The Beacon was the brainchild of the famed theater impresario Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel. In 1927 noted Architect Walter Ahlschlager was commissioned to design the theater, named the "Roxy's Midway", for live vaudeville and silent fil... more
The Beacon was the brainchild of the famed theater impresario Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel. In 1927 noted Architect Walter Ahlschlager was commissioned to design the theater, named the "Roxy's Midway", for live vaudeville and silent film presentations. Ahlschlager employed an eclectic mix of styles, including Greek, Roman, Renaissance and Roccoco, in order to provide patrons with a truly unique and exciting experience. Shortly after the theater was completed, it was taken over by Warner Brothers and remodeled to accommodate talking pictures which became all the rage in 1929. It was at this time that the theater was renamed the Warner Brothers Beacon Theatre.
This nationally registered 1928 Art Deco landmark presents both theatre productions and musical performances. The auditorium seats about 2,700. The Beacon Theatre also doubles as a hotel for the Allman Brothers when they make their long stop in New York. The venue usually gets a bit smoky during those shows despite the no-smoking policy. A beautiful gilded interior and the comfortable seats make any concert a pleasure. The venue has an orchestra section and a balcony, but the nice mid-range size allows everyone to... more
The Beacon was the brainchild of the famed theater impresario Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel. In 1927 noted Architect Walter Ahlschlager was commissioned to design the theater, named the "Roxy's Midway", for live vaudeville and silent film presentations. Ahlschlager employed an eclectic mix of styles, including Greek, Roman, Renaissance and Roccoco, in order to provide patrons with a truly unique and exciting experience. Shortly after the theater was completed, it was taken over by Warner Brothers and remodeled to accommodate talking pictures which became all the rage in 1929. It was at this time that the theater was renamed the Warner Brothers Beacon Theatre.
This nationally registered 1928 Art Deco landmark presents both theatre productions and musical performances. The auditorium seats about 2,700. The Beacon Theatre also doubles as a hotel for the Allman Brothers when they make their long stop in New York. The venue usually gets a bit smoky during those shows despite the no-smoking policy. A beautiful gilded interior and the comfortable seats make any concert a pleasure. The venue has an orchestra section and a balcony, but the nice mid-range size allows everyone to enjoy the music of such diverse acts as Willie Nelson, Roberta Flack and members of the Buena Vista Social Club.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSGE) undertook a six month, $15 million restoration project for the Beacon that began in late 2008.
Drag the street view to look around 360°.
Use the arrow buttons to navigate down the street and around the neighborhood!
Upper West Side Description
Beacon Theatre is located in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan.
The home of diverse cultural attractions, the Upper West side is sandwiched between Riverside Park to the west and Central Park to the east. Both parks are excellent leisurely green spaces to spend a day. Central Park is especially notable, as it is New York’s "flagship" park. With over 843 acres of land, it is home to 275 species of birds. It’s quite easy to spend an entire day there too, as the park has several restaurants on its perimeter, a Boathouse, a Carousel, ball fields, a running track, reservoir, sculptures of Alice in Wonderland and Shakespeare, and a nearly endless list of events and other attractions.
In addition to being the most densely populated area of the United States, the Upper West Side is the home of several academic institutions and a litany of famous people too numerous to list here. The American Museum of Natural History is among the most notable museum in the neighborhood. This world-famous museum is comprised of several different Halls, each dedicated to a particular theme. The museum's exhibition-halls house a stunning array of artifacts and specimens from all corners of the world and all historical periods including some magnificent dinosaur fossils. Other nearby cultural institutions worth checking out include the New York Historical Society, and the new Rose Center for Earth and Space which houses the Hayden Planetarium; the most technologically advanced Space Theater in existence.
The Upper West Side also contains some of the greatest venues to hear classical music. There is the Metropolitan Opera House —one of the world’s leading opera companies since its opening in 1883—as well asAvery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall and the renowned New York City Opera. Additionally both The Julliard School and Fordham University grace the area.
You’re bound to get hungry while visiting the neighborhood, but fear not -there are plenty of famous places to nosh or grab some classic New York smoked salmon in the Upper West Side. There’s Zabar’s—a heavenly deli if there ever was one; Fairway Market which has a huge, gourmet selection of just about everything; Citarella, with fresh fish and much more; and Murray’s Sturgeon Shop—just to name a few. If you're looking for a more substantial meal, head to Prohibition, an upscale restaurant and bar. The interior, which invokes the glamour and romance of the Prohibition-Era style of the twenties and early thirties, helps create terrific ambience. All of this has made Prohibition a mainstay on the Upper West Side. There's also the takeout booth at Carmine's. Carmine's simple and very popular concept is to serve every meal in the style of an Italian American wedding feast - which means large portions of homestyle antipasti, pastas, seafood and meat entrees served on large platters designed for sharing. And when we say large, we mean large; an entree here could easily feed three to four average eaters. After your weekend mid-day meal, take a walk back through Riverside Park or stroll down Riverside Drive and admire the impressive monuments, grand apartment buildings, and views of the Hudson River, all while burning off a few calories of course.
Given the number of attractions and cultural institutions in the neighborhood, the Upper West Side is an ideal location to spend your stay in New York. The charming Excelsior Hotel is located right near the Museum of Natural History and Central Park. Meanwhile, the cozy and reasonably priced Belnord Hotel is another conveniently located option for the budget conscious traveler, as is the Comfort Inn Central Park West.
Chelsea Handler is a comedian, television host, actress and best-selling author. She was first featured on Oxygen's Girls Behaving Badly before starring in her own late night talk show, The Chelsea Handler Show on E!. She has costarred in several independent films, including Steamroom and National ... [ + ]Lampoon's Cattle Call, and has made guest appearances on Comedy Central's Reno 911!, ABC's My Wife and Kids, Fox's The Bernie Mac Show and The Practice. She was a regular commentator on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Chelsea Handler is a comedian, television host, actress and best-selling author. She was first featured on Oxygen's Girls Behaving Badly before starring in her own late night talk show, The Chelsea Handler Show on E!. She has costarred in several independent films, including Steamroom and National ... [ + ]Lampoon's Cattle Call, and has made guest appearances on Comedy Central's Reno 911!, ABC's My Wife and Kids, Fox's The Bernie Mac Show and The Practice. She was a regular commentator on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Born in New Jersey to Caribbean parents, comedian/ host/performer Michelle Buteau brings her unique perspective and big personality to stage and screen.