Samuel J Friedman Theatre

The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre originally opened on December 7, 1925 as the Biltmore Theatre. Herbert J. Krapp designed the building for impresario Irwin Chanin. Its inaugural production was Easy Come Easy Go. From 1952 to 1962, CBS used the theatre for television and radio broadcasting purposes. In 1963, it reopened as a traditional theatre with Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park. In 1987, the theatre closed following an arson attack and sat vacant for 14 years. In 2001, Manhattan Theatre Club took over the venue and reopened the performance space in 2003 after renovations. MTC renamed it the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on September 4, 2008, to honor the Broadway publicist.