Fulton Theatre

The Fulton Theatre was a Broadway theatre located at 210 West 46th Street in Manhattan, New York City, that was opened in 1911. It was renamed the Helen Hayes Theatre in 1955. The theatre was demolished in 1982. After the former Little Theatre on 44th Street became the current Helen Hayes Theatre, the Fulton Theatre was sometimes referred to as the First Helen Hayes Theatre.

Fulton Theatre
Folies-Bergere, Helen Hayes Theatre
Helen Hayes (originally Fulton) Theatre, circa 1980
Fulton Theatre is located in Manhattan
Fulton Theatre
Fulton Theatre
Location in Manhattan
Fulton Theatre is located in New York City
Fulton Theatre
Fulton Theatre
Location in New York City
Address210 West 46th Street
New York City
United States
Coordinates40.7587°N 73.9856°W / 40.7587; -73.9856
TypeBroadway
Construction
OpenedApril 27, 1911
ReopenedOctober 20, 1911
Demolished1982
ArchitectHerts & Tallant

History

Built by the architects Herts & Tallant for Henry B. Harris and Jesse Lasky, it was originally opened on April 27, 1911, under the name Folies-Bergere as a dinner theatre with vaudeville.[1] The building featured three murals and a color scheme by leading American muralist William de Leftwich Dodge. Eighteen-year-old Mae West was discovered here by The New York Times at her Broadway debut on September 22, 1911.[2][3] Closing after that,[4] the theatre reopened on October 20, 1911, as the Fulton Theatre, a conventional playhouse.[5] The theatre was managed by Abraham L. Erlanger from 1921, until his death in 1930.

In 1955, the theatre was renamed the Helen Hayes Theatre in honor of the renowned actress Helen Hayes and re-opened under that name on November 21.

In 1982, the theatre was demolished, along with the Morosco,[6] Bijou, Gaiety and Astor Theatres, to make way for the Marriott Marquis Hotel, which now houses the Marquis Theatre. Parts of the Helen Hayes Theatre were salvaged before the theatre's demolition and were used to build the Shakespeare Center, home of the Riverside Shakespeare Company on the Upper West Side, which was dedicated by Hayes and Joseph Papp in September 1982.[7]

Since Helen Hayes was still living at the time of the demolition of the theatre that bore her name, it was decided to rename the nearby Little Theatre at 240 West 44th Street in her honor.

Performers

Besides Mae West, the Fulton has also had English actor Robert Morley in the title role of the play Oscar Wilde by Leslie and Sewell Stokes in 1938. The play ran for 247 performances and its success launched Morley's career as a stage actor on both sides of the Atlantic.

Audrey Hepburn starred in the Gilbert Miller production of Gigi, which opened at the Fulton on November 24, 1951, and ran for 219 performances.

Selected runs

Notable runs in excess of 100 performances include:

As Helen Hayes Theatre:

See also

References
  1. "Folies Bergere Full of Novelties", The New York Times. p.13 April 28, 1911 via Newspapers.com open access
  2. "New Skit Shown at Folies Bergere", The New York Times. September 23, 1911 via Newspapers.com open access. Quote: "A girl named Mae West, hitherto unknown, pleased by her grotesquerie and snappy way of singing and dancing."
  3. Leonard, Maurice (1992). Mae West Empress of Sex. Carol Publishing. pp. 33–34. ISBN 978-1559721516.
  4. "Folies Bergere to End Brief Career", The New York Times, p.9 September 28, 1911 via Newspapers.com open access
  5. "Mr. Edeson in Play by Gelett Burgess", The New York Times. p.9 October 31, 1911 Newspapers.com open access
  6. Lawson, Carol (9 June 1982). Fallen Facade Revives Theater Razing Dispute, The New York Times
  7. O'Haire, Patricia (September 13, 1982). "Dickens lends the Bard a Hand." New York Daily News.
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