vivian-beaumont-theatre

The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Broadway theater in the Lincoln Center complex at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Operated by the nonprofit Lincoln Center Theater (LCT), the Beaumont is the only Broadway theater outside the Theater District that surrounds Times Square.

The Vivian Beaumont Theater was designed by Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen, with Broadway scenic designer Jo Mielziner overseeing the design of the interior. It is part of Lincoln Center, a performing arts complex on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. The Beaumont is in the same building as the New York Public Library (NYPL)'s Performing Arts Library, designed by Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). Various contractors were also involved in the Beaumont's construction, including general contractor Turner Construction, acoustical engineer Bolt Beranek & Newman, structural engineer Ammann & Whitney and mechanical engineer Syska Hennessy. The library–theater building is on the western side of Paul Milstein Pool and Terrace, the elevated plaza at the middle of Lincoln Center, just south of 65th Street. The plaza contains a reflecting pool at its center, measuring around 80 ft (24 m) wide and 120 or 125 ft (37 or 38 m) long. Inside the plaza, just outside the theater's entrance, is a blackened-steel sculpture by Alexander Calder entitled Le Guichet. Named after the French word for "ticket window", the sculpture measures 14 ft (4.3 m) wide by 22 ft (6.7 m) high. Another sculpture by Henry Moore, entitled Reclining Figure, is in the pool. The structure faces the Metropolitan Opera House to the south; David Geffen Hall to the east; and the Juilliard School to the north, via a pedestrian bridge across 65th Street.

The library–theater building was the third to open at Lincoln Center. Original plans conceived the library and theater as separate buildings, but the structures were combined in the final plan. The theater forms the building's core and occupies the southern and western sides of the building's first and second floors. The library runs along the building's northern and eastern sides, as well as much of the third floor. The theater's stage house protrudes through the third floor, with the library running around it in a "doughnut" shape. Another entrance to the library, facing west toward Amsterdam Avenue, is below the theater. The attic houses the library's stacks. SOM and Saarinen collaborated on the design of the exteriors. The main facade, along Lincoln Center's plaza, is two stories high and made of glass and steel. The facade consists of a glass curtain wall and two recessed square concrete columns, which create a peristyle flanking the curtain wall. Unlike the travertine surface of the plaza, the columns are finished in exposed aggregate. The columns are attached to the attic via steel pins with large bronze pyramidal covers. The other wall surfaces are clad in travertine. The exterior of the library–theater building contains a heavy roof that protrudes over the main facade, which is covered in travertine. The roof was designed to screen the library and its performing-arts museum behind it. The top of the roof originally had an exposed-aggregate finish, but this was subsequently covered with stone pavement. On the underside of the roof are coffers containing recessed downlights as well as fluorescent uplights. Similar lighting fixtures are used in the theater's lobby as well as throughout the library's interior. The roof is carried by two Vierendeel trusses measuring 20 ft (6.1 m) high and 153 ft (47 m) long. Part of the library, housing the Vincent Astor Gallery, is placed between the trusses.

The Beaumont contains three theaters operated by Lincoln Center Theater (LCT): the main auditorium, which is classified as a Broadway theater, as well as two off-Broadway venues, the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater and the Claire Tow Theater. The main auditorium is the only Broadway theater outside Manhattan's Theater District, and productions there are eligible for Tony Awards. The off-Broadway houses' productions are not eligible for Tony Awards unless they move to the Beaumont's main auditorium or another Broadway theater. The Beaumont has two main access points. Vehicular traffic enters through a ramp beneath the theater, where patrons take elevators to the orchestra. Pedestrians enter through the main plaza facing David Geffen Hall and the Metropolitan Opera House. The plaza-level lobby is midway between the orchestra and balcony levels of the primary auditorium. The plaza-level lobby is plain in design and was originally decorated in travertine and bronze, with white wall panels and red carpets. Rather than a traditional coat room, the theater had lockers along its public corridors. Broad, curving double staircases lead to from the lobby to both levels of seating. Below the orchestra, another flight of stairs leads down to the Newhouse Theater. There are two basements for backstage areas such as offices, dressing rooms, workshops, rehearsal studios, and green rooms. The Shiki Room hosts auditions, and there are also three rehearsal studios known as the large, medium, and small rehearsal rooms. A cellar beneath the basements contains mechanical equipment, and more backstage spaces are located on the roof. An elevator connects all the stories.

The Beaumont uses steeply sloped stadium seating. Unlike other Broadway theaters, the stage could be configured as a traditional proscenium stage or extended with a thrust stage of varying length. Backstage, there is 10,000 ft2 (930 m2) for set storage. The stage and its backstage facilities take up about 75 percent of the theater's area.

Available at this venue:

• Wheelchair-accessible entrance
• Wheelchair-accessible toilet

Accessibility information supplied by Google Maps. Please contact the venue directly to confirm details for your visit.