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Sony Hall

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Coordinates:40°45′34″N73°59′13″W/ 40.75944°N 73.98694°W/40.75944; -73.98694
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Sony Hall
The Diamond Horseshoe
Century Theatre
Mayfair Theatre
Stairway Theatre
Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe
exterior of Sony Hall.
The exterior of theParamount Hotel.Sony Hall is located in the basement of this building.
Map
Address235 W. 46th St.
New York City
United States
Coordinates40°45′34″N73°59′13″W/ 40.75944°N 73.98694°W/40.75944; -73.98694
OperatorBlue Note Entertainment Group
TypeFormerBroadwayhouse
Capacity1,000 standing, 500 seated
Current useConcert venue
OpenedDecember 24, 1938(1938-12-24)
Website
www.sonyhall

Sony Hallis aconcert venueoperated byBlue Note Entertainment Grouplocated on West 46th Street in theTheater District, Manhattan,New York City. Like many theaters in NYC, it has served many functions since its opening in 1938. Located in the basement of theParamount Hotel,it began asBilly Rose's Diamond Horseshoenightclubwhere the 1945 filmDiamond Horseshoewas filmed, and later spent time as aburlesquetheater before becoming a legitimateBroadway theatreunder the namesCentury Theatre,Mayfair Theatre,andStairway Theatre.As a Broadway theater, it is best known for the transfer of theTony Award-winning original Broadway production ofOn Golden Pondin 1979. After becoming a private venue through the 1980s and remaining mostly closed through the 1990s and 2000s, it reemerged in 2013 after a 20-million-dollar renovation as a theater hosting theimmersiveproductionQueen of the Night.It is currently run as a live music performance venue showcasing audio and visual technology bySony.

History[edit]

Diamond Horseshoe sign
A disused sign on the exterior of the building for the "Diamond Horseshoe".

TheParamount Hotelwas constructed in 1927 nearTimes Square.TheFrench Renaissance-inspired building was the only hotel designed byThomas W. Lambwho is mostly known for his theaters and cinemas.[1]The hotel opened in 1928, and ten years later, onChristmasof 1938,Billy Roseopened a nightclub in the basement of the building, namedBilly Rose's Diamond Horseshoe.[1][2]Rose, a theatrical producer, was already well known for his work withthe Ziegfeld Folliesand withOscar Hammerstein IIon the large-scale production ofJumbo,but he also was the creating force behind themed nostalgic nightclubs in New York such as theBilly Rose Music Hall.[2][3]The Diamond Horseshoe was one of these themed clubs with Rose designing it as aGay Ninetiessaloon.[2]The first show in the venue wasThe Turn of the Century,a romantic retelling ofDiamond Jim BradyandLillian Russell's relationship interspersed withburlesqueacts. The club became well known for the "Long-Stemmed Roses", the scantily clad house chorus girls who were all over 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) tall,[1][2][3]and was called by a critic at theNew York Times,“the most zestful, gorgeous and lovable pleasure palace in town.”[4]Gene Kellyis known to have choreographed one performance of the Long-Stemmed Roses,W.C. Handywas a regular entertainer, and the club attracted the likes ofOrson WellesandSugar Ray Robinson.[3]

1945 saw the premiere ofDiamond Horseshoe,a film byGeorge SeatonstarringBetty Grable,set and filmed in the Diamond Horseshoe.[2][5][6]The influence of this film could not keep the club afloat and it closed in 1951 due to shifts in taste in entertainment away from lavish revues and towards more intimate fare.[2]For some time afterward, the basement operated as theSonja HenieIce Palace,with a skating rink.[7]

The hotel's operators leased the Paramount's basement as a theater in December 1960.[8]The space was operated by the partnership ofIrving MaidmanandNorman Twain.[9][10]Russell Patterson renovated the basement into the Mayfair Theatre, a 299-seatoff-Broadwayvenue.[7][11]A skating rink was removed from the space and a 56-foot-wide (17 m) stage was installed, an unusually wide stage for an off-Broadway venue; the stage's width could be reduced to 26 feet (7.9 m) for intimate productions.[7]The theater opened in March 1961 with the playRootsbyArthur Wesker.[12][13]The Mayfair lasted two years before Maidman converted it to a cabaret. Maidman cited the large number of competing off-Broadway venues as a reason for the closure.[14]

By 1969 the theater was being used to showburlesqueand a new agreement specified that beginning April 25, 1970, the space would no longer be rented as "a Burlesque Theatre or for the exhibition of 'adult' or 'sex exploitation' films".[8]Shortly after this agreement the space was renamed theStairway Theatreand hosted two short-lived Broadway productions,The Castro ComplexandA Place Without Doorsover three months.[15][5]These productions were not successful and in 1971 the theater returned to a burlesque house in violation of its lease.[8]

Two theatrical productions were hosted between 1974 and 1976 under the monikerMayfair Theatre,[15]but in 1978, the theater was once again renamed, this time to theCentury Theatreand began presenting Broadway caliber theater once more.[5]The most notable production of this time period was the transfer of the original Broadway production ofOn Golden Pondin 1979, which won aTony Awardfor Best Actress in a Play forFrances Sternhagenas well as theDrama Desk Awardfor Outstanding New Play.[5][15]The theater's run as a Broadway house ended in 1982 withWaltz of the Stork,amusicalwritten and performed byMelvin Van Peebles.[5][15]

Throughout the 1980s the theater was used for a few notable special events including the memorial luncheon forAndy Warholin 1987 and Vanity Fair's fifth-anniversary celebration in 1988.[2]Over the next few decades there were attempts to reimagine the space as concert halls,supper clubs,anddiscotechsbut each attempt failed due to costs and other issues. Mostly the space sat empty and slowly decayed.[16]

In 2011 the developerAby Rosenpurchased the Paramount Hotel and, after a 20-million-dollar renovation, the theater reopened in 2013 onNew Year's Eveas theDiamond Horseshoe.[2][4]The new incarnation of the space was specifically designed for the newimmersive theaterpieceQueen of the Night,produced byRandy WeinerandSimon Hammerstein,the creators ofThe Box[2]and instruments in bringingSleep No MorefromLondonto New York.[4]Giovanna Battaglia,the creative director ofQueen of the Night,called the redesign of the space, "a cross between a church, an opera house, and a bordello."[3]The renovations included "hammered-gold floors, greenvelvetstage curtains held back by four-foot-long hands, and a bejeweled ceiling inspired by Catholicmonstrances."[3]Most original elements in the room were not able to be preserved due to deterioration.[17]The lavish production, which was loosely based onMozart'sThe Magic Flute,was directed byscenic designerChristine Jones,and the title role was performed byMartha Graham Dance Companyprincipal dancerKatherine Crockett.[4][2]

Queen of the Nightran for exactly two years, closing on December 31, 2015. For the next few years the theater existed as a private venue until reopening on March 27, 2018, as Sony Hall, aconcert venue.[18]This new space is run byBlue Note Entertainment Group,who also run New York'sHighline Ballroom,in partnership withSony.[19][18]Many of the design elements introduced forQueen of the Nightwere retained, only minor paint and upholstery details were changed as well as extending the stage slightly into the room.[18]The real changes came in the audio visual realm as Sony used the hall to showcase new sound, video, and listening technologies it developed, and introduced a new street levelcafe.The current 12,000 square foot (1,100 m2) venue includes a full-service restaurant and bar and can hold 1,000 people standing or 500 people seated.[19]The first concert in the renovated space was byMGMT,aSony Music-signed rock band.[18]

Design[edit]

Sony Hall street level lobby.
The street level lobby of Sony Hall

The original incarnation of the space was designed byThomas W. Lambas anostalgictake on a saloon from the 1890s, including walls painted deep red and white, period-appropriate light fixtures, and posters ofvaudevillestars dotting the walls.[2][20]This interior crumbled due to years of neglect and most original elements in the theater were not able to be preserved due to deterioration.[17]Due to the state of the hall, it was gutted as part of its renovation for the 2013 production ofQueen of the Night.[21]This renovation and redesign was carried out by architectural firmStonehill & TaylorwithMeg Sharpedesigning the interiors, creative direction by Giovanna Battaglia, andDouglas Littledesigning the production's scenery.[17][22]Due to the nature of immersive theater, theQueen of the Nightscenery was fully integrated into the architecture, but edited out during the minor 2018 Sony Hall renovations.[17][18]The overall design nods to the real history of the space while infusing an imagined history created for the production ofQueen of the Night.[21]

The exterior of the hall is marked by one of a pair of ornatemarqueesthat were installed as part of the 2013 renovation, with the other marking the entrance to the Paramount Hotel.[17]Once inside, the entrance to Sony Hall is down a grand marble staircase, restored in 2013, which has beendistressedwithscenic paintingtechniques to appear more dilapidated than it truly is.[21][23]The base of the stairs features preserved bronze display cases,[17]and the entrance door has knobs in the shapes of hands with open palms.[23]

Once inside, the main room's interior, while largely new construction, takes design cues from Lamb's original intent. Thelunettesandfriezerecall the former design of the space, and the grand ceiling design draws precise inspiration from the original ceiling.[17]While the whole space is designed with curves to give a sense of motion, this is most noticeable in the highly ornamental ceiling.[23]This ceiling breaks classical architectural traditions and is designed with multiple domes and trim framing out a center ellipse containing afiber opticnight sky that gives the illusion of volume.[17][23][20]

The walls are lined with antique faceted mirrors above curvingbanquetteseating built in tiers with additional curving railings.[22][20][23]Additional raised seating pods dot the space and, according to an article onArchitizer,the bar is designed to resemble an, "intricate 19th century distillery with tubes and flasks traveling up the walls and along the ceiling.[23]

Production history[edit]

Theater name Production opened closed ref
The Diamond Horseshoe Century Theatre Queen of the Night December 31, 2013 December 31, 2015 [2][18]
Century Theatre Waltz of the Stork January 5, 1982 May 23, 1982 [15]
A Taste of Honey June 24, 1981 November 8, 1981
Heartland February 23, 1981 March 15, 1981
Emlyn WilliamsasCharles Dickens January 14, 1981 February 1, 1981
Banjo Dancing October 21, 1980 November 30, 1980
Of the Fields, Lately May 27, 1980 June 1, 1980
On Golden Pond September 12, 1979 April 20, 1980
Lone Star & Pvt. Wars June 7, 1979 August 5, 1979
Manny April 18, 1979 May 13, 1979
Are You Now or Have You Ever Been February 6, 1979 March 4, 1979
Taxi Tales December 28, 1978 December 31, 1978
The American Dance Machine June 14, 1978 December 3, 1978
Patio / Porch April 13, 1978 April 30, 1978
Mayfair Theatre Dance With Me January 23, 1975 January 4, 1976
Tubstrip October 31, 1974 November 17, 1974
Stairway Theatre A Place Without Doors December 22, 1970 January 16, 1971
The Castro Complex November 18, 1970 November 22, 1970

References[edit]

  1. ^abcHistory.Paramount Hotel.Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  2. ^abcdefghijklMonahan, Patrick.The Diamond Horseshoe, the World War II-Era Nightclub Resurrected by Randy Weiner and Simon Hammerstein.Vanity Fair.January 24, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  3. ^abcdeLawrence, Vanessa.Diamond Horseshoe.W Magazine.January 17, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  4. ^abcdGrimes, William.Subterranean Acts of Sudden Intimacy.New York Times.December 26, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  5. ^abcdeCulwell-Block, Logan.9 Former Broadway Theatres Still Visible Today.Playbill.July 6, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  6. ^Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe(1945).TCM.Retrieved May 12, 2020,
  7. ^abc"Hotel Basement Gets Theatre, Its 3d Show Business Venture".The New York Times.March 5, 1961.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedFebruary 2,2022.
  8. ^abcCentury Paramt. Htl. v. Rock Land Corp.Civil Court of the City of New York, Trial Term, New York County. 68 Misc. 2d 603, 604-5 (N.Y. Misc. 1971). November 3, 1971. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  9. ^Little, Stuart W. (January 16, 1961). "Broadway Area Will Get Off-Broadway Type Plays".New York Herald Tribune.p. 12.ProQuest1325462711.
  10. ^"Theatre Will Open on March 1".The New York Times.January 16, 1961.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedFebruary 2,2022.
  11. ^"Engineering Firm Leases Two Floors on 7th Ave".New York Herald Tribune.March 2, 1961. p. 37.ProQuest1327545379.
  12. ^Little, Stuart W. (March 2, 1961). "New Broadway Theater: Below-Broadway Prices".New York Herald Tribune.p. 15.ProQuest1327544863.
  13. ^Taubman, Howard (March 7, 1961)."Play by Arnold Wesker at the New Mayfair".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedFebruary 2,2022.
  14. ^Zolotow, Sam (August 13, 1963)."Theater Tickets Hold Price Line; Broadway Seats Will Cost Same as Last Season's Mayfair to Bow Out Holmes Role Is Cast".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedFebruary 2,2022.
  15. ^abcdeCentury Theatre.Internet Broadway Database.The Broadway League.Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  16. ^Williams, Alex.Making His Life the Party.New York Times.May 29, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  17. ^abcdefghDiamond Horseshoe: Stonehill & Taylor.Restaurant & Bar Design Ltd.Retrieved Mat 12, 2020.
  18. ^abcdefA 1930s basement theater becomes NYC's new high-tech Sony Hall.Metro.March 26, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  19. ^abAbout.Sony Hall. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  20. ^abcSullivan, Megan.Diamond Horseshoe Club at the Paramount.Lodging.November 6, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  21. ^abcRobin, Natalie.Noble Concepts: Queen Of The Night.Live Design.Mar 24, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  22. ^abSantiago, Rebecca.The Diamond Horseshoe Club and Theater Reopens in New York's Paramount Hotel.Architectural Digest.December 31, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  23. ^abcdefDiamond Horseshoe at The Paramount Hotel.Architizer.Retrieved May 13, 2020.

External links[edit]

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