8th Street Playhouse
52 W. 8th Street,
New York,
NY
10011
52 W. 8th Street,
New York,
NY
10011
23 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 110 comments
It was used as the NYU film school screening theater in the 60’s and 70’s.
Theatre closed November 26, 1992
A most unusual proscenium. Was it ever adapted for ‘scope ratio?
I loved this theater so much. Everything about it was special. Just walking down 8th street and spotting it in the distance gave me a thrill. I think the first movie I saw here was the first run of Hairspray. At the time I lived midtown east and worked at Tower Records at Lincoln Center so I didn’t go downtown a whole lot to see movies unless it was for something I couldn’t get closer. In the Fall of 88 I started NYU so I was right near it and my attendance increased.
I recall convincing a group of my fellow freshman theater students to come one night to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show because I’d heard how amazing the live show was, but I didn’t realize it was pretty much on its last legs and was less than exciting, and everyone thought I was crazy for suggesting it. Saw many other films here such as Running on Empty (which moved me so much, I remember crying the entire way back to my dorm), Driving Miss Daisy, Pretty Woman, Reversal of Fortune, etc. I mostly did matinees so I rarely was there when there was a crowd.
It closed in 1992.
What year did this close? We can amend the Intro to include that info.
October 1981 photo added credit NYU Archives.
I was only here 2 times. Once to see Rocky Horror in 1980 and once to see The Clash in “Rude Boy” . Ironic that I MET the Clash when they were recording “Combat Rock” in Electric Lady in 1982 (!) . I waited outside for them to arrive because The Village Voice said that they were in town. I called Electric Lady and asked “What time do they get there?” The person that answered said “8 0'clock”. LOL. I guess they were not worried about stalkers in 1982? They all signed for me as they entered. Such a shame that this place is GONE. I just cannot believe it.
Circa 1946 photo at the bottom of this link about the neighboring Village Barn.
http://vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-village-barn.html
I was a RHPS cast member, so I remember that there was a kind of stage that was two to three feet high and about the same wide. Under Steve Hirsch, it was a wild place to see a movie. There was a perpetual blue cloud over the auditorium, and I’m sure echoes of the goings-on in the ladies room still echo in the Beth Israel clinic that inhabits the space now!
RHPS didn’t play there for 15 years…it opened in July 1978 and closed in late summer 1989, after UA sold the theatre to City Cinemas and moved “Rocky” to the Eastside on 3rd Ave. In spring 1991 it returned to the Village at Movieland 8th St., where it played until Nov. 1995.
Robert R., the correct order of ownership in the 1980s was: independent (Steve Hirsch) until July 1986, when Hirsch died; B.S. Moss Theatres (1986-88); UA (1988-89); and City Cinemas (1989-91). UA had taken over Moss and its theatres, including the Art/Movieland 8th St. down the street. Then, UA began divesting itself of single screen locations to concentrate on multiplexes, and the Playhouse was sold to CC.
The Film Guild Cinema launched February 1, 1929 with “Two Days.” It was conceptualized by Symon Gould – one of two people along with Michael Mindlin commonly cited for the art film movement shown in decidedly non-palatial diminutive theater – and architected by Frederick Kiesler. His sketches including the four screen concept is in photos. On May 14, 1930, the theatre changed to the Eighth Street Playhouse. It announced just one month later that it would usher in early experimental television as part of its programming mission.
The picture sure looks like the beloved 8th Street Playhouse. Aside from going to multiple screenings of “Rocky Horror”, Vestron films held several premieres there. I had the “pleasure” of watching “Parents” and “Lair of the White Worm” in a celebrity-packed theater. The place had character. It was also 2 doors down from the hottest recording studio and more than once while waiting for Rocky Horror or after, I saw the Stones and others coming and going.
Ed Solero, it was kind of like the original shadow box screens at GCC when they first opened. They did not have masking like most Ruggoff theaters they had just a single strip that came down from the ceiling. Very strange.
I seem to recall there might have been a bit of a platform stage in front of the screen, but certainly nothing by way of theatrical facilities. Didn’t stop a hell of a show from going down in front of numerous Rocky Horror screenings, back in the day! If my memory is correct, it was no more than a slight, raised platform, maybe a few inches above the floor ahead of the first row. I could be completely mistaken about that.
Nick 810,It did not. It had a screen in the wall.
Does anyone know if the 8th St. Playhouse has a full stage?
I use to work at the 8th St. Playhouse in 79. I worked there and Crazy Eddies. I sure would like to see some people from that time 79. Maybe someone who worked there. I lived at One Christopher in the Village.
Saw 15 chapters of a Batman serial there in one day in the 1960’s. J Carroll Nash played a Japanese villian.
No telling what that bland facade used to be. But the Film Guild Cinema interior, by modernist architect/designer Frederick Kiesler in the 1920s, was amazing. A photo is here: http://www.kiesler.org/cms/index.php?lang=3&idcat=36
Wrong listing, iatse311. The 8th Street Playhouse featured a streamlined decor without a proscenium and with all the seats on one level. Googling the work of photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, it appears that the photo might be of the Playhouse in Great Neck? But I can’t really support that definitively. You may try posting there to see if it jogs any memories.
View link
Went walking around this part of the village back in November of last year and snapped a couple of shots of the 8th Street Playhouse site and the horrific alteration of the adjacent Electric Lady Studios entrance:
Store For Rent
Electric Lady Bland
Wonder if the place was ever rented out. Also wonder if the auditorium still sits behind the store front?
Seamus, apparently you don’t remember Richard O'Brien being lead into the Ladies Room by a group of Magentas. There was a “snow storm” gonig on in there.
Some of the best times of my life were spent seeing RHPS at the 8th Street Playhouse. From the ages of 14-16, I only lived to save up enough money to travel from Montreal to NYC to visit the greatest place on Earth. I’d always avoid the long lineup whenever I’d see Sal or Jimmy Colgate hanging around outside. I was there on the Saturday of the 10th Anniversary party where I sat right behind Richard O'Brien who proceeded to light up a fat spliff and pass it right back to me. There’s one for the books.