THE LIBERTY THEATER
THE LIBERTY THEATER was constructed in 1904 and served as a theater from 1904 until 1933. Throughout the 70's and 80's it was used as a movie theater. In 2007 the Benmoha family won the bid to renovate and operate this highly coveted New York landmark. After four years and a multi million dollar renovation THE LIBERTY THEATER will open in September 2011 featuring a restaurant and spectacular event space ideal for events, fashion shows, film, television, top DJs, or any event that requires a unique and memorable venue, world class cuisine and impeccable service.
THE TIMES SQUARE HOSPITALITY GROUP
With the opening of THE LIBERTY THEATER venue comes the formation of the Times Square Hospitality Group. A partnership of established owner, operators, and designers with a view to creating a lifestyle, marketing, branding and event company, in the heart of the revitalized and renovated Times Square District. Night life and restaurant veteran Mark Baker has teamed up with producer and designer Ray Trosa, who has co-founded the Times Square Hospitality Group.
Located in the heart of the newly renovated Times Square District is New York's newest and most spectacular event space THE LIBERTY THEATER. Constructed in 1904, THE LIBERTY THEATER was home to some of the world's greatest shows and the stars that performed there. The Rogers Brothers in Paris, Little Johnny Jones, Lady Be Good, Tip-Toes and stars such as Gus and Max Rogers, Fred and Adele Astaire, George M. Cohan, and Jeannette MacDonald all graced THE LIBERTY stage. This piece of New York history was acquired by the Benmoha family in 2007 with a commitment to bring the theater back to it's former glory. A century later and a multimillion dollar renovation by Ray Trosa and Sir Decor Designs and THE LIBERTY THEATER shines again under the direction of the newly formed Times Square Hospitality Group. The venue features dramatic cathedral ceilings, the original theater boxes and moldings, sweeping balconies and a giant stage thats hosts a large bar-lounge with a view of the entire venue. The space can be divided to host dinners, parties and events for 15-1,500 people. A fully equipped kitchen with sumptuous cuisine.
RAY TROSA
Ray Trosa and Sir Decor Designs entered the New York design scene in 2001 with innovative and unprecedented concepts for all hospitality forums, primarily focusing on night clubs, restaurants, hotels and high-end residential projects. With a fresh outlook, Sir Decor Designs reshaped the aesthetic appeal of some of New York City's premiere venues including 9 Restaurant, System, TSQ and more. Ray has brought innovative concepts and modern elements to THE LIBERTY THEATER, yet keeping the original feel of the landmark building. As part of Ray's overall vision for the neighborhood, he has co-created The Times Square Hospitality Group and is currently designing the 47th street restaurant and night club Mecca that will open in spring 2012.
MARK BAKER
Nicknamed The Godfather of New York nightlife, Mark brings 25 years of glamorous and celebrity nightlife experience to the table. Owner and operator of world renowned venues such as LOTUS, THE DOUBLE 7, BUDDHA BAR, MANSION, LIFE and many more. Mark and his events company, CI-5 Inc. will produce and direct spectacular events at THE LIBERTY THEATER, as well as overseeing the marketing and public relations of the group. Mark's relationship with the world of celebrity, fashion, film and entertainment adds an exciting element to this unique and exciting venue.
WILLIAM CURRAN
Founder of Curran Affair Events, William has over 20 years experience in Event Planning, Catering and all aspects of the Hospitality Industry. William's client list reads like a who's who of New York glamour and style. HBO, Sex and the City, Louis Vuitton and The Leary Foundation to name a few. William has also been featured on many TV shows about the hospitality business, including the Food Network's Behind The Bash. His professional approach and attention to service is a great addition to the LIBERTY and TSHG team.
SOUND AND TECH
Sound powered by the Award wining SBS Slammer.
www.sbsdesigns.com - www.systemsbyshorty.com
The venue is 24,000 square feet of usable space divided between the stage, main floor, restaurant, and mezzanine. Seating capacity of approximately 600 people and total capacity of 1,500 people. The sound system is custom built by award winning and internationally renowned sound guru SBS Shorty. SBS has applied his magic to The Liberty Theater using state-of-the-art custom hi-fi sound and equipment, including The 6 point Hifi analog SBS SLAMMER that is loaded with state-of-the-art Faital Drivers from Italy. The venue also features three large projectors and screens, fourteen interactive HD monitors, LED lighting and motorized rigging points.
LIBERTY THEATER
234 West 42nd Street Herts & Tallant, 1904
In an age when most playhouses were decorated in exotic foreign styles, whether they be Moorish, Rococo, or Renaissance, the patriotic motifs of Klaw and Erlanger's Liberty Theatre must have been a welcome sight to students of theatre design. Flanking the two sets of double doors that led into the playhouse were two columns called caryatids. Carved in the shape of figures meant to represent "Comedy" and "Song," they defined the Liberty as a house for lighter entertainment. At the top of the facade was a relief carving of the famous Liberty Bell surmounted by an American eagle with it's wings spread wide. Inside, the box office was located in a thirty foot vestibule treated in old gold and aluminum and covered by a huge oval dome. Embossed leather doors opened into a larger interior foyer. This fifty foot lobby, decorated in old gold, amber and ivory, featured a wide staircase to the two balconies and gave access to another promenade behind the orchestra seats. Gold eagles and Liberty Bells gleamed high on each side of the theater, framed by ivory colored decorative carvings, soft amber walls, and crowned by a Colonial style ceiling dome. Downstairs, two different lounges provided conveniences for patrons. Ladies could retire in very feminine decorated with green, ivory and gold pansy designs, while gentlemen enjoyed the masculine surroundings of watered oak and Spanish leather.
The comedy team of Gus and Max Rogers opened the Liberty Theatre eater on October 14, 1904 with a musical farce The Rogers Brothers in Paris. Some of the theaters' more viable productions include Polly of the Circus in 1907 and the 1912 drama Milestones. Kern, Kaufman, Cohan and Gershwin created a series of memorable shows that kept the Liberty's lights blazing in the twenties. A year later Gershwin returned to the liberty with one of the decade's landmark musicals. Lady Be Good starred Fred and Adele Astaire and introduced such standards as the tittle song and the syncopated delight "Fascinating Rhythm." It played 184 times. Bill Robinson and Adelaide Hall opened in the smash hit Blackbirds of 1928 and were featured in the Liberty's success, 1930's Brown Buddies. The Liberty's legitimate career ended on March 18, 1933 when Masks and Faces closed after a single performance. Like the other theaters on the block, the Liberty screened movies for the next five decades, finally going dark as the redevelopment of 42nd street began. With little commercial demand or another small, two-balcony playhouse, it was generally accepted that the Liberty would not be restored to theatrical use. But when a decrepit, run down venue was sought for a limited run of T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land in late 1996, the Liberty wound up with it's first theatrical booking in sixty three years.