June 30, 2005

New York’s Hudson Theatre revealed in colour

Tiffany mosaic tiles found during restoration

NEW YORK

Archival black and white photographs alluded to its architectural brilliance. But it was only after restoration experts took samplings from the columns, walls and stage arch that the true beauty of the century-old Hudson Theatre in Times Square was revealed in living colour.

Luminescent Tiffany mosaic tiles were exposed after multiple layers of paint and plaster were scraped off.

The historic restoration of the landmark theatre, now part of the Millennium Broadway Hotel conference centre, began last November. While it was known that the triple-domed stained glass ceiling in the green marble lobby was the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany, the discovery of turquoise, orange and mauve mosaic tiles by the renowned glass designer around the stage arch, box seats, balconies and columns was unexpected.

Restorers tested under the paint and plaster before using a combination of chemical strippers and dental tool picking techniques to expose the original decorative finishes that include Roman friezes, Greek key motifs and paint glazes in soft tones of green, ochre and ivory.

“We were looking for stencilling patterns, mosaics, things like that. We were able to reveal some typical Tiffany techniques, such as undercoats with glazes and different kinds of brush treatments,” said Joan Berkowitz of the Manhattan-based Jablonski Berkowitz Conservation.

The Beaux-arts theatre was built in 1903 during a burst of construction in New York City, a period “that shaped the character of Times Square,” according to a report by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, which granted it landmark status in 1987. The landmark designation helped secure the future and storied past of the 1,100-seat theatre, New York City’s third oldest, where audiences “discovered a dazzling combination of Greco-Roman motifs, indirect lighting and Tiffany glass,” Nicholas Van Hoogstraten writes in his 1991 book, Lost Broadway Theatres.

The Hudson was built by theatre producer Henry Harris, who died in the sinking of the Titanic. His wife Rene, who had the dubious distinction of being the last Titanic passenger to be rescued, managed the Hudson for another 20 years, staging more than 90 plays.

The Hudson operated as a legitimate theatre on and off until 1960, after which it narrowly escaped a wrecking ball four times and went through many hands and incarnations, including short stints as a burlesque theatre and porn movie house. Today, the Millennium uses the theatre for corporate functions and special events.

It is believed that the decorative elements were covered up in the 1930s when the Hudson became the home of CBS Radio Playhouse and again in 1950 when NBC used it to produce the Jack Paar Show, The Tonight Show with Steve Allen and The Price Is Right with Bill Cullen. Bob Hope, Elvis Presley, Ernie Kovacs, Milton Berle, Sammy Davis Jr. and Vincent Price were among the many entertainers who appeared on the Hudson’s stage during that time.

The current $2-million US restoration is unmasking much of its golden age dazzle.

“It’s very, very exciting that moment when you actually start to see some colour and pattern peeking through the white,” said Berkowitz. “All of a sudden this amazing green and gold and yellow and turquoise starts popping through.”

Angela Caban, who was contracted to restore the art tiles, said the layers of paint and plaster covering the tiles ironically had served to preserve them.

Where large areas of mosaic panels studded with iridescent green, mauve, orange and gold glass were missing, primarily at the fronts of the boxes and balconies, Caban re-created the tile pattern on canvas and then installed it like wallpaper. From a distance it is impossible to differentiate her work from the real thing.

“We’re trying to re-create it visually. I use a lot of plaster embedded with mica and metallics and layer them with glazes to build up the area that’s missing,” Caban said. Tiffany designed four types of glass tile, including his famous turtleback, in the theatre.

“You see a lot of these theatres that are so over the top and very masculine in feel. But this has a delicacy I haven’t seen in other theatres in New York City,” said Caban.

The tile restoration and gilding of the lobby, mezzanine, first balcony and proscenium arch, plus installation of new period carpeting, drapes and custom furnishing, is returning the theatre to its golden age, said Per Hellman, vice president and general manager of the Millennium. But much more remains to be done.

“We’ll take it step by step because it’s a little costly,” said Hellman, adding that the hotel would love one day to restore the second balcony, remove the grey paint from the plaster latticework ceilings in the lobby and auditorium and give remaining white walls an authentic glazed stippling effect.

Associated Press

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