On Monday evening, 25 lucky Untapped Cities readers attended the launch of our Behind the Scenes NYC Tour Series in partnership with the NYCEDC, in a tour of the Brooklyn Kings Theatre. Led by Matt Wolf, Executive Director of Kings Theatre, Christina DeRose, Senior Vice President at NYCEDC and Charley Macgrew, Director of Marketing at Kings Theatre, guests were given an insider perspective on the multi-year restoration. While walking through the space, we were struck by the number of lesser-known secrets of the theater, one of the opulent Loew’s Wonder Theatres.

1. There Used to be Basketball Court and League in the Basement

Flatbush was once one of the premier entertainment destinations in Brooklyn, and the revitalization of the neighborhood is one of the goals from the NYCEDC with the re-opening of the Kings Theatre. At its peak, there were a number of theaters in this area and the proper appearance of the staff was tantamount. The basements of the theaters became de-facto workout areas and an inter-theater basketball league was created. As a result, there was once a basketball court in the basement of the Kings Theatre, a space that is now bathrooms and other facilities.