Mark Hellinger Theatre

About

The Mark Hellinger Theatre (formerly the 51st Street Theatre, Warner Theatre, and Hollywood Theatre) is a theater and church building at 237 West 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, U.S. Opened in 1930, the Hellinger Theatre is named after journalist Mark Hellinger and was developed by Warner Bros. Pictures as a movie palace before later hosting Broadway productions. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb with a 1930s–modern style facade and a Baroque interior. It has 1,603 seats across two levels and has been a house of worship for the Times Square Church since 1989. Both the exterior and interior of the theater are New York City landmarks.

The facade on 51st Street is constructed with golden and brown bricks. The stage house to the west and the auditorium at the center are designed as one unit, with a cornice above the auditorium. The eastern section, containing the building's current main entrance, includes statues flanking the doors, as well as an overhanging marquee. The 51st Street facade was originally a side entrance; the main entrance was originally at 1655 Broadway but was closed in the 1950s. The interior rotunda lobby contains eight fluted columns, a balcony, and a domed ceiling with several murals; a basement lounge exists under the lobby. The auditorium has a coved ceiling with murals, as well as boxes and a deep stage.