Symphony Space/Peter Jay Sharp Theatre
2537 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10025
2537 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10025
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Please update total seats 715 base on the theatre website.
The June 29, 1918, issue of Dramatic Mirror said that Aubrey M. Kennedy’s new Symphony Theatre had opened on June 14. The opening night feature film was The Unchastened Woman, starring Grace Valentine.
The original architect of the Symphony Theatre was William G. Massarene, according to an item in the April 26, 1919, issue of The Film Daily. The conversion of the existing building into a theater had cost $44,000.
The new link for the page about my grandfather’s renovation of the theater:
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I never knew about this until now. Unlike the theaters that he built from scratch, records about the work he did here did not survive in my family’s archives. Thank you everyone for bringing out this information.
See this page from Boxoffice, January 11, 1936, for photos of the Symphony Theatre after it was remodeled that year. The project was designed by architect William I. Hohauser, who also wrote the article the photos illustrate.
There are two additional photos on the following page, showing the auditorium.
Renewing link.
I forgot this detail – I remember the original box office. It was an oval booth out side under the marquee. I do remember buying tickets there.
Warren,
I believe that the structure that was the Symphony was originally an open air market called “The Astor Market”. Eventually the storefronts filled in the market and the Symphony was built. I do know that it was a dance hall at one point.
I never liked the Symphony as a movie house, there was no decline towards the screen. I always prefered the Riverside, Riviera and Loew’s 83rd. Those I miss.
Four photographs I took in July 2003:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/197893023/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/197893225/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/197893414/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/197893730/
I think this theater was re-named for Peter Jay SHARP, (not “Tharp” as written above. Mr. Sharp was the son of Evelyn Sharp, who at one time owned the Carlyle Hotel along with the old Paramount Building at 1501 Broadway. Mr. Sharp was also in real estate and was the final owner of the Astor Theatre before it was demolished. I think I am right but whoever runs this site might want to check and make the corrections, if I am.
A reissue of “South Pacific” in 1960
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