Henry Miller's Theatre

According to an article in today's New York Times, Henry Miller's Theater will be closing in February 2004, and its current tenant, the surprise-hit Broadway musical "Urinetown", which has been at the Henry Miller for over 2 years, the longest run in the theater's long history, will be forced to find another theater to perform at. Developers have been eyeing the aging theater for years now, and only now have plans and funds come together. A skyscraper will be built on the site of the theater (though its facade will be incorporated into the new structure as it is landmarked), on the Avenue of the Americas between 42nd and 43rd Streets. The tower, set for completion in 2008, will include a new Henry Miller's Theatre, which will restore the original seating capacity of 950 (it was reduced to 631 over the years). Demolition of the current building is set to begin next March.

Photo of Henry Miller theatre:
http://www.readio.com/broadway-shows/henry.miller.theater.jpg

Henry Miller's Theatre is now closed, awaiting demolition. See the following article:
http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=245

Imagine having a building where the word URINETOWN is scribbled in piddle across the front. It is like in ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE when we get to see the world gone wrong. Like listening to Britney rap. Or seeing the Hilton sisters run amok while schools struggle to teach qualities. The world HAS gone to hell in a shopping trolley, and ridiculous and astonishing derailments are the norm. There is a great joke in the Simpsons: a man wakes after being in a coma for 30 years. He asks what happened to Sonny and Cher, the doctor says:"well, Cher won an Oscar and Sonny became a politician" The man prefers a re-lapse. Life now is like that, isn't it. Did YOU pay $80 to see a play called URINETOWN? or $10 for KILL BILL or even 8 MILE? We are all now in the wrong reels of ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE aren't we. URINETOWN? Yeesh!

What are you talking about paulb? "Bad Santa" would have been a perfect Christmas film for Radio City Music Hall 40 or even 50 years ago.

The theatre screened movies even before 1969 as stated in the description. In April, 1961 Federico Fellini's then-sensational LA DOLCE VITA began its New York run at this theatre.

Saw a photo in the New York Times showing the facade with the rest of theatre demolished. A new modern 1000 seat theatre will be built along side the new Bank of America building.brucec

It's strange to see one single wall standing on a big vacant lot. Check it out while you can!

This theatre did huge grosses in the early days of gay porn. Looking back now on those ads from the late 60's into the 70's they seem like Hollywood releases. I guess the film makers may have been trying to have those not in the know not be offended while still appealing to the target audience.

Visited as 'The Park-Miller and don't recall the movie titles.
Again later as 'Xenon' providing a very entertaining time as a 'disco'.

Bless the Landmarks Preservation Commission for prohibiting that naughty wrecking ball from demolishing the facade of the glorious Henry Miller's Theater. Restoration of the Georgian facade is a great idea, but what good is a facade without its core...the Georgian-styled interior??? Passed by the former theater tonight, & what a heart-breaking sight!!!!! The interior of the theater could have been restored too, don't you think?? Erasing years of Broadway history, & erecting a modern theater in a 1917 exterior is a case for the Guinness Book of World Records for shameful developers. Rebuilding the interior from scratch is a waste of time, effort, & disrespectful to its history. Anyone feel the same?

Was there anything left to actualy restore NativeForestHiller? I saw "Urinetown" there and the place was a disater. It was a perfect setting for the show and "Cabaret" as well but by this time is was nothing more than a big black box. I think the so called $2 million restoration to become Xenon was just pulling everything out.

I have somewhat mixed -- but mostly negative -- feelings about the half-hearted preservation of the Henry Miller.

On the one hand, I think it's important to be flexible and not overdo preservation -- otherwise you're going to have a stagnating city that is frozen in time. But on the other hand, I think a healthy city also needs to preserve its landmarks -- landmarks are important too -- and if you're going to preserve landmarks in the first place, landmarking should be done right. And in this case, I'm not sure that anemic "facadism" (just saving the facade) was the correct approach.

I saw a play in this theater in 1968, and I remember thinking that for some reason (although I can't remember the details) it was an especially nice Broadway theater. I think it struck me at the time, if I recall correctly, as an unusually comfortable, clean, neat and gracious little theater.

The over-riding impression I had, in my memories at least, is that it was handsome in a somewhat sparse and clean-cut way and, perhaps, a little more spacious and commodious than usual? My seat was in the second balcony and, if I recall correctly, the public spaces for balcony patrons included a modest, but pleasant, little lounge area with a skylight. I believe I felt I was stepping back in time, and not just because the decor was from a different era but because the theater itself seemed to reflect the best of a different era.

(But then again, the play I saw there [on "twofers"] was an "arty" play about Queen Victoria, "Portrait of a Queen," and the second balcony was pretty empty -- so maybe this made the theater seem more spacious and comfortable than it would have seemed otherwise. On the other hand, an empty theater can also be seen as shabby, decrepit, desolate and gloomy -- and that was not the case with the Henry Miller.)

So I'm saddened that the interior wasn't also preserved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, and I wonder if people may have been a little too quick to bend the rules or to be accommodating and flexible -- perhaps negating the benefit of having a landmarks law in the first place?

- - - - - -

P.S. -- A friend of mine got invitations through his job to both Xenon (the Henry Miller transformed into a discotheque) and Studio 54 (the Gallo Opera House transformed into a discotheque) and took me along.

It seemed to me that as a "place," Xenon was a very poor imitation of Studio 54. For instance both discos had special effects that were stored in the fly space above the stage / dance floor and would descend on occasion to amuse the customers, but it seemed to me that Studio 54's were more successfully throughout. At Studio 54 they had some kind of witty cartoon-like cutouts that would descend into view, but stay suspended above the dancers. While at Xenon they had some big objects about the size of refrigerators or standup punching bags(?) (don't remember what they were really supposed to be) that would descend all the way down to the stage instead. But this set-up was so potentially dangerous that they had to have attendants clearing the area and guiding them down -- making the special effect seem more laborious than lighthearted and fun.

P.P.S. -- Didn't the Henry Miller become another disco / nightclub, "Shout," in the mid- or late- 1980s?

In my previous post, "throughout" should have been "thought out":

For instance both discos had special effects that were stored in the fly space above the stage / dance floor and would descend on occasion to amuse the customers, but it seemed to me that Studio 54's were more successfully thought out.

I didn't see BobT's post while I was working on mine, and he makes an interesting point. Perhaps the LPC didn't perserve the interior because it had already been heavily altered?

While, technically speaking, this might have been a legitimate reason for not landmarking the interior and allowing the construction of a replacement theater instead, I wonder if restoring the Henry Miller's original interior would really have been all that difficult?

My guess (and it's only a guess) is that the Durst Organization wanted the auditorium torn down because it was easier for them to contruct their large (almost block-sized) project on a blank slate, and then later tuck in a new theater behind the old preserved facade. (In other words, it was easier for them to build from scratch than to build around. But, again, this is only a guess.)

The first ad for "La Dolce Vita" look at this one page there are ads for 5 roadshows on Broadway.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/421cd32c.jpg

To my knowledge, that was the only roadshow for La Dolce Vita anywhere. Although I am not sure about the west coast. It did, however, play major theatres in many cities, theatres that rarely showed subtitled foreign films.

I cannot now remember where but I am sure I read that the new Henry Millars will be a exact replica of the old, but with more extensive foyer space and facilities.

Generally when a theatre is "dismantled" prior to "re-erectition" (as in the Apollo/Lyric which became the Ford/Hilton) this involves hacking out bits of the plasterwork so that mouldings can be taken for the new theatre rather than piecing together the old plaster.

This can, execpt to devout historians, result in a better theatre as technological advances since the orginal design can be seemlessly incorporated into the new.

"La Dolce Vita" also roadshowed - fairly successfully - at the Philly Boyd between Cinerama engagements.

6 months into the roadshow of "La Dolce Vita" they were using this ad
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/LaDolceVita6monthad.jpg

After the roadshow of La Dolce Vita, I believe Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Roger Vadim played this house as well; I believe it was 2 performances a day but I'm not sure if seats were reserved or it was reserved performances.

Here’s a program from “La dolce vita” at the Henry Miller’s Theatre in Spring, 1961:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/petrarch/cinematreasures/dolcevita.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/petrarch/cinematreasures/dolcevita2.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/petrarch/cinematreasures/dolcevita3.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/petrarch/cinematreasures/dolcevita4.jpg

The film began a reserved-seats two-a-day run at this theater (noticeably spelled “Theatre”) on 19 April, 1961, and remained until Roger Vadim’s modernized “Les liaisons dangereuses” with Gérard Philipe and Jeanne Moreau (and soundtrack by Thelonius Monk and Art Blakey) displaced it with a similar roadshow policy on 18 December, 1961.

For "La dolce vita," I sat in the cheap seats in the second balcony and could barely see the short, elongated TotalScope screen, much less read the subtitles. I kept waiting for an emotional experience of the kind that had thrilled me in “La strada” and “Nights of Cabiria,” but it didn’t happen this time. Over three hours later, I left the theater (er, “theatre”) with a horrible stiff neck.

In 1961 I saw a matinee of Bette Davis in "The World of Carl Sandburg" and actually got her autograph at the stage door. Little did she know --- one year later --- Baby Jane !!! In '64 I was in college when Alan Arkin played here in "Enter Laughing." Thay had some seats for $1.00 and $2.00 !!! I took my cousin Diana and sprung for the $2.00 seats !!! Can you imagine, folks ???

Going back to Ian's August 18th... can anyone confirm that original elements of Henry Miller's Theater will indeed be used in the creation of the new space? One evening a couple of weeks back, I attended an "open house" of the Repertory School of New York (a new dramatic arts High School) with my daughter. The school occupies space a couple of floors above Town Hall across the street from the remains of the Henry Miller. As has been mentioned here before, it is quite an odd site to see a single facade wall standing (well, supported by scaffolding and some sort of reinforcement skeleton) in the middle of the block with absolutely nothing but a big crater all around it.

There appears to be an error in the introduction to this theatre. It did not premiere LONESOME COWBOYS. 55th Street Playhouse and the Warhol GARRICK in the Village did.

I think the confusion comes from the another nearby theatre, the Henry Miller owned HUDSON on 44th Street. In 1967 that theatre premiered Andy Warhol's MY HUSTLER, I- A MAN and BIKE BOY.

Aside from gay porn, the Henry Miller's life as a cinema consisted of two upscale long runs. LA DOLCE VITA and LES LIAISONS DANGEROUSES.

Hard to believe back in the day it housed the original Broadway production of OUR TOWN

Hate to sound like a broken record, but does anyone know if any original elements of the theater's interior have been saved to be incorporated in the new theatrical space (ala elements of the 42nd Street Apollo and Lyric in the Hilton Theater)? Or will this be an entirely new space with only the 43rd Street facade preserved? I haven't been by the site for a while so I don't know how construction is going... I believe the project is the new Bank of America office tower which, last I heard, was scheduled for 2008 occupancy.

Ed, according to the Hudson entries (http://cinematreasures.org/theater/2971/) the Henry Miller was left with just the facade. I suspect some confusion with these two as both are reported as having been called Avon-at-the-Hudson and I suspect the interiors were altered between them at some stage.

Thanks Al. The Hudson is now used for catered events and such. I figured the orchestra seats were probably ripped out, but I didn't know if there were any other alterations. You can have a wedding there, for instance. But I also know that Howard Stern recently had a "film festival" there for his fans. I believe the films were all projected on video, so I'm not sure if proper film presentation can still be facilitated there. The Miller orchestra had also been leveled for its use as a disco (ala Studio 54) and for its presentation of the "Cabaret" revival, but I suspect that seats were reinstalled for the run of "Urinetown"... or am I mistaken?

A shame that none of the original interior architecture could be preserved. Why not cantilever the new construction over the theater like they did when the Hilton Hotel went up on 42nd Street over the Liberty?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there is no sign of this theatre anymore and it is now a construction site. Am I naive in thinking the facade was removed and will be returned reburbished?

The Henry Miller facade remains in place, heavily shored and largely hidden as a new tall building rises behind it. The new building will contain a modern live Broadway theater that will be accessed through the original Miller entry.

It would be a conversation piece if anyone took a photo of the facade with vacant lots all around, as it appeared last summer. Even now, some quality photos can be taken. If anyone has taken photos, please share them. I do miss the original interior though, despite the shape it was in. I hope the modern theater will duplicate the intricate plasterwork, but with modern technological conveniences. That would put the icing on the cake, since the original interior has already been demolished.

I recall participating in Manhattan Association of Cabaret & Clubs (MAC) functions there in 1999, after an awards ceremony and show at Town Hall, across the street. Looking forward to seeing whether Henry Miller's Theatre will be something we can call "a victory!"

I thought the intention WAS to recreate the auditorium of Henry Millers - with expanded foyers and modern facilities. The original publicity from the developers certainly stressed the re-creation of the original theatre.

I hope their vision is achieved!!!

I have a couple of photos on my cell phone of the construction site with some signs of the semi-covered facade peaking out. If you want me to text these please send me your phone number at bijou@aol.com

1969 as the Park-Miller
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/ManWife.jpg

Another exterior photo here:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/422477392/

NY Times article

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/theater/10roun.html?_r=1&ref=arts&oref=slogin

May 10, 2007
Roundabout to Fill a Brand-New 89-Year-Old Theater

By CAMPBELL ROBERTSON
If everything stays on schedule, the number of Broadway theaters will increase by one in the fall of 2008, with the opening of Henry Miller’s Theater, behind an 89-year-old facade of old Broadway on 43rd Street that will be surrounded by the glass modernity of the new 54-story tall Bank of America Tower.

But enough with the nostalgia. Who’s getting it?

The Roundabout Theater Company is in the final stages of negotiations for a 20-year lease with the Durst Organization and Bank of America, the owners of the theater, which will have around 1,000 seats.

The Shuberts, Nederlanders and the Jujamcyn theater chain all approached the Durst Organization about the theater, some interested in becoming owners or part owners, but were unable to make a deal. As a long-term tenant it was Roundabout that fit the bill, said Douglas Durst, a co-president of the Durst Organization. (It can’t hurt that Mr. Durst sits on the Roundabout’s board.)

Of Todd Haimes, the president of Roundabout, Mr. Durst said: “I’ve watched Todd, both as a part of Times Square and as a board member, and he’s just been so successful at the projects he’s undertaken that we thought the best way to go would be with Roundabout.”

The company already owns or leases two Broadway theaters — the 740-seat American Airlines Theater on 42nd Street and the 920-seat Studio 54 on 54th Street — and has an Off Broadway presence at the 420-seat Laura Pels Theater, part of the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theater on 46th Street.

Keeping shows in all of these theaters partly explains the company’s $40 million budget.

The idea, Mr. Haimes said, would be to put a popular show for an extended run in one of the three Broadway theaters and use the others for the traditional two- or three-shows-a-year Roundabout schedule.

That extended-run show, as first reported in The New York Post last week, could be a revival of Sam Mendes’s production of “Cabaret,” which, conveniently enough, was the first Broadway show to play Henry Miller’s Theater in 15 years when it opened there in 1998. If the Roundabout had that theater last year, Mr. Haimes said, it would have been a logical home for the popular revival of “The Pajama Game.”

But what is the Roundabout, a nonprofit company whose official mission is to interpret “the masterpieces of the world’s great theatrical heritage” doing looking for a popular hit?

“I have no problem producing something that I think is popular or commercial to make money,” Mr. Haimes said, “as long as the money goes for the not-for-profit purpose.”

“The reality,” he added, “is that the only way we ever sort of get ahead of the game financially is to have some successful shows.”

Neither Mr. Haimes nor Durst officials would give details about finances.

There are risks that come with taking on one more production — in a leased theater, no less — even if that production has all the signs of being a smash. But, Mr. Haimes said, “there’s a risk with everything.”

Henry Miller’s Theater, named for an actor, director and producer has a serious pedigree; Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” opened there in 1938. But it had been more or less out of the Broadway business when “Cabaret” moved in. In 2003 plans for the Bank of America Tower, between Broadway and the Avenue of the Americas, were announced.

The Georgian facade was protected by landmark status, and, though the insides have been gutted, the developer was bound by state regulations to keep the space a working theater. The $30 million renovation is under way, though for now only a bare intimation of a theater can be made from concrete and scaffolding.

There are no plans to change the theater’s name.

If you click on the link provided by AlexNYC (and have a free account to the NYT website), you'll see a nice cutaway rendering of the new theater. Interesting how the majority of the theater is subterranean. The street level entrance is actually on grade with the last row of the balcony. I gather from the rendering and the article that none of the original theater's interior elements will be incorporated into the new design - putting to rest at least that lingering question.

Here are some photos of Henry Miller's Theater.

This is another vintage photo. Notice the architects name is given as D. Allen.

This website gives three architects names for this theater. Allen, Ingalls & Hoffman.

Hey Lost. Interesting in that 2nd photo of the three you just posted, there's absolutely no canopy or signage on the facade to advertise the current engagement. I note two display cases, but one would have needed to be directly in front of the theater entrance doors before they could make out what the attraction was. Perhaps the photo dates to just after construction was complete and before a canopy was installed?

Ed....Are you talking about the NYPL photo? If so, judging by the portion of the car shown in that photo, the photo could be from the late teens to very early twenties.

A piece in the NY Times indicates that this theater opened in April of 1918.

"Apr 2, 1918

HENRY MILLER IN HIS NEW THEATRE; 'The Fountain of Youth' Sprays Brilliants of Wit and Rainbow Charm. MR. MILLER'S OWN COMPANY An Excellent Group of Players Lend Their Substance to Slender Comedy.

At the opening of Henry Miller's Theatre last night good taste was lapped in luxury as seldom before. Every detail of the new house is studied with intelligent regard to comfort of the body and repose of the eye".

Here's a link to the accompanying photo of the above NY Times article from 05/10/2007. This is of the cutaway image of the new planned Henry Miller Theater.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b207/musicandfilm/images/HenryMillerTheater-cutawaydepiction.jpg

I remember way back when reading that certain architecturally significant elements from the original Miller theater were removed and stored to be used as part of the building of the new theater. I truly hope this wasn't wishful thinking on my part, but I do remember reading that. Nonetheless, seeing the link above of the cut away of the new theater, it looks like a totally modern theater. I do think it looks nice and comfortable, but I guess it would be hard to tell from that picture what the actual lobby, lounges and auditorium decor would look like. Hopefully, there will be some connection with the old Miller other than the facade.

Regarding a comment above about what happened after Xenon: Yes, the theater became the rock dance club "Shout!" for several years after before going dark again.

I visited this theatre only once back in 1977 out of curiosity. It was crowded with men and many stood in the back to watch the show. There was a slide show of men both naked and in swim suits while the song 'Fascination" played in the background. Then a film called "Adultery For Fun and Profit" came on which was rather hard core and included bisexual activities. Not pleased with the program I went to the box office and asked for my money back. The guy in the ticket booth loudly repsonded with a flat out "No!"

In May 1975 the Park-Miller theatre moved to 7th and 48th Street (most likely the former Avon 7). It is at this time that the Henry Miller may have become the Avon-at-the-Hudson.

Ad for the PARK MILLER...
http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/?action=view¤t=EroticonX.jpg

This is from Boxoffice magazine in October 1961:

NEW YORK-The unanimously favorable reviews for "West Side Story" resulted in continuous lines of ticket-buyers outside the Rivoli and a capacity gross for its two-a-day engagement. "King of Kings" was also capacity in its second week of two-a-days at Loew's State, while "La Dolce Vita" held up remarkably well for the start of its second six months (27th week) at Henry Miller's Theater. "Exodus" closed a 44-week run at two-a-day Tuesday October 24 at the Warner Theater, which opened "The Mask" at continuous run October 27 but will revert to two-a-day in December with "El Cid".

Although it had a spotty history as a legitimate theatre it is ironic that the last show which played there, Urinetown, the Musical, was a hit. I remember walking thru the construction to attend the show. They had netting under the chandelier to prevent any crystals from being dislodged by the surrounding construction. Actually the run of the show was cut short by the need to demolish the auditorium for the new building.

Incidentally, a number of years previously, the theatre had been damaged by debris from a neighboring construction site which penetrated the roof.

An illustrated article about the new "green" theatre can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/theater/04Green.html?scp=1&sq=henry%20Miller%20Theatre&st=cse

Thanks for posting the link Warren. Since this theater is pretty much new I realize that the new theater won't have it's own page, but.....the facade was saved and, as per the article, some architectural elements form the old theater were reinstalled in the new. Is there an argument to be made to change the status to open from demolished? I totally understand if the answer is no, but it does still have the same name, it does still have the same location, it does still have the exact same facade and it does still have interior elements from the original (how much I cannot say) so I think an argument could be made to say yes. I throw it open for Cinema Treasure readers to weigh in.

LuisV - there is a similar situation in downtown Boston. During the spring, the Modern/ Mayflower Theater was totally demolished after being derelict for many years. The facade was dismantled and set aside. A new building is being constructed on the site by Suffolk University. The facade will be re-erected to front this new building which will have a small performing-arts auditorium inside to be called the "Modern Theater". The Status of the old Modern here in Cinema Treasures is "Closed/Demolished". When the new theater opens, will we be able to say that it is "Open" again? (same situation with the Henry Miller). My gut feeling is to vote "No".

This was the first porno theater I ever tried to enter -- I was about 15, and the manager at the door wouldn't let me in, saying "You don't wanna know what goes on in here." But I did!

Alas, it wasn't until Cabaret opened here, decades later, that I finally passed through these hallowed portals.

LOL, Saps!

Good news, the new Henry Miller behind the landmark facade which was kept in tact while the new office complex was being erected is due to open with a revival of Grease. Don't know anything about the number of seats the new auditorium will have. Or, for that matter any architectural elements from the original will be in place. When more is known we can get into the open/closed/demolished debate.

My goof the opening show will be Bye Bye Birdie. Per Warren's earlier posting.