Following in the footsteps of its non-profit brethren Roundabout and MTC, Second Stage Theatre is now poised to take over the littlest theater on Broadway, the 597-seat Helen Hayes. Due to financial issues, the change of ownership is now expected to happen in 2012, with the first season in 2013.
The Helen Hayes will make three for Second Stage, which continues to use its original home, the McGinn/Cazale on the Upper West Side, but has its main space on West 43rd St. in an old bank repurposed for Second Stage by Rem Koolhaas (the box office is in a vault!).
As its name indicates, Second Stage was originally founded in 1979 to provide a second chance to worthy contemporary plays that weren’t able to find an audience during their initial runs. However, Second Stage’s mission has expanded to include the development of new plays and musicals, leading to the world and NYC premieres of acclaimed shows like The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Little Dog Laughed, Metamorphoses, Kenneth Lonergan’s The Waverly Gallery, and Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice.
Second Stage Theatre Information
- Venues: The Tony Kiser, 307 West 43rd Street (at 8th Avenue); McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway (at 76th Street, 3rd Floor); Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 West 44th Street (in 2013)
- Public Transportation: Excellent (For the Tony Kiser and the Helen Hays Theatre: easily accessible by subway lines N, Q, R, S, 1, 2, 3, and 7 at 42nd Street/Times Square; A, C, and E at 42nd Street/Port Authority; and buses M7, M16, M20, M42, and M104. For McGinn/Cazale: Subway lines 1, 2, and 3 at 72nd Street and buses M5, M7, M11, M57, M79, and M104)
- Handicapped Accessibility: Good (all venues)
- Performances/Programs: Performance schedule is generally Tuesday–Sunday, with an occasional Monday
- Ticket Prices: Single tickets are $50–$70, senior discounts available to some shows, Youth Advance tickets $20–$25, student Rush tickets $10–$15. See the show for free by being a volunteer usher
- Subscriptions: Three-Show $125–$149, and Four-Show $170–$205, subscription discounts available for 25-and-unders and educators. Subscriber benefits include discounted additional tickets for friends and family and free ticket exchanges.
