. However, the courts, including the highest court in the United States, supported the city's decision to protect these theaters.

Theater Subdistrict Zoning Rules

In 2001, new rules were approved for the Theater Subdistrict. These rules allowed theaters to sell their unused building rights to more places, especially along Eighth Avenue. This helped theaters get more money.

New York City also created the Theater Subdistrict Council (TSC). This group manages a special fund and gives grants to help theaters. The city's zoning rules, updated in 2012, have special regulations for the Theater Subdistrict. These include ways to transfer building rights, help for fixing up theaters, and rules for signs. They also list the theaters that get special benefits from these rules.

Cool Places to See

• Statue of Francis P. Duffy by Charles Keck (Duffy Square, Times Square)
• Statue of George M. Cohan by Georg John Lober and architect Otto Langman (Duffy Square, Times Square)

See also

In Spanish: Distrito de los Teatros para niños