Address, opening, capacity of St. James Theatre
Basic Information about the St. James Theatre in NYC
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Address: |
219 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036（
Map）
Located on 48 Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue
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Opened: |
1921 |
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Capacity: |
947 seats |
Seating Chart of St. James Theatre
The St. James Theatre has a seating capacity of 947 seats, divided into three main sections: Orchestra (1st level), Mezzanine (2nd level), and Balcony (3rd level).
*Click to view larger image
View from the seat of St. James Theatre
You can view real seat photos from inside the the St. James Theatre to see the stage from sections. These images help you choose the seating option that best suits your Broadway experience.
Orchestra Center Row S
Balcony Center Row C
Directions to St. James Theatre
Access to St. James Theatre are most commonly by taking the New York City Subway (MTA).
The area around the theatre becomes very crowded close to showtime, so whether you are arriving by subway or taxi, please allow extra time to reach the venue.
Nearest Subway Station:
Lines,
50 Ststation (About a 5-minute walk)
Lines,
50 Ststation (About a 3-minute walk)
Lines,
49 Ststation (About a 5-minute walk)
Map, location of St. James Theatre
Here is the map of the St. James Theatre.
Best hotels near the St. James Theatre
Discover the best hotels near the St. James Theatre. Stay within walking distance of Broadway and enjoy easy access to shows, restaurants, and attractions.
The list of recommended hotels near the theater:
History of the St. James Theatre
Astor family acquires the former Erlanger Theatre
The St. James Theatre was founded in 1927 as “The Erlanger” by Abraham Lincoln Erlanger, a producer and one of the founders of the Theatrical Syndicate.
The theatre was designed by the firm Warren & Wetmore, known for Grand Central Terminal and several luxury hotels.
Only three years after opening, Erlanger died, and the Astor family, who owned the land, took over operations. They renamed the venue the St. James Theatre in tribute to the theatre of the same name in London.
In 1941, the Shubert Organization purchased the St. James Theatre, but following an antitrust case it divested the property.
Businessman William L. McKnight then acquired and renovated the theatre, which reopened in 1958. McKnight was instrumental in the growth of 3M, becoming vice president at 29 and ultimately serving as chairman of the board.
Catalyst for the creation of Broadway’s third-largest theatre group
In 1970, McKnight wished to sell two theatres he owned and transferred ownership to his daughter Virginia and her husband, James H. Binger, both passionate theatregoers.
James H. Binger soon embraced the theatre business and later established Jujamcyn Theaters, which came to own five Broadway houses including the St. James, becoming one of the major theatre operators in New York.
An iron loggia on the theatre’s facade
The front of the St. James features a decorative iron loggia set against brickwork. A loggia is an architectural element that places an open-air gallery along a building’s facade, supported by regularly spaced columns or formed as a series of wall openings.
Compared with the more lavish Beaux-Arts style often associated with Warren & Wetmore, this facade presents a relatively restrained interpretation.
About the founder of the St. James Theatre
Producer Abraham L. Erlanger
Abraham Erlanger grew up in Buffalo and partnered with attorney and producer Marc Klaw. In 1886, they founded a distribution and production company for the then-dominant vaudeville circuit.
Their firm, Klaw & Erlanger, produced numerous plays and built theatres, ultimately controlling vaudeville bookings. Erlanger even lent his name to theatres not only in New York but also in cities such as Philadelphia and Buffalo.
In 1896, Klaw & Erlanger joined fellow managers Al Hayman, Charles Frohman, Samuel F. Nixon, and Fred Zimmerman to form the Theatrical Syndicate. Hayman and Frohman oversaw theatres in New York and nearby areas, while Nixon and Zimmerman managed houses in Ohio.
Klaw & Erlanger created a nationwide booking network and dominated contracts and reservations until the late 1910s, when the Shubert brothers rose to industry leadership.
The St. James Theatre and Sardi’s Restaurant
Sardi’s, where the Tony Awards were conceived
The site where the St. James now stands once housed a restaurant run by Vincent Sardi Sr. and his wife Eugenia.
In 1926, the restaurant was demolished to make way for the theatre. With support from the influential Shubert brothers, the Sardis relocated two doors down and opened Sardi’s on March 5, 1927, in a building designed by theatre architect Herbert Krapp.
Facing the challenges of the Great Depression, Sardi introduced an attention-grabbing idea inspired by Parisian venues that displayed celebrity caricatures. He hired cartoonist Alex Gard, a Russian emigre, under a unique arrangement: one drawing in exchange for one meal. The practice continued into the next generation, and by the time of Gard’s death the number of caricatures exceeded 700.
Sardi’s and the Tony Awards
Like the Academy Awards for film, Broadway’s annual honors are called the Tony Awards. The idea for these awards was conceived at Sardi’s in 1946, when producer-director Brock Pemberton, while dining there, proposed honoring his colleague Antoinette Perry, whose nickname was Tony. The American Theatre Wing established the awards the following year in her memory.
The Tonys recognize both plays and musicals, and they honor not only performers but also the many artisans and technicians who work behind the scenes. Today they are regarded as the most prestigious prizes in the field.
At the first Tony Awards in 1947, Vincent Sardi Sr. received a Special Tony Award “for providing a transient home and comfort station for theatre folk at Sardi’s for 20 years.” His son, Vincent Sardi Jr., received a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre in 2004. Sardi’s has hosted the Outer Critics Circle Awards and continues to be a venue for Broadway press events and celebrations.
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