Minskoff Theater

Minskoff Theater

What does Pearl Bailey, the Chinese Acrobats of Taiwan, a handful of lions and giraffes, and musician Meat Loaf all have in common? Not much, actually. But they have all played at the Minskoff Theatre, (well, man-made versions of lions and giraffes, that is). Opened in 1973 and managed by the Minskoff Organization and The Nederlanders, the theater was named after Sam Minskoff and sons, the designers and owners of the surrounding high-rise. It seats around 1,600 and over the years, has been a popular venue for musicals, concerts, ballets, and , of course, acrobats.

One of Minskoff's most distinguishing design features sits on the third level of the building, 35 feet above street level. When guests take one of the dual escalators up to the Grand Foyer for coat check and concessions, they are also greeted with a magnificent panoramic view of the flashing lights and wide-eyed tourists of Times Square. Just before The Lion King came to the theater in 1997, the Minskoff saw major refurbishing; theater-goers can now admire the hand-painted sculpted tableaus that adorn the lobby's interior walls, as well as the two-block lighted arcade outside the entrance.

Disney's The Lion King has meant more to the Minskoff than just an extensive renovation, however. Thanks in part to the Minskoff Theatre, the Tony-award-winning The Lion King is now in the top ten of longest running Broadway shows in history. Directed and designed by Julie Taymor, this kid-friendly musical features the adventures of a young cub in an African landscape. The Lion King is full of songs by Oscar-winning Elton John and Tim Rice, and lives up to the Minskoff's standard of high visual appeal and interest.

- Callie Worsham