After over a year away, theatre is back where it belongs: in New York City. Broadway has reopened and in celebration, we’ve partnered with TodayTix to showcase all the shows you can catch in Times Square’s historic theaters. Whether you’re looking forward to doing date night at Moulin Rouge! The Musical, an afternoon out with the kids at The Lion King, or gathering your closest friends to bond over Sara Bareilles in Waitress, download the TodayTix app or go to their website for access to Broadway tickets from $29. With access to discounted prices on both same-day tickets and advance performances, a mobile Lottery program, and check out in seconds via multiple convenient payment methods, no matter what show you want to see, or when you want to see it: TodayTix has a seat for you. Use code “Untapped” to save $10 off your first purchase.
Times Square not only hosts secrets under its surface, it is home to the city’s theater district where plays, musicals, actors, writers, and everyone in the industry go to make their mark. The area is home to beautiful historic theaters, some still standing as operating theaters, others converted and repurposed, while some have closed entirely. Still, there are many theaters still standing with many open with new shows or reopening soon!
1. Al Hirschfeld Theatre
Also owned and operated by Jordan Roth of Jujamcyn Theatres, Al Hirschfield Theatre opened on November 11, 1924 with a seating capacity of 1,424. It was designed by architect G. Albert Lansburgh, who was largely known for his work on luxury theaters and cinemas. The Byzantine and Moorish-style building at 302 West 45th Street was built for vaudeville promoter Martin Beck. It was also the only theater to be owned without a mortgage at the time, and its opulence was reflected in its massive dressing rooms that could fit 200 actors.
After Beck’s death in 1940, his wife Louise Heims Beck, who was instrumental in creating the Tony Awards, took over operations. It was purchased in 1965 by Jujamcyn Theatres and was renamed in 2003 to honor Al Hirschfield, a caricaturist known for his drawings of Broadway celebrities. Hirschfield passed away just a few months before his 100th birthday, and figures like Arthur Miller and Matthew Broderick made appearances at the renaming ceremony. The theater has also drawn in some big names, such as Daniel Radcliffe in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Elizabeth Taylor in The Little Foxes, and Christina Applegate in Sweet Charity. It will reopen on September 24th, 2021 with the return of Moulin Rouge! The Musical.