Theater Stories: Julie Andrews and Her Tony Nomination, the Sequel to ANNIE and More About The Marquis Theatre!

It is impossible to walk into a Broadway theatre, or simply just think of a Broadway theatre, without immediately connecting a memory to it. Every Broadway theatre is filled with a rich and colorful history, brimming over with stories of the stars who graced its staged, legends that were made within its walls, and the feelings we all have of looking back and thinking "I saw a Tony winning performance in that theater" or "I wish I'd seen that performance in that theater."

Whether a theater has a history that's a hundred years old or closer to forty, every Broadway theater tells a story, each one filled with fun facts you never knew!

With our new series, Theater Stories, we're bringing you tidbits you may have never heard, tales you never thought to ask about and more, giving you a better look into the history of Broadway theatres, as well as a leg-up on your next theater-trivia night.

Today's Theater Stories features the Marquis Theatre!

When was the Marquis Theatre built?

The Marquis Theatre was built in 1986, and the construction of the Marriott Marquis inside which the theatre is built was widely protested- in order to build the hotel, three theatres had to be torn down: the Helen Hayes, the Morosco and the Bijou.

What was the first show to be performed in the Marquis Theatre?

Me and My Girl was the first Broadway show to inhabit the Marquis theatre in 1986, and it ran for three and a half years, the theatre's longest-running show to this day! The production starred Robert Lindsay, Maryann Plunkett, George S. Irving, Timothy Jerome, and Jane Connell.

Why is the Marquis Theatre many actors' favorite theatre to perform in?

The Marquis Theatre is a favorite for actors because of how spacious and modern it is! The theatre features a large green room with soda machines, a bar, couches and a TV.

What is unusual about the theatre?

Rumor has it that when the Marquis Theatre was built- by architects whose history was primarily with hotels and not theatres- they forgot to build dressing rooms, and they were added as an afterthought. If you enter the lobby, you can see a glass wall of advertisements... if not for the adds, you could see directly through the glass wall into the dressing rooms.

Are there any other 'strange' architectural elements?

The Marquis Theatre bathrooms are located outside of the theatre, in the lobby of the hotel. When the theatre was being built, The Shuberts were dismayed by this. Jimmy Nederlander allegedly said, "I don't care where the bathrooms are... just so long as there's bathrooms." The theatre went to Nederlander.

What happened when Julie Andrews starred in a show at the theatre?

Victor/Victoria, starring the one and only Dame Julie Andrews, played the Marquis Theatre in 1995. The production received only one Tony nomination, for Julie Andrews as Best Actress in a Musical. Feeling that the production had been overlooked, Andrews declined her nomination.

What was the most recent show to have been performed at the Marquis?

The most recent show to inhabit the Marquis Theatre was Tootise in 2019, starring Santino Fontana!

What happened with the sequel to Annie?

How many of you knew that a sequel to Annie exists? The sequel to Annie, entitled Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge was set to start previews at the Marquis Theatre in 1990, but the show never made it to the theatre. The show was re-worked, and an Annie sequel, called Annie Warbucks, opened Off-Broadway in 1993.