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Brooks Atkinson Theatre
Mansfield Theatre
Brooks Atkinson Theater - Waitress (48193414186).jpg
Brooks Atkinson Theatre showing Waitress, 2019
Address 256 West 47th Street
Manhattan, New York City
United States
Coordinates 40°45′35.25″N 73°59′10.5″W / 40.7597917°N 73.986250°W / 40.7597917; -73.986250
Owner Nederlander Organization
Type Broadway
Capacity 1,069
Current use Broadway Theatre
Construction
Opened 1926
Architect Herbert J. Krapp

The Brooks Atkinson Theatre is a Broadway theater located at 256 West 47th Street in Manhattan.

Designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp, it was constructed as the Mansfield Theatre by the Chanin brothers in 1926. After 1933, the theatre fell into relative disuse until 1945, when Michael Myerberg bought and leased it to CBS for television productions. Known as CBS Studio 59, the theater played host to the long-running panel shows What's My Line? and I've Got a Secret. In 1960, it was renamed after the former New York Times theater critic, Brooks Atkinson, and returned to legitimate use. The Nederlander Organization purchased part-ownership of the Atkinson in 1967.

In 2000, the interior was refurbished with restored decorative finishes by EverGreene Architectural Arts, and now the theatre is once again illuminated by the original chandelier that had been removed over 40 years prior. It has 1,069 seats and is one of the Nederlander Organization's nine Broadway houses.

The theatre closed on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It does not plan on opening until January 3, 2021.

Notable productions

Productions before 2000

  • Shuffle Along (1932)
  • Thunder Rock (1939)
  • Juno and the Paycock (1940 revival)
  • Anna Lucasta (1944–46)
  • The Cradle Will Rock (1947 revival)
  • The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (October – December 1950)
  • Come Blow Your Horn (1961)
  • Something More! (1964)
  • A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (1968)
  • Lovers and Other Strangers (1968)
  • Paris Is Out! (1970)
  • Charley's Aunt (1970 revival)
  • Lenny (1971)
  • My Fat Friend (1974)
  • Same Time, Next Year (1975)
  • Tribute (1978)
  • Talley's Folly (1980)
  • Lolita (1981 Edward Albee adaptation)
  • Beyond Therapy (1982)
  • Noises Off (original 1983 production)
  • Aren't We All? (April 29, 1985 – July 21, 1985)
  • Benefactors (1985)
  • Jackie Mason's The World According to Me! (1988)
  • The Cemetery Club (1990)
  • Shadowlands (1990)
  • Death and the Maiden (1992)
  • She Loves Me (1993 revival)
  • Wait Until Dark (1998 revival)
  • The Iceman Cometh (1999 revival)

Productions since January 1, 2000

Show Opening date Closing date Notes
The Rainmaker November 11, 1999 January 23, 2000 Revival
Uncle Vanya April 30, 2000 June 11, 2000 Revival
Jane Eyre December 10, 2000 June 10, 2001 2001 Tony Award Best Musical nominee
Noises Off November 1, 2001 September 1, 2002
Medea December 10, 2002 February 22, 2003 Revival
The Look of Love May 4, 2003 June 15, 2003
Jackie Mason's Laughing Room Only November 19, 2003 November 30, 2003
Jumpers April 25, 2004 July 11, 2004 Revival
2004 Tony Award Best Revival of a Play nominee
Democracy November 18, 2004 April 17, 2005 2005 Tony Award Best Play nominee
Mark Twain Tonight June 9, 2005 June 26, 2005
The Blonde in the Thunderbird July 17, 2005 July 24, 2005
The Odd Couple October 27, 2005 June 4, 2006 Revival with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick
The Times They Are A-Changin' October 26, 2006 November 19, 2006
A Moon for the Misbegotten April 9, 2007 June 10, 2007 Revival with Kevin Spacey
Grease July 24, 2007 January 4, 2009 Revival with reality show winners Max Crumm and Laura Osnes
Rock of Ages April 7, 2009 January 9, 2011 Starring Constantine Maroulis
Nominated for 5 Tony Awards in 2009
Production moved to the Helen Hayes Theatre
RAIN: A Tribute To The Beatles February 8, 2011 July 31, 2011 Reopened for indefinite extension after a 12-week run at the Neil Simon Theatre
Relatively Speaking October 20, 2011 January 29, 2012
Peter and the Starcatcher April 15, 2012 January 20, 2013 Previews began March 28, 2012
Nominated for 9 Tony Awards
Production transferred to Off-Broadway
Hands on a Hardbody March 21, 2013 April 13, 2013 Previews began February 23, 2013
After Midnight November 3, 2013 June 29, 2014 Previews began October 18, 2013
Love Letters September 18, 2014 February 1, 2015 Previews began September 13, 2014
It Shoulda Been You April 14, 2015 August 9, 2015 Previews began March 17, 2015
Spring Awakening September 27, 2015 January 24, 2016 Limited engagement of the transferred production from Los Angeles' Deaf West Theatre.
Previews began September 8, 2015.
2016 Tony Award Best Revival of a Musical nominee
Waitress April 24, 2016 January 5, 2020 Previews began March 25, 2016.
2016 Tony Award Best Musical nominee
Six TBA Previews began February 13, 2020.

Box office record

Waitress set the box office record for the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, grossing $1,626,478 for the week ending on January 28, 2018 over 8 performances. Sara Bareilles began her return run, performing as the show's main character, Jenna, alongside singer Jason Mraz.

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