Booth Theatres

Booth Theatres (New York). Two beloved theatres named after Edwin Booth have flourished in Manhattan. The first Booth Theatre was built in 1869 on 23rd Street to present Shakespeare productions by the renowned actor it was named after. It was a very advanced theatre, designed by the famous New York architect James Renwick Jr., and featured extensive backstage space, room for scene and costume shops, and an early sprinkler system. Booth gave several sparkling performances there and managed the house himself for a few years, then it changed management several times until it was turned into a department store in 1883, which was later demolished. The second and current Booth Theatre on West 45th Street is a small but much‐treasured house designed by Henry B. Herts. It opened in 1913 with its attached sister theatre the Sam S. Shubert on Shubert Alley. Producer Winthrop Ames presented small productions in the elegant, Italian Renaissance style that seated only 785, and over the years the Shubert‐owned theatre has become a favorite house for intimate pieces.