Early history New York City Center

1 history

1.1 construction
1.2 architecture
1.3 home performing arts

early history

the new york city center, built in 1923, designed architect harry p. knowles , firm of clinton & russell, , called mecca temple, ancient arabic order of nobles of mystic shrine, more commonly known shriners. shriners had held meetings @ carnegie hall. according broadway lore, carnegie hall management disturbed amount of cigar smoke generated during shriners meetings , evicted them. although shriners owned clubhouse @ 107 west 45th street, large meetings had earlier been held in carnegie hall , in concert hall of madison square garden (the 1890 stanford white building).

construction

a bond issued in 1922 raise funds construction of mecca temple

in 1921, mecca temple bought famous players-lasky corporation movie studio site yale university $400,000. cornerstone (visible today on west 56th street) laid on december 13, 1923 judge arthur s. tompkins, grand master of masons in ny state. dedication ceremony took place onstage, december 29, 1924, invocation offered episcopal bishop william t. manning. first public musical concert took place late next year, john philip sousa s (a mason) band, walter damrosch , willem mengelberg among audience.

architecture

the building s design neo-moorish , features elaborate interior , exterior polychromed tile work, murals, , restored terra cotta tiled rooftop dome. 102-foot (31 m) wide, 54-foot (16 m) tall dome covered more 28,000 individual tiles. building designed architects harry p. knowles (a master mason), died before completion, , clinton & russell. auditorium , 3 masonic lodge rooms included 4 m.p. moller pipe organs.

home performing arts

after financial crash of 1929 mecca shriners unable pay taxes on building , became city property. 1940s, building slated demolition when new york city council president newbold morris , mayor fiorello la guardia decided convert building home performing arts. on december 11, 1943, publicist , future producer jean dalrymple in charge volunteer director of public relations, new york city center of music , drama opened doors concert new york philharmonic. star spangled banner conducted evening mayor la guardia.

each season, 1940s through 1960s, city center presented numerous music , theatrical events many renowned performers appearing there. helen hayes, montgomery clift, orson welles, gwen verdon, charlton heston, marcel marceau, bob fosse, tallulah bankhead, vincent price, jessica tandy, hume cronyn, uta hagen, , christopher walken have graced city center stage. center famous inexpensive venue revivals of dozens of classic , then-recent broadway musicals, among them oklahoma!, carousel, south pacific, , show boat.

one of first dance companies perform regularly there ballet russe de monte carlo, 1944 1948. new york city center home new york city opera (1944–1964) , new york city ballet (1948–1966). city center s office tower home production team created famed television show show of shows starring sid caesar. 1960s construction of lincoln center performing arts, city center theater lost new york city opera , new york city ballet, , once again faced demolition. after newbold morris retired, morton baum, chairman of finance committee of board led city center. assistance of lincoln center, nycb , nyco organized membership corporations city center of music , drama sole member. ccmd leased new york state theater lincoln center, leased city of new york.

in celebration of metropolitan museum of art centennial, city center co-sponsored “cinémathèque @ metropolitan museum,” showed seventy films dating medium’s first seventy-five years on thirty-five consecutive evenings july 29 september 3, 1970. films selected cinémathèque française founder , director henri langlois, archive of more 50,000 films. chosen significance , contributions history of filmmaking, included work official film industries current , avant garde directors. program diverse film exhibition held in united states date.

since departure of opera , ballet companies 55th street building, corporate name city center of music , drama has referred umbrella organization lincoln center companies.

after shift, city center theater on 55th reorganized city center 55th street theater foundation, under howard m. squadron, , building given landmark status.

interior view



detail of ceiling 1 of lights , arabesque motifs

in 1966, robert joffrey ballet became resident dance company, changing company name city center joffrey ballet. joffrey remained @ city center until 1982. in brief heyday, joffrey danced 2 six-week seasons @ city center each year.

in 1984, manhattan theatre club made new york city center s lower level (originally 136 x96 banquet hall) home. manhattan theatre club performance space comprises 299-seat theater , 150-seat theater. later in 1980s, main stage extensively renovated in connection adjacent construction of high-rise mixed-use building, cityspire: complete deal, eichner properties agreed contribute $3 million city opera , $3 million city ballet, covered purchase of air rights ... , spend $5.5 million renovate theater in exchange 20 percent space bonus. renovations designed architect bernard rothzeid.