Lyric Theatre
Similar to many of its neighbors, the newly minted Lyric, nee Foxwoods, sits atop quite a bit of New York theatrical history. The theater was constructed in 1903 and began life by hosting Shakespeare plays, and in 1920 the Apollo Theatre was constructed adjacent to the original Lyric. Early Gershwin musicals at the Apollo dazzled, but both theaters were turned into cinemas in the 1930s, before the decades caught up to them and led to both being condemned in the 1990s and repossessed by the city. Demolition, renovation, and preservation of certain architectural aspects of the original theaters led to a reopening in the theater’s current configuration, with E.L. Doctorow’s Ragtime the first production showing in years in 1998. 2013 saw a name change to Lyric, honoring the space’s rich history. The people behind the theater are looking forward to On the Town opening in the fall of 2014.