Circle In The Square Theatre Information

Circle In The Square Theatre

Circle in the Square Theatre was originally founded in 1951 before it moved to its new location on 50th Street in 1972. At the time, it was the first new Broadway theatre in the city in fifty years. The theatre included seating that could be modified for three or four sides with a maximum capacity of 600. The theatre was a low-pressure venue due to its focus on being a non-profit, allowing some of the country’s best actors to take on demanding or experimental roles without commercial pressure.  Circle had the goal of allowing artists and creators to make bold choices that explored possibilities that weren’t commonplace at the time. This helped Circle find a place for audience members and directors because they had a venue where they could create and view material that wouldn’t see production anywhere else.

Over its lifetime, Circle has produced over 150 productions and earned a reputation for their presentations of Bellow, Capote, Moliere, Shakespeare, and many others. Arguably, their most influential productions included O’Neill’s THE ICEMAN COMETH and HUGHIE. The theatre’s atmosphere of producing challenging and entertaining material that wouldn’t see production anywhere else also led to New York premieres of works including Weller’s Loose Ends and plays specifically written for Circle including McNally-Melfi-Horowitz’s MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT. These unique productions and rich focus on challenging work drew in several famous actors and directors across Circle’s existence. These include actors Peter Falk, Jason Robards, John Malkovich, Rip Torn, as well as directors, David Saint, Theodore Mann, and William Ball.

Found in the basement of Midtown Manhattan’s Paramount Plaza, the Circle in the Square Theatre is located at 235 West 50th Street – 1633 Broadway – in New York City. 

Despite opening in 1972, the theater has its roots way back in the late 40s and early 50s. It all began with a theater located in Greenwich Village. The company became popular for off-Broadway performances and was eventually able to move to a location in the heart of Broadway. 

The theater is small, with only 776 seats. This is larger than the original capacity of the venue, which was only around 650 seats. 

This intimate setting is emphasised by the thrust stage, which was designed by Allen Sayles. This kind of design features a stage that extends out into the seating area, making performances feel closer than ever. The thrust stage lends itself well to immersive theater productions, which is what Circle in the Stage has become well known for. 

The theater has been home to performances of various well-known plays over the years, as well as some musicals. Some noteworthy shows include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Rocky Horror Show, and Oklahoma!

It could be said that even after the theatre closed as a producing entity in 1987, it remained an important pillar on Broadway, hosting productions that still stay true to the theatre’s mission and vision.

History of Circle in the Square Theatre

As mentioned, the Circle in the Square Theatre began as an off-Broadway venue. The date of conception of the theater is thought to be 1951, though some argue that it could have been opened in the late 1940s.

The theater was originally created by José Quintero (a well-known Panamanian theater director), Jason Wingreen (an American actor who would go on to be a featured character in the sitcom All In The Family), Theodore Mann, Emily Stevens, Edward Mann, and Aileen Cramer.

The original venue was located on 5 Sheridan Square – Greenwich Village, which is how the establishment gained its name. This venue was temporarily closed from 1954 to 1955, before being demolished in 1960. 

Following the demolition of the original theater, the Circle in the Square then moved to 159 Bleecker Street in New York City. This location was dubbed the Circle in the Square Downtown and was active until 1995. 

The theater also had its Broadway house venue – where the Circle in the Square is now located – in the basement of the Paramount Plaza, then known as the Uris Building. This venue opened in November, 1972, and has been the main base of operations of the Circle in the Square ever since. 

The Circle in the Square also hosted performances at other locations as well, such as Henry Miller’s Theatre and the Ford’s Theatre. 

The theater was originally meant to be even smaller than it is now, with less than 500 seats. The reasoning behind this was so the interior would reflect its off-Broadway predecessors. The capacity was increased when steps were replaced with ramps and columns were relocated during the design process. 

The Circle in the Square is one of only two Broadway venues that feature a thrust stage design. This stage designed was implemented by the aforementioned Allen Sayles. However, it was reviewed in a negative manner by theater critics because of its unique nature. Directors also struggled to get their productions staged there. 

Despite this criticism, Allen Sayles’ stage design would go on to become one of the most prominent selling points of the shows at the theater. 

The theater is now independent, operating as a commercial receiving house. It also has an associated drama school also found in Paramount Plaza, called the Circle in the Square Theatre School.

See the below pages for further information on the Circle In The Square Theatre:

Circle In The Square Theatre Parking:
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Circle In The Square Theatre Seating Chart:
View the Circle In The Square Theatre seating chart and read information on the various seating options.