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American Airlines Theatre

Selwyn Theatre
Address	227 West 42nd Street New York City United States
Coordinates	40°45′23.4″N 73°59′15.8″W / 40.756500°N 73.987722°W / 40.756500; -73.987722Coordinates: 40°45′23.4″N 73°59′15.8″W / 40.756500°N 73.987722°W / 40.756500; -73.987722
Owner	City and State of New York
Operator	Roundabout Theatre Company
Type	Broadway
Capacity	740
Production	True West
Construction
Opened	October 2, 1918[1]
Reopened	June 30, 2000
Tenants
New 42nd Street

The American Airlines Theatre, originally the Selwyn Theatre, is a historic Italian Renaissance style Broadway theatre in New York City built in 1918. It was designed by George Keister and built by the Selwyn brothers. Used for musicals and other dramatic performances it was eventually converted for film. It was used briefly as a visitor's center but stood vacant for years until a 1997 renovation and restoration. It is located at 227 West 42nd Street.

History

Design

Originally named the Selwyn Theatre, it was designed by the architect George Keister and constructed by the Selwyn brothers, Edgar and Archie, in 1918.^[2] It was one of three theatres they built and controlled on 42nd Street, along with the Apollo and the Times Square Theater. It was decorated in the style of the Italian Renaissance, and originally had 1,180 seats.^[3] At the time of its opening, the design had several innovations. Its most novel feature was separate smoking rooms for men and women.^[3] Additionally, each dressing room was equipped with a shower and telephone.^[3]

Productions

The venue initially hosted major musical and dramatic productions, including Cole Porter's Wake Up and Dream, and in October 1930 Clifton Webb appeared there in Three's a Crowd,^[4] but eventually became a cinema. It would return to legitimate theater several times over the next six decades, but eventually fell into disrepair. It was used briefly in the early 1990s as a home for the Times Square Visitors Center and for a limited production of Eugene O'Neill's The Hairy Ape, but for the most part, stood vacant.

Renovation

The City and State of New York took possession of the Selwyn in 1990. In 1992, it was one of six 42nd Street theatres to fall under the protection of the New 42nd Street organization. The Roundabout Theatre Company committed to renovating the Selwyn in 1997. It was restored to its former grandeur (albeit now with just 740 seats), renamed the American Airlines in honor of its principal sponsor, and reopened on June 30, 2000. The American Airlines Theatre currently serves as the home of the Roundabout and houses its major dramatic productions.

Productions since June 30, 2000

Selected productions at Selwyn Theatre

Selwyn Theatre in 1918

Productions that had more than 100 consecutive performances at the Selwyn Theatre:

• 
  The Crowded Hour (1918) (139 performances)


• 
  Tumble In (128 performances)


• 
  Buddies (1919) (259 performances)


• 
  Ed Wynn's Carnival (1920) (150 performances)


• 
  Tickle Me (1920) (207 performances)


• 
  The Circle (1921) (175 performances)


• 
  The Blue Kitten (1922) (140 performances)


• 
  Helen of Troy, New York (1923) (191 performances)


• 
  Battling Butter (play)|Battling Butter (1923) (moved to Times Square Theater, total 313 performances)


• 
  André Charlot's Revue of 1924 (298 performances)


• 
  Kid Boots (started at Earl Carroll Theatre in 1923, moved in 1924, total 498 performances)


• 
  Charlot Revue (1925)


• 
  Castles in the Air (1926) (160 performances)


• 
  The Constant Nymph (1926) (148 performances)


• 
  The Royal Family (1927) (345 performances)


• 
  This Year of Grace (1928) (157 performances)


• 
  Wake Up and Dream (1929) (136 performances)


• 
  Three's a Crowd (1930) (271 performances)

Box office record

The Pajama Game achieved the box office record for the American Airlines Theatre. The production grossed $477,030 for the week ending April 30, 2006.^{[7][not in citation given]}

References

Citations

Bibliography

• 
  Broadway Theatres: History and Architecture, William Morrison, 1999, Dover Publications,
  ISBN 0-486-40244-4
  


• 
  Lost Broadway Theatres, Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, Princeton Architectural Press, 1997,
  ISBN 1-56898-116-3
  

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Selwyn Theatre, Manhattan and New 42nd Street Building.

• Spotlight on Broadway video history of the theatre.


• Roundabout Theatre website


• The Selwyn at the New 42nd Street


• Google Maps photo of entrance


• 
  American Airlines Theatre at the Internet Broadway Database