October 15, 2015

Throwback Thursday: Jersey Boys (@JerseyBoysInfo) at Virginia Theatre, October 2005! #TBT

October 15th, 2015
Jersey Boys, Virginia Theatre (Photo Credit: David Gewirtzman, Playbill.com)

Jersey Boys, Virginia Theatre (Photo Credit: David Gewirtzman, Playbill.com)

Let’s go back to October, 2005 and JERSEY BOYS’ early Broadway previews! During the first two weeks in Broadway previews, JB was playing at the Virginia Theatre.

Here’s a little history about the Virginia Theatre, located at 245 West 52nd Street:

Designed by architects C. Howard Crane and Kenneth Franzheim and constructed by the Theatre Guild, it opened as the Guild Theatre in 1925 with a revival of George Bernard Shaw’s Caesar and Cleopatra.

In 1943, the building was leased to WOR-Mutual Radio as a studio. The American National Theater and Academy purchased it in 1950 and renamed it the ANTA Theatre. In 1981, the theatre was purchased by Jujamcyn Theaters and named the Virginia Theatre for owner and Jujamcyn Board member Virginia McKnight Binger.

On October 16, 2005, fourteen days after American playwright August Wilson’s death, the theatre was renamed in his honor.

Did any of you attend JERSEY BOYS previews at the Virginia Theatre?

2 Comments »

  1. Yes, my wife and I attended the first week the “JB” previewed at the Virginia Theater.

    We were at the Wednesday October 12th 3 PM Matinee.

    We sat in the 2nd row front and center. Initially we thought we might be too close to the stage, but it was a really great seat. The guys sang “My Eyes Adored You” right in front of us and then started the intro to “Dawn” leading to the next part of the show.

    The theater was pretty much sold out at our show. I do recall the happy faces at intermission in the lobby. People seemed genuinely excited about the show up to that point.

    We were fortunate to meet up with JLY before one of the shows later on the next year and got a great backstage tour.

    Will never forget experiencing the first week that “Jersey Boys” opened on Broadway, 10 years ago.

    Jerry & Andrea …

    Comment by Jerry — October 15, 2015 @ 11:14 am

  2. We didn’t see it till the next month. November 30th – a Wednesday matinee; we sat in the mezzanine. Quite an experience.

    Comment by Audrey Rockman — October 20, 2015 @ 8:17 am

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