Queens Theatre in the Park

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Coordinates: 40°44′38.98″N 73°50′39.92″W / 40.7441611°N 73.8444222°W / 40.7441611; -73.8444222
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Queens Theatre
Theaterama, Queens Playhouse
Queens Theatre
Map
AddressFlushing Meadows–Corona Park
Flushing, New York
United States
Coordinates40°44′38.98″N 73°50′39.92″W / 40.7441611°N 73.8444222°W / 40.7441611; -73.8444222
TypeRegional theater
Construction
Opened1964
ArchitectPhilip Johnson and Richard Foster
Website
queenstheatre.org

Queens Theatre, formerly Queens Theatre in the Park and before that Queens Playhouse, is an American professional theatre, located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City, New York. Artistic and Executive Directors have included Joseph S. Kutrzeba, founder and producer; Robert Moss, Sue Lawless, Jeffrey Rosenstock and Ray Cullom, formerly Managing Director of Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, CT, and currently, Taryn Sacramone, former Executive Director of Astoria Performing Arts Center.[1]

History[edit]

Attractions and Geographical Features of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
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0.6miles
none
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World's Fair station (demolished)
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Unisphere
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Queens Museum
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Queens Botanical Garden
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New York State Pavilion and Queens Theatre
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New York Hall of Science
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National Tennis Center
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Mets–Willets Point (LIRR and subway stations)
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Flushing River and Creek
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Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatics Center
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Flushing Meadows Carousel and Queens Zoo
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Citi Field

Attractions and geographical features of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park:
1
Citi Field
2
Flushing Meadows Carousel and Queens Zoo
3
Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatics Center
4
Flushing River and Creek
5
Meadow Lake
6
Mets–Willets Point (LIRR and subway stations)
7
National Tennis Center
8
New York Hall of Science
9
New York State Pavilion and Queens Theatre
10
Queens Botanical Garden
11
Queens Museum
12
Unisphere
13
Willow Lake
14
World's Fair station (demolished)

Adapted from the former Theaterama at the 1964 New York World's Fair, the theater was part of Philip Johnson's then $6 million construction project that also included observation towers and an open-air pavilion called the "Tent of Tomorrow."[2] The theater was originally decorated with the artwork of Andy Warhol and Robert Indiana. [3] The theater is next to the Unisphere at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, an area that also includes Citi Field, the Queens Museum of Art, and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.[4]

Johnson and Richard Foster designed the original theater. The audience stood and viewed a travelog of New York State projected on screens lining the inside of the circular room.[5] The showing of a cycloramic (360 degrees) film about New York State was a tribute to the world fair's host city.[6] The surround cinema was converted into a multipurpose "legitimate" theater in the 1970s, requiring the addition of a stage, public restrooms, lobby, dressing rooms, and stage house.[7]

1972–1975[edit]

The Queens Playhouse, as it was called upon opening in 1972, was founded by Joseph S. Kutrzeba. In 1965, it was originally in a lumberyard in Bayside, Queens, and was the first nonprofit professional resident theater in Queens.[8] In 1972, the theatre became live entertainment from previously being a movie theatre.[9] Their first production in the new theater was George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion.[10] The theatre suffered financial setbacks in 1974, Kutrzeba blaming a lack of support by the New York State Council on the Arts and the Queens Cultural Association.[11] In November 1974, Kutrzeba left Queens Theatre to pursue a career as a Broadway producer with The Lieutenant, a musical based on the trials resulting from the Mỹ Lai Massacre.[12] The production had started at the Queens Playhouse before it moved to Broadway where it was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical but closed after a short run.[13]

1985–93 conversion[edit]

The circular theater closed in 1985. A $4 million project converted it into a 476-seat community theater, designed by architect Alfredo De Vido, opened in 1993.[4][5][14][15] The conversion was a "wonderful success" according to Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, who said she was an attendee at the 1939 World's Fair (held at the same site) as a little girl.[16]

It became known as the Queens Theatre in the Park. The theater is now used for cabaret, concerts, Broadway revivals, new productions, and film festivals.[17] The playhouse hosts various drama, dance, music, performance art, troupe, and comedy performances as well as children’s events. The theater has been a venue for the Independent Film Showcase and is intended to meet the various interests of the diverse population of Queens.[18] The work completed in 1993 improved acoustics and added a public elevator, additional lighting and rigging, "front-of-house catwalks", and reworked the facades. The original dome was strengthened and a second roof added, abating noise from nearby LaGuardia Airport. A 100-seat "flexible studio theater" was also added in the downstairs "for more experimental fare".[7]

In 1993 the famed Kitty Carlisle Hart was hostess at a Queens Theatre in the Park gala held at Terrace on the Park.[19] The operators of the theater have been listed as a nonprofit since 1997.[20] A member of the Cultural Institutions Group, it is funded in part from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.[21]

During the 1996–97 season it had attendance of 90,000 people at more than 300 performances of theater, music, dance, children's shows and workshops, films and festivals. In an effort to reach Latinos, a Latin American festival was hosted.[4] The 1964–1965 New York World's Fair New York State Pavilion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.[22]

2008–09 addition[edit]

A 2008–09 addition, designed by Caples Jefferson Architects with Lee/Timchula Architects, added a reception hall. A transparent circular pavilion, it is said to be "especially dramatic at twilight, when the sunset-colored, invert dome appears to hover and flow in the dark."[23]

A 600-person "nebula" reception space was part of the restoration.[24][25][26] This renovation was awarded the 2011 Architectural Lighting Light & Architecture Design Award.[27]

In 2009, the theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places as one of the three qualifying structures that make up the New York State Pavilion from the 1964 New York World's Fair.[28][29]

2021 film project[edit]

On April 22, 2021, the experimental film project "I See You And You See Me" premiered at the Queens Theatre.[30] Based on "testimonies of borough residents as they contended with the early days of the pandemic," curated by the Queens Memory Project, "I See You And You See Me" was directed by Harris Doran and starred Deirdre Lovejoy, Deborah S. Craig, Pooya Mohseni, Khalid Rivera, James Seol, and others. Contributing writers included Harris Doran, Douglas Lyons, Kaffy Abdul, Seo-Young Chu, Sto Len, and Sheena Pachon.[31]

Building[edit]

Exterior[edit]

This section is an excerpt from New York State Pavilion § Exterior.[edit]

The theater building's facade originally contained rectangular openings at ground level, which have been variously infilled with masonry or glass bricks. The exterior was originally wainscoted with steel beams.[32] There were three doorways to the building on the western facade.[33] Between the window openings were medallions with an outline of New York state's borders. Above the medallions were yellow-and-white lamps, some of which still exist in the 21st century. To the southeast was a brick-paved terrace, accessed by a concrete stairway that descended to a lower-level gallery.[34]

On the upper stories are setbacks around the perimeter of the structure, which double as service walkways.[34] The Theaterama was originally topped by a wooden dome.[35][33] Globe-shaped blue lamps were placed around the dome as well.[34] The wooden dome was covered with an aluminum dome in the early 1990s,[35] upon which the blue globe-shaped lamps were removed.[34]

After the Theaterama was converted into a venue for the Queens Theatre, three structures were added to the original cylindrical massing during the early 1990s and late 2000s.[34] A lobby with a glass-brick facade was built in the 1990s renovation.[36][35] It is accessed by a doorway to the northwest, which is flanked by a pair of concrete pylons.[35][34] The pylons flank a segmental arch, and there are lamps with metal tiers at the top of each pylon.[34] Another cylindrical annex was built in the 2000s by the firm of Caples Jefferson.[37][34] This annex, known as the "nebula",[38] is located northwest of the relocated main entrance and contains a flat roof, as well as a glass facade with a diagonal ramp-shaped structure around it.[34][38] There are also a pair of two-story structures to the north, which have a concrete facade. These structures contain offices and performance spaces. The larger structure is to the east and contains a terrace on its western facade, as well as sash windows.[34]

Interior[edit]

This section is an excerpt from New York State Pavilion § Interior.[edit]

The modern theater's entrance is through the "nebula" structure. The nebula contains a reception space with a curved ceiling (which is painted yellow with red edges) and a skylight.[38] There are windows around the reception area, which overlook the other pavilion structures.[39][38] The nebula also includes a 75-seat cabaret room,[39] a catering space, and back of house functions.[38] Within the original structure, a circulation corridor runs between the facade and the "inner drum". The original entrance to the theater's main auditorium, a red oak door, is still extant. There are two mezzanine levels with walls made of concrete masonry units and plain concrete. On the second story is a projection booth for the main auditorium. When the theater was built, steep staircases led from the eastern side of the ground-level corridor to the mezzanines.[40]

The inner drum of the theater contains the main auditorium,[40] officially known as the Claire Shulman Playhouse since 2002.[41][42] During the 1964 World's Fair, the auditorium was used to display 360-degree films,[40][43] and there were wooden battens on the wall, which were intended to help with navigation within the auditorium.[40] Following a 1972 renovation by Peter Howard,[44][45] the main auditorium was converted into a 500-seat venue with a partial thrust stage.[46][45] The seating area was reconfigured into 14 rows.[45] The existing seats were replaced in 1993 with red velvet seats,[47] salvaged from a former Loews cinema in Manhattan.[48] After Caples Jefferson renovated the theater in 2009, the main auditorium was expanded to 600 seats.[38] The modern main auditorium has a catwalk, acoustic wall panels, and raked seating. Parts of the inner drum wall have been removed to accommodate the stage.[40]

The theater's lower level had exhibition space for visual art, as well as service rooms, during the World's Fair. The exhibit space had a coffered ceiling and wall partitions, parts of which are still extant in the 21st century.[34] Offices, rehearsal space, and offices were built below the auditorium in the 1972 renovation;[45] the office space was located in the southeastern portion of the lower level.[49] Part of the lower-level space became a 100-seat lower auditorium for experimental theatre in 1993.[50][48][47] The lower auditorium was expanded to 125 seats following the 2009 renovation,[38] and an elevator to the northeast was added around the same time.[49]

In popular culture[edit]

The exterior of the pavilion was used in the musical film The Wiz (1978), directed by Sidney Lumet; and the final scene of the science-fiction, action comedy film Men in Black (1997), directed by Barry Sonnenfeld.[7]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Sheets, Connor Adams (March 3, 2011). "Queens Theatre in the Park chooses new exec director". New York Post.
  2. ^ "Welcome Back to the '64 Fair". Queens Chronicle. April 10, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  3. ^ "Avant-garde Art Going to the Fair; Huge Works Commissioned to Adorn State Pavilion Uses "Junk" in Sculpture". The New York Times. October 5, 1963. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Ruiz, Albor (July 21, 1997). "Swing Thru Latin America Via Fest". Daily News. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Davis Crossfield Associates - Queens Theatre in the Park - Queens NY". Archived from the original on January 9, 2010. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  6. ^ "Flushing Meadows Corona Park Highlights". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. March 31, 2024. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "Robert Davis LLC - Queens Theatre in the Park - Queens NY". www.robertdavisllc.com. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  8. ^ Berliner, David C. (October 29, 1972). "Queens Playhouse Opening". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  9. ^ "History | Queens Theatre". March 11, 2020.
  10. ^ Berliner, David C. (October 29, 1972). "Queens Playhouse Opening". The New York Times.
  11. ^ Calta, Louis (October 20, 1974). "Dispute Over Queens Theater". The New York Times.
  12. ^ Calta, Louis (November 17, 1974). "Producer of Queens Playhouse Resigns". The New York Times.
  13. ^ "Tony Award Nominee from Queens". The New York Times. April 6, 1975.
  14. ^ Staff (undated). "History of Queens Theatre". Queens Theatre in the Park. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  15. ^ Alfredo De Vido Selected and Current Works
  16. ^ Dunlap, David (August 26, 2001). "A Queens Park's Past Shapes Its Future". The New York Times. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  17. ^ Queens Theatre in the Park; New York State Pavilion, Flushing Meadows Corona Park,Corona, NY 11368 Cinema Treasures
  18. ^ [NYC Arts website]
  19. ^ "History | Queens Theatre". March 11, 2020.
  20. ^ "QUEENS THEATRE IN THE PARK INC". GuideStar Profile. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  21. ^ Davis, Pete (June 9, 2009). "CULTURE SHOCK Queens institutions facing crippling cuts – QNS". QNS. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  22. ^ "National Register of Historic Places". National Register of Historic Places. June 25, 2010.
  23. ^ [dead link] "Queens Theatre Park'. Openhousenewyork.
  24. ^ "Queens-Theatre-in-the-Park". Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  25. ^ Queens Theater in the Park / Caples Jefferson June 13, 2011 Arch Daily
  26. ^ Boniface, Russell (January 23, 2009). "Queens Theatre-in-the-Park Continues Spirit of Philip Johnson's Cylindrical Geometries" Archived May 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. AIArchitect (American Institute of Architects). Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  27. ^ Donoff, Elizabeth (July 27, 2011). "2011 AL Design Awards: Queens Theatre in the Park Addition and Renovation, Queens, N.Y." Architect Magazine. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  28. ^ Hirshon, Nicholas (September 15, 2009). "New York State Pavilion, relic of the 1964 World's Fair in Queens, wins approval as landmark". New York Daily News.
  29. ^ National Register of Historic Places, "1964 New York World's Fair New York State Pavilion", National Archives and Records Administration
  30. ^ Vick, Rachel (April 9, 2021). "New stage and film project gives life to Queens' pandemic experience". Queens Daily Eagle. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  31. ^ Doran, Harris (April 22, 2021), I See You and You See Me (Biography, Drama, Comedy), Deirdre Lovejoy, Alana Raquel Bowers, Deborah S. Craig, Madison Square Films, Queens Theatre, retrieved December 7, 2023
  32. ^ National Park Service 2009, pp. 6–7.
  33. ^ a b National Park Service 2009, p. 6.
  34. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k National Park Service 2009, p. 7.
  35. ^ a b c d Stephens, Suzanne (July 8, 1993). "Currents; Theaterama in Queens Gets Another Encore". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  36. ^ "Queens Briefs". Newsday. July 5, 1992. p. 3. ISSN 2574-5298. ProQuest 278513465.
  37. ^ Murdock, James (August 2004). "New day dawns for Philip Johnson's New York Pavilion" (PDF). Architectural Record. Vol. 192, no. 8. p. 38. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 15, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  38. ^ a b c d e f g Boniface, Russell (January 23, 2009). "Queens Theatre-in-the-Park Continues Spirit of Philip Johnson's Cylindrical Geometries". American Institute of Architects. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  39. ^ a b Hart, Sara (April 4, 2012). "Queens Theatre". Architect. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  40. ^ a b c d e National Park Service 2009, p. 8.
  41. ^ Chandler, Doug (April 26, 2004). "Queens Theatre in the Park, They Have Their Acts Together, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Playhouse Will Celebrate Its 10th Anniversary With a Gala, and Organizers Plan to Build Upon Its Success". Newsday. p. A30. ISSN 2574-5298. ProQuest 279767374.
  42. ^ "The Claire Shulman Playhouse". New Voice of New York. January 3, 2002. p. 17. ProQuest 368048813.
  43. ^ "Flushing Meadows Corona Park Highlights". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. March 31, 2024. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  44. ^ Peck, Richard (October 21, 1973). "In Flushing Meadows The Glitter Is Gone But Hope Still Flourishes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  45. ^ a b c d "3 New Theatres For Metro N.Y.". Back Stage. Vol. 13, no. 41. October 13, 1972. pp. 23–24. ProQuest 963174258.
  46. ^ "New Queens Theater; 'Daniel', 'Herod' Ending". New York Daily News. November 1, 1969. p. 23. ISSN 2692-1251. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
  47. ^ a b Donohue, Pete (October 10, 1993). "Theatre in Park bows soon". New York Daily News. p. 480. ISSN 2692-1251. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
  48. ^ a b Tonnesen, Stephanie (October 8, 1993). "Closeup Queens Theatre, Act II". Newsday. p. 33. ISSN 2574-5298. ProQuest 278706364. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
  49. ^ a b National Park Service 2009, pp. 7–8.
  50. ^ "Queens Theatre Re-Opening After $4M Renovation". Back Stage. Vol. 34, no. 33. September 17, 1993. pp. 3, 42. ProQuest 962784948.

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