The AMT Theater is an Off-Broadway theater venue located at 354 West 45th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It was previously called the 45th Street Theatre from 2007 to 201245th Street Theatre at the Internet off-Broadway Database and the Davenport Theatre from 2014 to 2018, during which time it was leased by producer Ken Davenport renamed after his great-grandfather, Delbert Essex Davenport, a producer, publicist, and author in the early 1900s.
In 2019, the theater was converted to NYC Tango, a dance hall. Following the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, the building reopened in 2022 as AMT Theater, named in honor of founding producer Al Tapper, with An Unbalanced Mind.
Theatre history 1974–1985 – No Smoking Playhouse 1984–2004 – Primary Stages 2007–2012 – 45th Street Theatre (some overlap with Primary Stages) 2013 – New Theatre at 45th Street 2014–2018 – Davenport Theatre 2019–2022 – New York City Tango 2022–Present – AMT Theater (renovated and funded by Al Tapper)
Building history The five-story building was built in 1915 as an electric substation by the United Electric Light & Power Company which promoted alternating current in the war of the currents while New York Edison was promoting direct current. Although the direct current standard lost to AC in the war, Edison had continued to electrify lower Manhattan with direct current and accounted for 90 percent of the electric power at the time against United's 10 percent. The substation in particular was aimed at providing reliable power to Broadway theatres and Times Square signs at a time when most theatres had direct current. In 1928, New York Edison began the process to adopt the AC standard and by 1935 had totally acquired United.
After the building was decommissioned as a substation it became a Masonic Lodge. The masonic emblem with the inscription "Gran Logia de Lengua Española Vales De Nueva York" still hangs over the entrance and the abbreviation ALGDGADU is also above the entrance. The abbreviation is interpreted from Spanish "A La Gloria Del Gran Arquitecto Del Universo" to say "to the Glory of the Great Architect of the Universe."
According to the building's certificate of occupancy from 1959, the space was intended to be used as offices and a recording studio and had been used illegally as a theater space for several decades.
During its period as the Davenport Theatre from 2014 to 2018 there were two performances spaces, a 149-seat main stage on the ground floor and a 99-seat black box, which was renovated and renamed, The Loft at the Davenport Theatre on the third floor.
In 2019, the theater was converted to NYC Tango, a dance hall. Following the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, the building reopened in 2022 as AMT Theater with An Unbalanced Mind.
Productions Selected productions at the theater.Davenport Theatre at the Internet off-Broadway Database
ProductionOpenedClosedPopcorn FallsOctober 8, 2019Nov 25, 2018Operation CrucibleOctober 31, 2018Once a Year on Blackpool SandsSeptember 4, 2018September 10, 2018AfterglowJuly 24, 2017TBDEndangered!July 10, 2017TBDMoney TalksJuly 10, 2017September 30, 2017Shear MadnessJuly 15, 2016April 23, 2017Daddy Long LegsSeptember 28, 2015June 6, 2016Release the Kraken! (aka The RATCHET Play) - The RemixApril 16, 2015April 26, 2015Men and Women Talking Love and SexDecember 5, 2014February 14, 2015PageantJuly 14, 2014October 26, 2014Forbidden Broadway Comes Out Swinging!May 4, 2014July 20, 2014Around the World in 80 Days (as the New Theater)June 4, 2013October 13, 2013Wanda's World (as the 45th Street Theatre)January 23, 2008February 10, 2008Idol: The Musical (as the 45th Street Theatre)August 12, 2007August 12, 2007Jayson (as the 45th Street Theatre)July 10, 1998August 16, 1998Golden Boy (as the 45th Street Theatre)November 19, 1995December 16, 1995We'll Meet Again (as the 45th Street Theatre)July 27, 1995October 1, 1995Awake and Sing! (as the 45th Street Theatre)July 6, 1993July 25, 1993The Brooklyn Trojan Women (as the 45th Street Theatre)June 1, 1993June 30, 1993
References
External links