Empire Theatre (42nd Street)

The Empire Theatre, located on 42nd Street in New York City, has existed in two distinct incarnations. The first Empire Theatre, originally situated at Broadway and 40th Street, was a prominent Broadway theatre from 1893 to 1953. Known for its elegant Beaux-Arts architecture and association with producer Charles Frohman, it showcased many significant theatrical productions of its era, often starring renowned actors.

The original Empire Theatre was demolished in 1953 to make way for an office building.

A second theatre, known as the New Empire Theatre, was constructed further west on 42nd Street as part of the Ford Center for the Performing Arts (now the Lyric Theatre). This structure, initially designed to house both a theatre and retail space, incorporated salvaged elements from the original Empire Theatre, including sections of its facade. The New Empire Theatre briefly served as a movie theatre after its initial theatrical use was abandoned, showcasing large-format films. Today, the space it occupied is part of the Lyric Theatre. Thus, while the name "Empire Theatre" remains associated with 42nd Street, the original structure no longer exists, and its successor has been incorporated into a larger theatrical complex.