Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre

Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre
Royale Theatre
Showing The Ferryman, 2019
Map
Address242 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way)
Manhattan, New York City
United States
Coordinates40°45′31″N 73°59′16″W / 40.75861°N 73.98778°W / 40.75861; -73.98778
Public transitSubway: Times Square–42nd Street/Port Authority Bus Terminal
OwnerJacobs Theatre LLC
OperatorThe Shubert Organization
TypeBroadway
Capacity1,092[1]
ProductionThe Outsiders
Construction
OpenedJanuary 11, 1927 (97 years ago) (1927-01-11)
ArchitectHerbert J. Krapp
Website
shubert.nyc/theatres/bernard-b-jacobs
DesignatedDecember 15, 1987[2]
Reference no.1372[2]
Designated entityFacade
DesignatedDecember 15, 1987[3]
Reference no.1373[3]
Designated entityAuditorium interior

The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (formerly the Royale Theatre and the John Golden Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 242 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in a Spanish style and was built for real-estate developer Irwin S. Chanin. It has 1,100 seats across two levels and is operated by The Shubert Organization. Both the facade and the auditorium interior are New York City landmarks.

The facade is designed in a Spanish style with golden brick, terracotta, and stone and is divided into two sections. The western portion of the facade contains the theater's entrance, with five double-height arched windows and a curved pediment above. The eastern portion is the stage house and is topped by a loggia. The auditorium contains Spanish-style detailing, a large balcony, and an expansive vaulted ceiling. The auditorium's interior features murals by Willy Pogany as well as several box seats.

The Royale, Majestic, and Masque (now John Golden) theaters, along with the Lincoln Hotel, were all developed by the Chanin brothers and designed by Krapp as part of a theater/hotel complex. The Royale was the first of the three theaters to be completed, opening on January 11, 1927. The Shubert family took over the Royale in 1930 but subsequently went into receivership, and producer John Golden leased the theater in 1932. Golden renamed the theater after himself in 1934, but the Shuberts took over in 1936 and leased the theater to CBS Radio. The Royale was restored as a legitimate theater under its original name in 1940. The theatre was renamed in 2005 after Bernard B. Jacobs (1916–1996), former president of the Shubert Organization.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Shubert Organization Jacobs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Landmarks Preservation Commission 1987, p. 1.
  3. ^ a b Landmarks Preservation Commission Interior 1987, p. 1.