Photos: Step Inside Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theater

Helen Hayes Theatre

Hayes_Theatre_Walkthrough_2019_HR — Originally named The Little Theatre, the venue was built in 1912 by Wintrhop Ames as a rebellion against Broadway commercialism. Marc J. Franklin

Originally named The Little Theatre, the venue was built in 1912 by Wintrhop Ames as a rebellion against Broadway commercialism.

Designed with only 299 seats, the theatre was made to be an intimate house for the production of noncommercial plays that were too risky to stage in large Broadway theatres.

The theatre was created with a red-brick and green-shuttered exterior, a colonial-style lobby with a fireplace, and an inclined auditorium without balcony or boxes for an unobstructed view of the stage.

The theatre opened on March 12, 1912 with a production of John Galsworthy’s The Pigeon, which critic Ward Morehouse described as “a thoughtfully written comedy that brought forth human and delightful characterizations from Frank Reicher and Russ Whytal.”

In the 1940’s the theatre ceased functioning Broadway house, functioning as the headquarters from the New York Times from 1942-1959 and then becoming an ABC television studio until 1963, where it returned to legitimacy with a production of Tambourines to Glory, a gospel play by Langston Hughes and Jobe Huntley.

Throughout its history, the theatre ushered in the Broadway debut of seminal works including Torch Song Trilogy and Prelude to a Kiss. In addition, the theatre has been the home to performances acting luminaries including Alec Baldwin, Matthew Broderick.

In July 1983 the former Little Theatre was officially renamed the Helen Hayes in honor of one of America’s most beloved actresses.

Throughout its history, the theatre ushered in the Broadway debut of seminal works including Torch Song Trilogy and Prelude to a Kiss.

In 2015, Second Stage Theatre purchased the theatre, becoming the first Broadway house dedicated to producing exclusively living American playwrights.

Photos: Step Inside Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theater

Photos: Step Inside Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theater

Photos: Step Inside Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theater

Playbill Sites

Contact Playbill

Follow Playbill Now