Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, West 46th Street NYC

The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, originally the Globe Theatre, is located at 205 West 46th Street in New York City. This historic theater, completed in 1910, is one of the oldest theaters surviving in the Broadway theater district. It is now operated by the Nederlander Organization and its façade was designated a NYC landmark in 1987.

The Globe Theatre was built by Charles Dillingham (1868-1934), one of Broadway's greatest producers of musical comedies, who had around 200 productions under his belt in a career spanning almost 40 years. Its original name was inspired by that of the Globe Theatre, London's Shakespearean playhouse. Dillingham acquired the site on the north side of West 46th Street near Broadway, slightly north of the majority of theaters existing at the time.

The theater, in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, was designed by Carrère and Hastings, one of the most prominent architectural firms in the United States in the early decades of 20th century. The theater's major façade was and still is on W 46th Street. This façade is divided into a central pavilion with five vertical bays, which is flanked by slightly recessed outer pavilions. One of the theater's entrance, which no longer exists, was originally at 1555 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Streets. This entrance was closed in 1957 and replaced with tall signs.

The Globe Theatre's original interiors included ornamental plaster, metal lath and limestone. The structural frame was made of steel and concrete. It was used a color palette of gold, blue, and ivory white, as well as "rose du Barry" curtains. At ground level, the promenade from Broadway was decorated in gold and rose. The entire 46th Street frontage functioned as a large exit corridor. The entrance vestibule from 46th Street was designed as a promenade with a similar color scheme to the rest of the theater. Dillingham's offices were housed on the upper stories, above the auditorium.

The theater opened on January 10, 1910, with the musical The Old Town featuring Dave Montgomery and Fred Stone. From 1932 until 1957, this theatre was a movie house with its entrance on Broadway. In 1958, Roger Stevens and Robert W. Dowling restored the house to legitimacy and returned the entrance to its original 46th Street location. The current interior configuration dates from that time, with 1,505 seats on two levels. In the same year of 1958, the theater was renamed the Lunt-Fontanne in honor of the famed acting couple Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne.