In 1918, Edgar and Arch
Selwyn opened the Selwyn Theatre on the already crowded Forty-Second Street.
The Selwyn was an Italian Renaissance style theater designed by George Keister ,
an architect who specialized in theater work. The theatre was decorated in
gold and blue with large murals adorning the walls. It seated 1,000 people
and contianed two levels of box seats.
On
October 2, the Selwyn Theatre held its grand opening with Information, Please,
starring Jane Cowl. This show was a flop and only had 46 performances. Jane Cowl
return in the Selwyn's next production, The Crowded Hour. This show
tripled the run of Cowl's first performance, but it was not until 1919, that the
Selwyn had its first hit with the musical Buddies. The biggest hit ever staged at the Selwyn was
The Royal Family, in 1925. The subject
of the play was the on- and off- stage feud between the Drews and Barrymores.
The show ran for 345 performances.
When the depression
hit, Selwyn Theatre suffered like the rest. No show lasted for more than
a week, and like the others, this theatre because a movie house.
After 16 years of
showing only movies, the theatre implemented an unusual policy that demanded
legitimate theatre to be staged before the movie. The first of these shows
was a condensed version of Sarte's The Respectful Prostitute. The concept
of showing a play before the feature film lasted only for a short time.
The Selwyn returned to being a double-feature movie house.
Through the early 1990's, the Selwyn continued to be operated as a movie
theatre, and the stage, lighting, and rigging systems remained intact. In
March 1997, the Wooster Theatre Group presented Eugene O'Neill's The Hairy
Ape for a limited run.
Currently, the Selwyn is being renovated as the
new home for the non-profit Roundabout Theatre. This renovation is slated
for completion early in 2000. The Roundabout Theatre Company is
adding modern technology to the classic theatre. Computerized lighting
controls and a sound station, modern rigging and gridiron, and new lights are
being added to the existing theatre. What makes the renovation of the
Selwyn unique is the restoration of the murals. This restoration will make
the Selwyn Theatre only the second Forty-Second Street Theatre that the original
murals still exist. The stage will not longer be adorned with gold and
blue. To accommodate the modern lighting the blue will be replaced with
deep red, making full blackouts possible.
One addition to the Selwyn is a
penthouse lobby. While these were popular when the theatre was built, the
Selwyn did not originally have this type of lobby. The lobby, constructed
of metal and glass, will be completely modern rather than trying to maintain the
original architectural style. When the restoration is complete, the 750
seat theatre will be handicap accessible and contain modern comforts along with
the look and feel of the original theatre.
As of March 2000, the
Roundabout Theatre Company has decided to change the name of the Selwyn Theatre
to the American Airlines Theatre. American Airlines has agreed to donate
$8.5 million to the Roundabout Company to help cover costs. In exchange
for the donate, the Selwyn will be known as the American Airlines theatre for at
least ten years. The money will not go towards the filling the gap between
what has been raised for the renovation and the $21 million needed. It
will be used for "ongoing operations." Currently playing at
the American Airlines Theater is Design for Living by Noel Coward.
It is scheduled to play through May 13, 2002.
To see pictures of the Selwyn Theater, click here.
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