Majestic Theatre
The
Majestic Theatre is a
Broadway theatre on 247 West 44th Street in
Manhattan,
New York City.
The Majestic was built in 1927 by the
Chanin Brothers and designed by
Herbert J. Krapp. The theatre was constructed, along with the
John Golden Theatre, the
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre and the Milford Plaza hotel, as part of an entertaiment complex. It opened its doors on
March 28,
1927 with a production of
Rufus LeMaire's Affairs. The Majestic was purchased by the
Shubert brothers during the
Great Depression and is currently owned and operated by the
Shubert Organization.
One of the largest Broadway theatres, with a seating capacity of 1645, the Majestic has traditionally been used as a venue for major musical productions. Among the notable shows that have premiered at the Majestic are
South Pacific (1949),
The Music Man (1957),
Camelot (1960) and
The Wiz (1975–1977). It was also the second home of
42nd Street and the third home of
1776. Since 1988, the Majestic has housed
The Phantom of the Opera.
Phantom opened on January 26, 1988; on January 9, 2006 it became the longest running show in Broadway history with 7,486 performances. In 1954, the musical
Fanny played at the majestic theater for 888 performances. It was based on the films
Marius,
Fanny, and
Cesar by Marcel Pagnol
Carousel (1945)
*South Pacific (1949)
*The Music Man (1957)
*Camelot (1960)
*A Little Night Music (1973)
*The Wiz (1975–1977)
*The Phantom of the Opera'' (1988–present)
Other Majestic Theatres
An earlier theatre with the same name was located at 5 Columbus Circle, in the present location of the Time-Warner building. Designed in
1903 by
John Duncan, the architect of
Grant's Tomb, the theatre hosted original musicals, including
Babes in Toyland, and briefly served as a studio for NBC. It was renamed the Park Theatre in 1911 and torn down in
1954.
*
Official website*
Postcard pictures of the Majestic*
Broadway Theatre Guide with full show details for Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theatre
*
Broadway Theatres: History and Architecture, William Morrison, 1999, Dover Publications, ISBN 0486402444
