Jujamcyn Theaters – the guide of Broadway’s major theater company

Guide to a leading Broadway theater company

Overview
History
Business operations
List of theaters
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Overview of Jujamcyn Theaters

Jujamcyn’s flagship venue: St. James Theatre

Jujamcyn Theaters was established in 1956 by James H. Binger and his wife, Virginia McKnight Binger. It is the third largest Broadway theater operator after the Shubert Organization and the Nederlander Organization and owns five houses in the Theater District.

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History of Jujamcyn Theaters

Founder James H. Binger

James H. Binger grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he met his future wife, Virginia McKnight. After earning a law degree, he worked as counsel for Honeywell in Minneapolis and later moved to New York, becoming president in 1961 and chairman in 1965. Under his leadership Honeywell expanded globally and served clients including NASA, Boeing, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Even after retiring in 1978, Binger continued to advise the company.

How Jujamcyn began

The path to Jujamcyn started in 1956 when Virginia’s father, 3M leader William L. McKnight, decided to sell two theaters he owned: the St. James Theatre in New York and the Colonial Theatre in Boston. Seeing strong potential in Broadway, Binger arranged to sell the Colonial while retaining the St. James in New York. McKnight later transferred the St. James to James and Virginia, and they formed “Jujamcyn Theaters.” The name “Jujamcyn” comes from the initials of their children Judith, James, and Cynthia.

Jujamcyn went on to acquire the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in 1965, the August Wilson Theatre and the Walter Kerr Theatre in 1981, and the Eugene O’Neill Theatre in 1982. Today the company owns five Broadway theaters, including its flagship St. James Theatre. Beyond venue operations, Jujamcyn has produced major hits. At the St. James, The Producers opened on April 19, 2001 and won a record 12 Tony Awards that year, becoming a long-running box office success.

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Jordan Roth’s leadership and Jersey Boys

Home of Jersey Boys: the August Wilson Theatre

After Virginia passed away in 2002 and James in 2004, producer Jordan Roth became president and later principal owner. Roth began producing in his twenties and earned a Tony nomination for The Rocky Horror Show.

In 2005, soon after becoming president, Roth presented Jersey Boys at the August Wilson Theatre. The show became a major hit, winning four Tony Awards in 2006 including Best Musical and running from November 6, 2005 to January 15, 2017 for 4,642 performances. Worldwide, Jersey Boys has grossed more than 2 billion dollars.

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Tony-winning productions across Jujamcyn’s stages

A Jujamcyn mark inspired by Disney’s Frozen

Jujamcyn venues have hosted numerous award winners, including The Book of Mormon (nine Tony Awards) and Kinky Boots (six Tony Awards). Roth also continued producing, presenting Clybourne Park at the Walter Kerr Theatre in 2012, which won the Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

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Business operations of Jujamcyn Theaters

Jujamcyn owns and operates five Broadway theaters in Manhattan. In addition to ticket and merchandise revenue from productions in its venues, the company collaborates across real estate, producing, and new-work development, creating a business model that supports both theater operations and the creation of new musicals and plays.

In-house producing

Since 1977 Jujamcyn has helped bring dozens of titles to the stage. Notable credits include My Fair Lady (1993 revival), Angels in America: Perestroika, Annie (1997 revival), The Sound of Music (1998 revival), and Proof (2000), many of which earned major awards.

Ticketing service

In addition to box-office sales, Jujamcyn offers online lotteries for same-day discounted tickets. It is a good option for travelers focused on price over seat location.

The Jujamcyn Award

Created in 1984 as part of Jujamcyn’s philanthropic work, the Jujamcyn Award honors resident theater organizations in the United States that advance theatrical talent and innovation. Prize amounts have ranged from 50,000 to 100,000 dollars. New York recipients include Second Stage Theater (1988), the New York Shakespeare Festival (1991), and Manhattan Theatre Club (2001). Presented annually through 2004, the award has been given only once since James Binger’s death, to Irish Repertory Theatre in 2007.