Richard Rodgers Theatre


Eugene O'Neill Theatre The Richard Rodgers Theatre, in New York City, was built by Irwin Chanin in 1925. When it was first opened, it was called Chanin's 46th Street Theatre. Chanin almost immediately leased the theatre to the Shuberts, who eventually bought the building outright in 1931 and rechristened it as simply the 46th Street Theatre. In 1982, it was purchased and renovated by the Nederlander Organization, who in 1990 renamed it the Richard Rodgers Theatre, in memory of composer Richard Rodgers. The building is located at 226 W 46th Street, New York City, New York, between Broadway & 8th Avenue. The new Disney musical Tarzan which recently played at the Richard Rodgers closed on July 8, 2007.
The Richard Rodgers Theatre is notable in that it was the first to feature Chanin's 'democratic' seating plan. In most earlier Broadway theatres, patrons seated in the cheaper balcony and mezzanine sections utilized separate entrances from patrons who had purchased the more expensive orchestra section seats. Instead, all patrons entered the new theatre through the same doors, and a series of steps inside the house led to the upper seating areas.

Notable productions since 1961
1961: Donnybrook!
1961: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
1969: 1776
1975: Chicago
1978: The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
1982: Nine
1987: Fences
1997: Steel Pier
1997: Side Show
1998: Footloose
2000: Seussical
2002: Movin' Out
2007: Tarzan
2007: Cyrano de Bergerac
2008: In The Heights


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