Al Hirschfeld Theatre

The Al Hirschfeld Theatre stands out on Broadway for its architecture, which ignores the standard neoclassical style favored by its neighbors in favor of a striking blend of Moorish, Byzantine, and Romanesque influences. When it opened in 1924, it was known as the Martin Beck Theatre, named after the vaudeville promoter who commissioned it. Martin Beck was so determined to maintain control over his own venue that he financed the entire construction without taking out a single mortgage, making it the only theater in New York to be owned outright at the time. Continue