The
George Gershwin Theatre is a legitimate
Broadway theatre located at 222 West
51st Street in midtown-
Manhattan in the
Paramount Plaza building. The theatre is named after famous composer
George Gershwin. It has the highest seating capacity of any Broadway theatre, with over 1,900 seats.
Designed in an
Art Nouveau style by
set designer Ralph Alswang, it is situated on the lower levels of a towering office complex built at an estimated cost of $12.5 million
[Gershwin Theater - Wicked: broadway theater map] on the site of the historical
Capitol Theatre. It opened as the
Uris Theatre on
November 28 1972 (named for the building developer Uris Brothers) with the musical
Via Galactica starring
Raul Julia. It proved to be an inauspicious start for the venue, closing after only seven performances. From 1974-76 it served as a concert hall for limited engagements by a number of
legendary
pop music and
jazz performers.
The
American Theatre Hall of Fame located in the lobby is a popular gathering place for audience members pre-show and during intermission.