Midway Theater
Forest Hills, NY Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here is the towering marquee at the Midway Theatre along Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills. The Art Moderne pylon still rises above the sidewalk, although the letters now read “Regal.” While many old Queens theaters have gone dark, this one continues to putter along. 05-20
The RKO Midway opened on September 24, 1942, and was named for the recent American victory at the Battle of Midway. Really? Designed by Thomas W. Lamb Associates with S. Charles Lee, its original auditorium seated 2,002 people.
The auditorium was divided into four theaters in 1977 and rebuilt as a nine-screen multiplex in 1998. The circular lobby, 30-foot dome, accordion-like facade, and tall exterior pylon were preserved.
UPDATE: The Regal UA Midway remains open and hosts the annual Festival of Cinema NYC. Its historic pylon survives with updated Regal lettering and lighting. 08-26
New Amsterdam Theater
New York City, NY Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The restored marquee of the New Amsterdam Theatre adds another bright splash of light to West 42nd Street. Behind it is one of Broadway’s most elaborate old theaters, once nicknamed “The House Beautiful” for its ornate Art Nouveau interior. 05-20
The New Amsterdam opened on October 26, 1903, with A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Designed by Herts & Tallant, it later became the celebrated home of the Ziegfeld Follies from 1913 through 1927. The building even contained a second theater and nightclub in its famous Roof Garden.
The theater became a movie house in 1937 and closed in 1985 after years of decline. Its decaying auditorium appeared in the 1994 film Vanya on 42nd Street. Disney signed a 99-year lease in 1993 and completed a remarkable restoration, reop dening the theater in 1997.
UPDATE: The New Amsterdam remains open with its restored marquee shining over 42nd Street. The Lion King played here from 1997 until 2006, while Disney’s Aladdin is the theater’s current long-running production. 08-26
Radio City Music Hall
New York City, NY Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Check out the famous Radio City Music Hall in new York City. Sitting in the Rockefeller Center, the music hall was popular until running into a bit of trouble with declining patronage in the 1970's. Almost declaring bankruptcy, the Music Hall was designated a New York City Landmark in 1978 and restored..
The Radio City Music Hall now currently hosts concerts and the live stage show Radio City Christmas Spectacular.. 05-20
Radio City Music Hall
New York City, NY Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
It is hard to miss the Radio City Music Hall marquee glowing across Sixth Avenue. This giant wrap-around display has been lighting up Rockefeller Center for generations and still makes quite a roadside sight, even among all the lights of Midtown Manhattan.
Radio City opened on December 27, 1932, and was promoted as “The Showplace of the Nation.” The Art Deco interior was designed by Donald Deskey, while the enormous auditorium features sweeping arches meant to resemble a setting sun. Its Great Stage even uses an elevator system later studied by the Navy for aircraft carrier lifts.
Declining attendance nearly brought down the curtain in 1978, but a public campaign helped secure landmark protection and saved the hall from redevelopment. A major restoration followed in 1999, returning much of its Art Deco glitter.
UPDATE: Radio City Music Hall remains open for concerts, special events, and the annual Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes. The famous marquee also survives, now illuminated with energy-efficient lighting. 08-26
Cutler Majestic Theater
Boston, MA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The lights are shining outside the Cutler Majestic Theatre on Tremont Street in Boston. The marquee fits nicely with the grand old facade, giving this corner of the theater district a little extra nighttime glow. 11-20
The Majestic opened on February 16, 1903, and was designed by John Galen Howard in the Beaux-Arts style. Its lavish gilded plaster, murals, and faux marble earned it the nickname “The House of Gold.” It later hosted vaudeville, boxing, and movies before becoming the Saxon Theatre in 1956.
After the movie house closed in 1977, Emerson College purchased the deteriorating building in 1983. A long restoration brought back the hidden murals, decorative stencils, and plenty of gold, leading to a grand reopening in 2003. Theater lore also tells of a woman in a dark blue dress who occasionally watches rehearsals from the balcony. Maybe she just appreciates the restoration.
UPDATE: The Cutler Majestic remains open as an ArtsEmerson performance venue, with its restored marquee still lighting the Tremont Street sidewalk. 08-26
Cutler Majestic Theater
