Once a church, now a stage. The Westside Theatre stands here. It holds stories within its walls.
Let’s delve into the history of the Westside Theatre. It began as the Second German Baptist Church in 1889. Architect Henry F. Kilburn designed it. Construction finished in 1890 costing about $25000.
The building took a turn in 1968. It became Club Sanctuary a discotheque. The club closed in 1972 after four years.
In 1973 the Chelsea Theatre Group transformed the space. David Storey’s play THE CONTRACTOR was the first production. It was then renamed the Chelsea Westside Theatre.
Raymond L. Gaspard managed it from 1981 to 1990. It was known as the Westside Arts Theatre. Many productions graced the stage then.
Reno Productions Inc. took over in 1991. They renovated it extensively. It reopened as the Westside Theatre. The Kander and Ebb musical AND THE WORLD GOES ‘ROUND was the inaugural production.
The Westside Theatre has two stages. The Upstairs Theatre seats 270. The Downstairs Theatre holds 249.
The Westside Theatre has housed many successful shows. I LOVE YOU YOU’RE PERFECT NOW CHANGE had a twelve-year run. Other productions include CAGNEY and TURN ME LOOSE.
The Westside Theatre also produced HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. It ran for two and a half years downtown. It won the Outer Critics Circle award.
TRUMBO RED WHITE AND BLACKLISTED featured rotating actors. Nathan Lane and Ed Harris were among them.
Currently Little Shop of Horrors is playing. It has won awards. It has received critical acclaim.
The Westside Theatre is located at 407 West 43rd St. It stands between 9th and 10th Avenues. You can reach it by public transit. Several subway lines and buses stop nearby. The Westside Theatre has evolved over the years. It has gone from a church to a discotheque to a theatre. It continues to entertain audiences today.