Empire Theatre (42nd Street)
The Empire Theatre (originally the Eltinge Theatre) is a former Broadway theater at 234 West 42nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1912, the theater was designed by Thomas W. Lamb for the Hungarian-born impresario A. H. Woods. It was originally named for female impersonator Julian Eltinge, a performer with whom Woods was associated. In 1998, the building was relocated 168 feet (51 m) west of its original location to serve as the entrance to the AMC Empire 25, a multiplex operated by AMC Theatres, which opened in April 2000.
Address
234 West 42nd Street
New York City
United States
4,764 (multiplex)
originally 750
September 11, 1912
April 2000
1998 (original interior)
1998–2000
1912–1931 (Broadway theater)
1931–1942 (burlesque)
1942 – c. 1980s (single-screen movie theater)
2000–present (multiplex)
The facade of the Empire Theatre is made of terracotta and is square in shape, with relatively little ornamentation compared to other theaters of the time. The center of the facade contains a three-story arch, which was intended to resemble a Roman triumphal arch; a fourth story was used for offices. The theater had about 900 seats in its auditorium, spread across three levels. It was decorated with ancient Egyptian and Greek details, as well as a sounding board depicting three dancing women. Most of the original detail was restored when the theater building was repurposed in 1998. The former auditorium serves as a lobby and lounge for the AMC Empire 25.
Woods leased the site in August 1911, and the Eltinge Theatre opened on September 11, 1912, with the play Within the Law. In its early years, the Eltinge was known as a "lucky house", with many long-running plays. The theater was less successful during the 1920s and was leased to various theatrical personalities. During the Depression, when legitimate productions were scarce, the Eltinge was leased for burlesque by Max Rudnick from 1931 until 1942. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, then burlesque comedians, first performed together at the Eltinge early in 1935. After its tenure as a burlesque house, the Eltinge became the Laff-Movie movie theater operated by the Brandt family and leased to J.J. Mage. The Brandts renamed the theater the Empire in 1954 and continued to present movies there until the late 20th century. The city and state governments of New York acquired the theater as part of the 42nd Street Redevelopment Project in 1990. Forest City Ratner developed an entertainment and retail complex on the site in the 1990s, relocating and renovating the Empire.
Site[edit]
The Empire Theatre is on the south side of 42nd Street, between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue near the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City.[1][2] The theater was originally located at 236–242 West 42nd Street,[3] but it has been moved 168 feet (51 m) west of its original location.[4][5] The Empire's modern-day site was formerly occupied by the Lew Fields Theatre, which was demolished in 1997.[6] The theater is part of an entertainment and retail complex at 234 West 42nd Street, which includes the former Liberty Theatre and the Madame Tussauds New York museum. The complex's land lot covers 54,060 square feet (5,022 m2) and extends 200 feet (61 m) between its two frontages on 41st and 42nd Streets,[1] with a frontage of 270 feet (82 m) on 41st Street and 350 feet (110 m) on 42nd Street.[7]
The city block includes the Candler Building, New Amsterdam Theatre, and 5 Times Square to the east, as well as Eleven Times Square to the west.[1][2] The E-Walk entertainment complex is directly across 42nd Street to the north.[8] The Todd Haimes Theatre, Times Square Theater, Lyric Theatre, New Victory Theater, and 3 Times Square are to the northeast.[1][2] In addition, the Port Authority Bus Terminal is to the west, the New York Times Building is to the south, and the Nederlander Theatre is to the southeast.[1][2] An entrance to the New York City Subway's Times Square–42nd Street and 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal stations, served by the 1, 2, 3, 7, <7>, N, Q, R, W, and S trains, is just west of the theater.[9]
The surrounding area is part of Manhattan's Theater District and contains many Broadway theaters.[2][10] In the first two decades of the 20th century, eleven venues for legitimate theatre were built within one block of West 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues.[11][12] The New Amsterdam, Harris, Liberty, Eltinge (now Empire), and Lew Fields theaters occupied the south side of the street. The original Lyric and Apollo theaters (combined into the current Lyric Theatre), as well as the Times Square, Victory, Selwyn (now Todd Haimes), and Victoria theaters, occupied the north side.[12] These venues were mostly converted to movie theaters by the 1930s, and many of them had been relegated to showing pornography by the 1970s.[12][13]