Todd Haimes Theatre
229 W. 42nd Street,
New York,
NY
10036
229 W. 42nd Street,
New York,
NY
10036
12 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Roundabout Theatre Company - Todd Haimes Theatre (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Brandt Theaters, City Cinemas
Architects: George W. Keister
Functions: Live Theater
Styles: Italian Renaissance
Previous Names: Selwyn Theatre, American Airlines Theatre
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
212.719.1300
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Sep 19, 2005 — Theater Naming Issue
Built by the Selwyn brothers as a 1,051-seat live theatre venue amid the bustling theatre district of W. 42nd Street, the Selwyn Theatre opened on October 2, 1918 with Jane Cowl in “Information Please”. To fill in between live shows, silent movies were occasionally programed, one such in May 1921 when “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” was screened. After sixteen years of ups and downs, the format switched to movies in 1934 and remained that way until closing in 1997.
The Selwyn Theatre was restored and renovated in the late-1990’s as part of the Times Square Redevelopment Project and became the new home for live theatre and the Roundabout Theatre Company, which opened on July 27, 2000 with a production of “The Man Who Came to Dinner” staring Nathan Lane.
Thanks to a large donation and support by the airline company, the Selwyn Theatre was renamed for its generous benefactor, to the American Airlines Theatre. In early-2024 it was renamed Todd Haimes Theatre after the director of the Roundabout Theatre Company. The total seating capacity has been reduced to 740-seats, with 471-seats in the orchestra and 269-seats in the mezzanine.
Contributed by
Ross Melnick
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Recent comments (view all 71 comments)
I’m with you there, Luis. The sad thing is, of the 9 historic theaters on the block (not counting the stripped down and presumably unsalvageable Anco) that were touted to be held by either the State or the 42nd Street Development Corp for preservation and restoration, we really only have three theaters that remain in a state of preservation: the Selwyn, New Amsterdam and New Victory (another gem).
On a secondary tier of preservation, the shell of the Empire Theatre remains as a lobby to the AMC multiplex that bears its name, and the Lyric and Apollo Theatres were disassembled with only segments of historical interior elements (mostly from the Apollo) used in the reconstructed theater that now sits within their combined footprint.
The Times Square still sits there with its future up in the air and reports are that the Liberty’s auditorium – which sat vacant but largely intact for many years – has recently been stripped away. And most unforgiveably, the Harris Theatre – which was in as good a shape as any of the theatres on the block – wasn’t even given any consideration for preservation, having been completely demolished for the Madame Tussaud’s project.
While I celebrate the survival of the Selwyn, New Amsterdam and New Victory, I bemoan the loss of the Lyric and Harris and feel saddened as the slim hopes for the Times Square and Liberty seem to be slipping away.
Brief shot of the Selwyn marquee at 3:16 in this `80’s SNL clip. The dancer on the lower right at 2:42 is Bebe Neuwirth too. Copy & Paste to view.
https://screen.yahoo.com/popular/needleman-dentist-000000600.html?soc_src=default
That clip was from 1984, seven years after this house closed, but still before its legit rebirth. (The Robby Benson movie on the marquee “One on One” came out in 1977.)
Featured prominently in recreation in the new HBO series “THE DEUCE”. The Apollo and others are also featured in the series pilot episode with meticulous detail, circa 1971.
American Airlines Theatre to be renamed in honor of Roundabout Theatre Company’s Todd Haimes
https://www.broadwaynews.com/american-airlines-theatre-to-be-renamed-in-honor-of-roundabout-theatre-companys-todd-haimes/
Anything is better than American Airlines Theatre! Corporate naming rights bring in lots of money, but they result in awful monikers up on the marquee!
How about they call it the Edgar and Archibald Selwyn theater…
Now THERE’s an idea!
I always was hoping they would rename it the Selwyn. I am not a fan of renaming a theater after people nobody knows.
Naming this one after Todd Haimes makes sense. After all, he was the one who got Roundabout into the space, which itself came after he saved the entire company from bankruptcy. If there’s anyone deserving of the honor, it’s him.