Theatre Four Information

As part of the Theatre Row complex, no story about Beckett Theatre can be told without learning about that theatre. Theatre Row had its start with The 42nd Street Development Corporation that was formed in 1976 by Fred Papert. He had a mission of revitalizing the 42nd street district so that it would rise from its, then state, as the home of several pornographic businesses. This mission led to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ election to the corporation’s board and the earliest processes of replacing adult stores between 9th Avenue and Dyer with off-Broadway theatres, rehearsal spaces, and offices. This move intended to bring a better class of citizens to the street and help renew the neighborhood to allow greater revenues, deeper cultural enrichment, while enhancing the attractiveness of the district for new businesses to enter the neighborhood. Later in 1977, the Manhattan Plaza apartment tower opened on the north side of the street, which made Papert’s move a very timely decision.

The first theatre renovations, in 1978, were dedicated with Walter Mondale, Joan Mondale, and Ed Koch in attendance. This dedication marked a very public proclamation of intent for the project as well as highlighting the first steps of the district’s transformation and would later serve as setting for the 1981 film Tootsie.

During the 80s, audiences to Theatre Row noticed that the district still had some of the rough character that marked the original pornographic nature of the street, with poor seating, unfit bathrooms, and faulty air conditioning that affected the theatre’s reception until nearly the end of the following decade. In 1999, Theatre Row Managing Director Ray Cullom gutted the core of the Theatre Row buildings and kicked off renovations and ground-up rebuilding that created the five theatres that exist today. This effort ended in 2002 with brand new spaces built within the original five-story brick building as well as a tall apartment tower complex that was erected adjacent to the theatres.

This new construction and the brighter future that it promised attracted businesses and theatrical companies to the street. Today, Theatre Row serves as the home for 11 companies-in-residence including Theatre Breaking Through Barriers, Keen Company, and New Light Theatre Project. While the original reality of 42nd street was hard to overcome, it’s clear that the 42nd Street Development Corporation has done an invaluable service at offering an affordable and prominent location for off-Broadway theatrics that does its job of revitalizing the neighborhood.

See the below pages for further information on the Theatre Four at Theatre Row:

Theatre Four Parking:
Read about parking options and rules at the Theatre Four.

Ticket Policies:
Read about the industry leading ticket guarantee and ticket authenticity policies when purchasing from tickets via this website.

Theatre Four Seating Chart:
View the Theatre Four at Theatre Row seating chart and read information on the various seating options.