Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

Website: luntfontannetheatre.com

Address

205 W 46th St
New York, NY 10036

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Public Transport

By Subway:
1,2,3,7,S,N,R,Q,W,A,C,E to 42nd St./Times Square
By Bus:
Take the M7, M20, M50, or M104

Accessibility

Box Office

Outer lobby. Counter 48".
Parking

Lot: West of entrance.
Curb Ramps

(1" lip) NW corner of 46th St. & Broadway; NE corner of 46th St. & 8th Ave.
Restroom

Located on the basement and mezzanine levels. Handicap accessible facility on theater level
Seating

All seats require the use of stairs. Accessible tickets are available directly through the Box Office. Call (212) 575-9200 for more information.
Elevator\Escalator

There are no elevators or escalators at this theatre.
Entrance

Double doors in series: 1st set (each 29", heavy, 1" saddle) into outer lobby; 2nd set (each 26", heavy) into orchestra.
Visual Assistance

Vision seats in the front of the orchestra for purchase in person, or on the phone.
Water Fountain

A water fountain is located in the lower lounge. Water is also available at the bar.
Assisted Listening System

Headsets for sound augmentation are available at the theatre, free of charge. Photo identification is required as a deposit. Copper Induction Loop also available.
Wheelchair Info

There are wheelchair seats in the rear of the Orchestra section.
Folding Armrests

Twelve (12) mobility seats with folding armrests are available for purchase through the box office, in person, or over the phone, plus one companion seat each.

Theater Description

Designed by the architectural firm of Carrere and Hastings, it was built by producer Charles Dillingham and opened as the Globe Theatre, in honor of London's Shakespearean playhouse, on January 10, 1910 with a musical entitled The Old Town. Although it was situated on 46th street with a grand Beaux-Arts facade, it also had a small entrance on Broadway between 46th and 47th Streets. Most of the Globe's early shows were dramatic plays, including two revivals of La Dame aux Camélias. In the late teens and 1920s, the focus shifted to musicals.

The original design and construction called for the ceiling and the roof 20 feet above it to roll back to reveal starlight and keep the theatre cooler in summer. No other Broadway theatre had such a design. There is no record of it ever actually opening. Other innovations included seats being individually cooled by ice or heated by hot air from vents underneath.[1]

In the 1930s, the Globe was converted into a movie house operated by the Brandt chain. City Playhouses Inc. (which consisted of developers Robert W. Dowling and William Zeckendorf) bought it in 1957 and had the firm Roche and Roche gut renovate it. Major changes were made, including the removal of the second balcony level, the Broadway entrance, and much of the original decor. It was rechristened the Lunt-Fontanne in honor of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne and reopened on May 5, 1958 with Friedrich Dürrenmatt's The Visit, starring the distinguished theatrical couple. The theatre, which seats 1,415, is currently owned by the Nederlander Organization.

Watch a video about the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre at Spotlightonbroadway.com