overview

Opened in 1920, the Times Square Theater staged a number of productions involving major LGBT performers and creators, including Katharine Cornell, Tallulah Bankhead, Laurence Olivier, and Noel Coward, among others.

Operating relatively briefly as a legitimate theater, the venue became a movie theater in 1933 and the interior was demolished in 1996.

Header Photo
Credit: Christopher D. Brazee/NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, 2022.

History

The Times Square Theater was constructed with a neo-Classical style façade in 1920 that it shared with the Apollo Theater.

During its brief history as a legitimate theater, the Times Square Theater enjoyed success with a number of LGBT-associated productions with major figures:

 

In 1933, the venue became a movie theater. It appeared in the cult movie Times Square (1980) which depicted female rockers in a subtle lesbian relationship. The theater’s interior was demolished in 1996 and portions were used in the Ford Center.

Entry by Jay Shockley, project director (June 2019).

NOTE: Names above in bold indicate LGBT people.

Building Information

  • Architect or Builder: Eugene DeRosa
  • Year Built: 1920

Sources

  1. Internet Broadway Database.

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Broadway Theater District