Could the Ed Sullivan Theatre return to Broadway?

With the Late Show ending next year and the slow death of Network/Late Night Television could the Ed Sullivan Theatre (originally built as the Hammerstein Theatre, a Broadway House) be returned for legitimate theatre? Would love to see it happen if the space is no longer needed by CBS. Hopefully it goes into the hands of someone with good intentions rather than see it not used or take down.


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PLEASE!

Paramount will probably just sell the building to BlackRock or Blackstone for redevelopment before one of the theatre owners.

It would require a major costly renovation to make it a viable Broadway theatre. It's currently configured with fewer than 400 seats and is essentially an office building with a tiny theatre at its base. I'd imagine converting the stage; lighting and sound systems; and backstage area would turn most investors off.

If Roundabout didn't already have the Laura Pels, it might be a good off-Broadway space for them, but not in this economy. Maybe if CBS could sell the office building separately from the theatre ... maybe

Blow Gabriel said: "Is it a protected theater?"

Looks like the theatre is on the list of U.S. Historical Places and the lobby and auditorium are NYC Landmarks since the 80s, but it's been renovated inside since then, so I don't know to what extent.

They did an $18m restoration just a decade ago to restore the neo-gothic interior (as well as revamp & add dressing, makeup, talent and green rooms). It’s much more functional and easier to revert back to a theater now than it was with Letterman. The blueprints and plans for the restoration and changes for Colbert are available online. The balcony is still there behind a curtain to my understanding.

Thanks for the beautiful photo of the balcony and the stained glass windows (they were removed and put in storage by the Letterman show).

I have an old theater book and stuff on the internet says this was a 1200 seat theater when it was first opened... it now has 300 or 400 seat capacity. This could be another Helen Hayes or an Amsterdam Theater-type renovation. The stained glass and the ceiling are worth it.

Updated On: 7/18/25 at 01:44 AM

Would love to see it happen.

Paramount wants real money, though. The 5-house Jujamcyn portfolio’s valuation was about $400 million (308 cash, plus Roth getting a 7% stake in the Lyric, Hudson, and Kings). The Helen Hayes sold for $25 million a decade ago. Even if a bidding war took this up to 75 or 100 million, that’s chump change for Paramount.

Paramount might be better off leasing it. But then it might never return to Broadway glory.

Obviously ATG is the most likely candidate and they want a bigger portfolio. I know ALW claimed to want the Hellinger, but I don’t know if there’s a successful business model for anyone owning just one Broadway house unless they pay an existing chain to operate it.

MSG could also (unfortunately) be an option, especially if they sell the Theatre at MSG as part of the Penn Station reno.

Or perhaps there’s a nonprofit with a deep-pocketed supporter…is this finally the Public’s moment?

Fingers crossed something happens.

Updated On: 7/22/25 at 06:29 PM

Count me as one who can never succeed with embedding images. Here’s an old image looking from the balcony to the proscenium

https://imgur.com/a/XAU3rUc

And this cross section gives a nice idea of the scale of the room. Would be wonderful to have it used for live theatre again.

https://imgur.com/a/zR3BkyP

Looking from the stage to the house in its current configuration. The curtain blocking the rear mezz can almost be seen with waves/creases in it

https://imgur.com/a/2nZvyUr

Updated On: 7/22/25 at 07:15 PM

Broadway needs to reclaim it. It would be the fifth theatre ON Broadway if one counts the Marquis, the Palace, the Winter Garden, and the Minskoff. It is a stunningly beautiful theatre and should return to its original Hammerstein name since four generations of Hammerstein have graced the American theatre -- Oscar I, Arthur, Reginald and Oscar II, and both of Oscar II's sons who produced and directed. .

Maybe they could also completely regut it to make it fully accessible. Ramps, elevators, escalators like with the new Palace thater.

Kind of crazy CBS just covered all that beauty up...

Makes total sense, thanks!