Actually, the Liberty’s original lobby became part of the Ripley’s Odditorium. Apparently there is still a connecting door between the two that’s kept locked. But it is possible to go through the restaurant into the auditorium.
Correction to the above description: there’s only one 150ish seat theatre at this space. The other two blackbox theatre spaces mentioned are nearby at 8th & 43rd, and owned by the same company (Roy Arias Studios), so they’re on the same website, but those are not here. The current 777 theatre is really just on of the two former movie auditoriums converted to live theatre use, while Grey Line Sightseeing is still using the other one. (It’s also not a triplex, nor has it ever been.)
Actually, neither of these statements are accurate. Firstly, there never were any orchestra boxes, just a pair of murals (long ago painted over) where such boxes would be; the theatre was always intended as a small cinema, and didn’t have a true procenium stage setup. And the floor wasn’t leveled, it just never had much slope to begin with.
Well it’s now 2014, and the hotel on the upper floors is about to Koenig not already. Best part is they have kept the theatre for use as a performance venue, with the first concerts already scheduled. Good to see it preserved like that.
So it seems the Famous Dave’s has closed (I went there once on a Friday night just after all the shows got out; it was pretty empty, so I’m not surprised.) But the front portion, where the bar is, is still operating as the “Liberty Diner”, while the main auditorium is available as a rental reception space. See libertytheaterny.com
Actually, the Liberty’s original lobby became part of the Ripley’s Odditorium. Apparently there is still a connecting door between the two that’s kept locked. But it is possible to go through the restaurant into the auditorium.
Correction to the above description: there’s only one 150ish seat theatre at this space. The other two blackbox theatre spaces mentioned are nearby at 8th & 43rd, and owned by the same company (Roy Arias Studios), so they’re on the same website, but those are not here. The current 777 theatre is really just on of the two former movie auditoriums converted to live theatre use, while Grey Line Sightseeing is still using the other one. (It’s also not a triplex, nor has it ever been.)
This place would make a great cabaret/piano bar type performance space.
Actually, neither of these statements are accurate. Firstly, there never were any orchestra boxes, just a pair of murals (long ago painted over) where such boxes would be; the theatre was always intended as a small cinema, and didn’t have a true procenium stage setup. And the floor wasn’t leveled, it just never had much slope to begin with.
Well it’s now 2014, and the hotel on the upper floors is about to Koenig not already. Best part is they have kept the theatre for use as a performance venue, with the first concerts already scheduled. Good to see it preserved like that.
So it seems the Famous Dave’s has closed (I went there once on a Friday night just after all the shows got out; it was pretty empty, so I’m not surprised.) But the front portion, where the bar is, is still operating as the “Liberty Diner”, while the main auditorium is available as a rental reception space. See libertytheaterny.com
Based on the height above the sidewalk, that “nowhere” is probably the loading dock.