The Neil Simon Theater, formerly known as the Alvin Theater, is a Broadway theatre located at 250 West 52nd Street in Manhattan, New York City which has produced many notable musicals and plays. As of 2005, it seats about 1,328 people and is currently owned by the Nederlander Organization. Note on spelling: While most Americans use er (as per American spelling conventions), the majority of venues, performers and trade groups for live theatre use re. ... 52nd Street, properly West 52nd Street, is a cross street in Manhattan in the Broadway district known as the street of jazz, the street that never sleeps or, simply, the street. The blocks of 52nd Street between 5th and 6th avenues were renowned in the mid 20th century for the... Manhattan is an island bordering the lower Hudson River. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the largest city and largest metropolitan area, by population, in the United States. ... The art of singing and dancing in a prepared fictional play has been a time-honored tradition ranging to the early days of civilization. ... A play (noun) is a common literary form, usually consisting chiefly of dialog between characters, and usually intended for performance rather than reading. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

The building was completed in 1927, having been designed by noted theater architecht Herbert J. Krapp. The theater was built for theater producers Alex Aarons and Vinton Freedly, hence its original name ("Al-Vin"). Its first production was George and Ira Gershwin's Funny Face starring Fred and Adele Astaire, which opened on November 22, 1927. 1927 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... George Gershwin photograph by Edward Steichen in 1927. ... George (left) and Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershowitz) (December 6, 1896 - August 17, 1983) American lyricist, collaborator with, and brother of George Gershwin He is interred in the Westchester Hills Cemetery, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. ... Funny Face is an American musical film released in 1957, based on the 1927 broadway version by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. ... Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987), born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska, was an American film and Broadway ballroom dancer and actor. ... Adele Astaire (September 10, 1897 _January 25, 1981) was an American dancer and entertainer. ... November 22 is the 326th day (327th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1927 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Aarons and Freedly lost control of their venue in 1932 due to the Great Depression, but it continued to be used by CBS as a radio studio when there was no running production. 1932 is a leap year starting on a Friday. ... The Great Depression was a massive global economic recession (or depression) that ran from 1929 to 1941. ... CBSs first color logo, which debuted in the fall of 1965. ...

In 1975, the Shubert Organization purchased the theater and on June 29, 1983 renamed it the Neil Simon Theater in honor of Neil Simon, the celebrated American playwright. It was designated a New York City landmark in 1985. 1975 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... Shubert Theatre, Boston The Shubert Organization was founded by the Shubert brothers, Sam Shubert, Lee Shubert, and Jacob J. Shubert of Syracuse, New York in the late 19th century in upstate New York, entering into New York City productions in 1900. ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... 1983 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Neil Simon (born July 4, 1927 in New York City) is, after William Shakespeare, the most performed playwright of all time. ... A playwright is an author of plays for performance in the theater. ...

Notable world premieres

Among shows that have opened at the Neil Simon over the years are:

• Girl Crazy, 1930 starring Ethel Merman and Ginger Rogers
• Anything Goes, 1934 starring Ethel Merman
• Porgy and Bess, 1935
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, 1962
• Rosencrantz and Guilderstern are Dead, 1967
• Company, 1970
• Annie, 1977

Girl Crazy is a theater musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and John McGowan. ... 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Ethel Merman (January 16, 1908 - February 15, 1984) was a star of stage and film musicals, well known for her strident voice and comic acting. ... Ginger Rogers (1911–1995) Virginia Katherine McMath (July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995), better known as Ginger Rogers, was an American actress and dancer. ... Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. ... 1934 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1935-10-10. ... 1935 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. ... 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Company is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by George Furth. ... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Annie is a musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie. ... 1977 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1977 calendar). ...

External links

• Brief history of the Neil Simon Theater from JimsDeli.com
• Information from NYTix.com
• Article about an expansion of the Neil Simon from Playbill