Ziegfeld Theatre

VincentParisi on December 11, 2003 at 1:38 pm

The Zieglfeld and the Astor Plaza were always a pale copy of the great NY cinemas. It’s a great shame that they survived and the Rivoli, the Criterion, and the Warner Cinerama(Strand) were torn down. And this well after there was supposed to have been a renewed interest in historic theaters.

Patrick Crowley on November 5, 2003 at 10:58 pm

To clarify just a bit further, the concession area and theater entrance are indeed one level up.

Once on the second level, the main auditorium is accessed through two short passageways just adjacent to the concession area. The passageways flow to the left and right, wrapping around the balcony seating area.

At their opposite ends, the passageways stop at the foot of the balcony seating, and from here, the auditorium slowly descends towards the large screen, which, presumably, is located at or near ground level.

(The open plaza that Ed mentioned is formed in part by the right wall of the auditorium.)

Ed Solero on October 8, 2003 at 1:15 am

Still a great place to see a movie and one of the all-too-few premier “opening night” theaters remaining in the city (the other being the similarly modern but plush Loew’s Astor Plaza on West 44th). It features a very large yet simple streamlined modern auditorium with none of the baroque architectural flourishes of the classic movie palaces. Like the Astor Plaza, the balcony rises at the back of the theater, rather than being vaulted over the orchestra seats. Also like the Astor Plaza, the theater is located underground with the large structure visible from street level serving as a spacious lobby area. The seats are plush, red velvet and the giant screen is concealed behind a heavy curtain that still opens and closes between each showing.

Vintage photos and programs line the walls of the upper and lower lobbies, depicting former Ziegfield shows and performers from the roaring days of the famed Follies at the New Amsterdam and Selwyn Theaters on 42nd street. Sound and projection are state of the art.

The theater is on West 54th Street (an adjacent open plaza stretches to West 55th) just west of 6th Avenue on the north-east fringe of the theater district in midtown Manhattan.

marylou on November 29, 2002 at 10:05 am

I will be in New York from mon dec9 thru dec 13 and wanted to know if you will be previewing a movie that week . we always see a movie at your theatre. Please let me know thanks

Magicdead on January 2, 2002 at 7:42 am

Can Someone help me a friend of me said something about “The famous yellow letters appeared in the Ziegfeld Theatre” and i gotta find out what it means

Bill Huelbig on October 3, 2001 at 3:01 pm

In February 1983 I was almost stuck in the Ziegfeld overnight. It was after a showing of GANDHI while a blizzard was socking New York. I was considering asking the Ziegfeld staff if I could sleep in the theater instead of going out into the brutal storm. I always regretted not having done it! New York’s best theater by far.