History and architecture
The Cort Theater survives today as one of the historic theaters that symbolize American theater for both New York and the nation. Built in 1912-13, the Cort is among the oldest surviving theaters in New York. It was designed by architect Thomas Lamb to house the productions of John Cort, one of the country's major producers and theater owners.
The Cort Theater represents a special aspect of the nation's theatrical history. Beyond its historical importance, it is an exceptionally handsome theater, with a facade modeled on the Petit Trianon in Versailles. Its triple-story, marble-faced Corinthian colonnade is very unusual among the Broadway theaters. Thomas Lamb was New York's most prolific theater architect, but the Cort is one of only two legitimate stage theaters of his design surviving in the Broadway area.
For three-quarters of a century the Cort Theater has served as home to countless numbers of the plays through which the Broadway theater has come to personify American theater. As such, it continues to help define the Broadway theater district, the largest and most famous concentration of legitimate stage theaters in the world.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.