Venue: Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre Shows Us 'Once'

(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre opened in 1927 as the Royale Theatre. That name stuck for most of the theatre's history except from 1934 to 1940 when impresario John Golden named the theater for himself during his ownership. In 2005 the Royale was renamed to honor of the president of the Shubert Organization which owns and operates the venue as well as seventeen other Broadway theaters.

This mid-size house seats 1,078 on two levels and is popular for both plays and very intimate musicals. Some of the productions to open at the theatre include: 'Frost/Nixon' (2007), 'Three Days of Rain (2006) which brought movie actress Julia Roberts to the New York stage; 'Art' (1998); 'An Inspector Calls' (1994); 'Lend Me A Tenor' (1989); 'Speed-the-Plow' (1988) which featured singer Madonna in her only Broadway appearance; Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Song and Dance' (1985) starring Bernadette Peters and 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1982).

The productions I have seen at the venue: the Johnny Mercer review 'Dream' (1997) starring Lesley Anne Warren; the revival of 'night, Mother' (2004) starring Edie Falco and Brenda Blethyn; 'Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me' (2006); 'God of Carnage' (2009) starring Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, James Gandolfini and Marcia Gay Harden; and today's performance of 'Once'.

Click HERE for seating chart and more info about the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Restrooms are located down one flight of stairs from the orchestra level. The aisle behind the orchestra level is a bar and, when available, a concession stand selling show merchandise.

(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)