Shubert Theatre, the Shuberts, and Shubert Alley

This small, 300-foot-long alley that bridges 44th and 45th Streets is the geographical center, the heart of Broadway. This is Shubert Alley. It has been said that “in New York, the desirability of a theatre is inversely proportional to its distance from Shubert Alley." The Shuberts, initially three brothers, were theatrical managers and producers of the largest theatre empire of the 20th Century. Immigrants, they had started with absolutely nothing, in upstate NY. By their mid-twenties, they had acquired theatres in New York, New Haven, Boston and Chicago. By 1924 they controlled 60% of the legitimate theatres in the entire US. The last brother died in 1963. The family continued running the business until the mid-70s when it was reorganized as The Shubert Organization. Today, the organization owns and operates seventeen Broadway theatres, many Off-Broadway theatres and one theatre in Philly. Many theatres across the country still bear the Shubert name. The Shubert Theatre next to us is their flagship theatre and has housed some of the most recognizable Broadway shows including A Chorus Line. The organization is committed to the revitalization of the American Theatre.

Now, back to Shubert Alley. The Shubert Theatre and the Booth were built in 1913. The brothers built their offices at the back of the Shubert and their windows looked out on this alley, where they parked their cars. It was originally a required fire escape alley for the two Theatres. There was a fence that divided the alley from the Astor Hotel. On their side of the fence, The Shuberts put up posters of their newest and upcoming shows. The Shubert side quickly became the gathering place for actors, chorus girls, booking agents, reporters, bootleggers and patrons of the theatre. There were buskers and often a street band. In 1949, the Shuberts rented the Astor side, took down the fence, widened the alley by 15 feet and opened it to the public. The tradition of the posters on the fence continues with the posters along the wall.

Shubert Alley is now home to many special Broadway events, including “Stars in the Alley”, The BC/EFA (Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids) Annual Flea Market and Grand Auction and Broadway Barks, a charity concert and fund raiser and adoption event created by Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore to promote the adoption of shelter animals. And on a daily basis, you will see several limousines parked in the alley. The top dogs of the Shubert Organization still park their cars in Shubert Alley…the best parking in all of NY.