The West Bank Cafe & Laurie Beechman Theatre to Reopen Under New Ownership

The West Bank Cafe-Laurie Beechman Theatre, which was previously set to close its doors, will reopen under new ownership! Fundraisers were held to keep the beloved theatre and cabaret space afloat. It has now been revealed that The West Bank Cafe will temporarily shut its doors on December 15, and after a short hiatus, it will reopen under new ownership.

Broadway producers Tom D’Angora and Michael D’Angora will be leading the beloved West Bank Cafe and its downstairs performance space, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, into a new and exciting era. 

The West Bank Cafe took to Facebook to share the following message:

A New Era for WBC: 

It is with profound sadness to announce that The West Bank Cafe-Beechman Theatre under the ownership of Steve Olsen will be coming to an end. His final dinner service will be this Sunday, December 15th.

But, don't worry - After a short hiatus, West Bank Cafe will reopen under new ownership to usher in a new era.  Management, staffe, and "good vibes" will all stay the same.
The new owners are the folks who led the fundraising campaigns to keep us afloat these last few years - conrats Tom D'Angora and Michael Duling D'Angora
Our business never recovered from the pandemic and due ever-rising overhead and operational expenses it simply has become unsustainable.

We are eternally grateful for the support we have received from our Hell’s Kitchen and Theater communities and beyond throughout our illustrious 46 plus years on Theatre Row and for all the personal relationships and shared history we have forged with our customers and friends.

Established in 1978, The West Bank Cafe became the first restaurant and live entertainment venue on Theatre Row hosting literally thousands of today’s established artists in our Beechman Theatre.

Awarded 2 stars in the New York Times in 1980, WBC went on to produce/present thousands of plays, musicals, concerts, comedy, music, drag and every kind of entertainment throughout our amazing run.

I have heard throughout the years that doing a play here was the best experience for many artists because it brought with it complete artistic freedom as an actor, writer, musician or director and this has given me a personal sense of pride.

After a short hiatus West Bank Cafe will reopen under new ownership to usher in a new era. The new owners are the folks who led the fundraising campaign for the Gala we so proudly hosted on October 8th. The money raised through Fractured Atlas will serve for future improvements to continue the legacy of the Beechman Theatre.

Thank you to our entire staff for showing up everyday and making us look good.
We hope to see everybody in the next few days.

With sincere gratitude and loving appreciation,

Steve & Janet Olsen
Brent Watkins & Klinton Porter
Our great front and back of the house staff
And to the way too many former employees who contributed to our success throughout the decades
Here’s to the greatest clientele in the history of the business!!!
 

Final dinner service Sunday December 15th, 2024"

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered theaters and restaurants citywide, owner Steve Olsen announced that West Bank Cafe would be forced to close due to mounting debts. Recognizing the irreplaceable role that the venue played in Broadway's ecosystem, producers Tom and Michael D’Angora sprang into action, launching a viral GoFundMe campaign that quickly became a rallying cry for the theater community.

Partnering with Tony-nominated composer Joe Iconis (Be More Chill) and actor Tim Guinee (Homeland, Inventing Anna), the D’Angoras pulled together a Christmas Day Telethon featuring appearances by Nathan Lane, André De Shields, Matthew Broderick, Martha Plimpton, Debra Messing, Sean Penn, Pete Townshend, and countless more. Their efforts raised over $250,000, allowing West Bank Cafe and Laurie Beechman Theatre to survive the immediate crisis.  

While the campaign was a monumental success, the venue was later disqualified from receiving government assistance due to a technicality. With Broadway’s reopening slow and midtown office buildings remaining largely vacant, the restaurant and theater faced another uphill battle.  

This past summer, Steve Olsen announced that he would once again be closing the venue, unable to see a path forward. In response, Tom and Michael D’Angora worked closely with Olsen and Related Companies – owner and operator of Manhattan Plaza – to create a sustainable business model that would allow the venue to not only survive but thrive for years to come.