Second Stage Theatre

 theatre, interesting place

4-story Art-Deco theater originally completed in 1929 as a bank. Designed by Dennison & Hirons for Manufacturers Hanover Bank, it was converted through adaptive reuse to a theater by architects Rem Koolhaas and Gluckman Mayner in 1999. The facades are clad in limestone above a ground floor that is lined with storefronts, except for a 2-bay expanse of textured grey granite on the south facade, and the brown polished granite around the theater entrance at the west end of the south facade. The east facade has three main bays, and the south facade has five, plus an additional bay at the west end with small single-windows. The main bays (of equal width on the south facade, and with a wider middle bay on the east facade) are separated by wide, fluted piers with silver Art-Deco styled capitals (also partially colored with green and gold). The infill is of glass and black iron, framing many small panes, with decorative ironwork at the base of the 2nd floor and in the spandrels separating the top floor. There are additional square panels of silver, green, and gold Art-Deco patterns at the ends of the facades, just below the roof parapet and dentiled cornice. The terra cotta was executed by Rene Chambellan.

Founded in 1979, Second Stage Theatre "gives new life to contemporary American plays through 'second stagings'", giving revivals to otherwise excellent plays that failed due to scheduling problems, limited runs, or other unforeseen circumstances. Second Stage Theatre also, beyond its original mission "...provides new authors with their Off-Broadway debuts; and produces world premiers by America's most respected playwrights."

The ground floor is occupied by Mazzy Exotics smoke shop, Port Gourmet Deli, Maoz Falafel & Grill, and a gift shop.