Actor's Studio

Ezrath Israel was originally established as a Jewish Community Center in 1917 by the West Side Hebrew Relief Association, a group of Orthodox Jewish shop owners. The area was known for its busy steamship ports, however, the entertainment business eventually became one of the biggest industries in this part of town. As show business grew, so did the number of congregants, and it became the place of worship for many prominent actors and performers, including Sophie Tucker and Shelley Winters. The Actors' Temple continued to thrive until shortly after WWII when people in the industry began journeying across the country to Hollywood. The synagogue then found its membership slowly decreasing. By 2005, there were only twelve members left in the congregation. A year later, when Jill Hausman became the rabbi, she found herself resuscitating what had once been a proud shul. Rabbi Hausman was pleased to report to us that in the eight years that she has been there, membership has increased to about 150, a marked improvement. Still, she has hope that the Actors' Temple will continue to grow. "We are a well-kept secret, " she says, "but we don't need to be. " To help maintain the synagogue, the sanctuary is shared with an Off Broadway theater company that performs on their "stage, " just a few feet in front of their sacred arc and collection of eleven torahs. Today, Rabbi Hausman welcomes all denominations of Judaism, even those who are "on the fringes of society. " She is a warm, sweet, bright woman who not only has her door open to everyone, but her heart as well. She emphasizes the importance of love and acceptance in her sermons and is adamant that the Actors' Temple is a "no-guilt synagogue. " People should come if they feel compelled to pray – Rabbi Hausman's only goal is to have them leave with a desire to return.

The Maravel Arts Center is the home for Rosie O'Donnell's arts education organization, dedicated to providing as many underprivileged children as possible with a theater experience. Rosie's Theater Kids (RTK) also provides mentoring and academic guidance for its students, in an effort to help them to succeed on the stage and in the classroom. Offering both in-school and on-location programs, RTK serves approximately 1, 900 attendees each year. We felt fortunate to be able to tour the Maravel Arts Center that had been built in 2007 after gutting the decrepit building that stood there before. Today, this updated space is filled with studios and study rooms to accommodate the specially chosen 165 students who come each day. They head here after school to take tap classes, vocal lessons, and do homework with an on-site tutor. The building has a performance studio, two dance studios, a music studio, practice rooms, dressing rooms, a study room, a cafe and, to top it all off, a rooftop garden. Rosie's Theater Kids flourish because of the community that they form at Maravel. Throughout their years at the Center, kids take classes together, foster friendships, as well as develop a passion for the arts. Regardless of what they choose to pursue in the future, RTK prepares its students for life beyond Maravel's doors, providing them with SAT tutoring and help with the entire college process. In addition, each graduate is presented with a new computer. Located a couple of blocks from some of Broadway's most famous theaters, Rosie's Theater Kids do not have to look far to find inspiration for their artistic endeavors.

First designed and erected in 1890 for the Second German Baptist Church, this building has gone through several changes since the church moved away in the early 1960s. It stood as the site of a nightclub at one point, along with that of an alleged Methadone clinic. It was not until 1976 that the space was converted into a theater. Once called the Chelsea Theatre Center, but today known as the Westside Theatre, it continues to show plays in both of its auditoriums. I had the pleasure of seeing the phenomenal, Satchmo, a one-man performance starring John Douglas Thompson, who magnificently portrays the life of Louis Armstrong. Learn more about this historic location in W42ST’s history piece, “Religion, Disco, Death and Drama — Westside Theatre’s History Reads Like a Play in 3 Acts. "

Don't Tell Mama, on Restaurant Row, brings the entertainment, quite literally, to dinner, offering cabaret performances, a restaurant and a piano bar all in a single space. With rising professional singers and musicians serving as waiters and bartenders, the restaurant creates a show worthy of the Theatre District. Opening in 1982, the complex has had numerous staff members who have gone on to win Emmys, Tonys, Grammys and Oscars. There is no question that Don't Tell Mama serves as something of a breeding ground for future artists. Liza Minnelli, Joan Rivers, Paul Newman and Cuba Gooding Jr., among others, have performed at DTM over the years. On one of our visits, we enjoyed mingling with the staff as they were setting up for that night's well-reviewed cabaret show - "Judy and Liza Together Again" - a tribute to the mother/daughter pair performed by Tommy Femia and Rick Skye in drag.

I can attest to the immediate success of Carmine's on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in the early nineties as my family and friends stood on the lines to get in on a number of occasions. Owner Artie Cutler's concept of serving large, family-style portions to guests, in a warm, friendly atmosphere connected with diners immediately. It did not take Mr. Cutler long to realize that he had a success on his hands and that it was time for expansion. In 1992, the theater district had another hit in Times Square, in the form of a grand, traditional Italian restaurant.

Teddy Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, and Charles Lindberg are among the noteworthy clients that E. B. Meyorwitz & Dell has been crafting “made-to-measure” frames for since 1875. Today, be it in their New York, London or Paris shops, one can still be fitted for a pair of the same classy, high quality spectacles.

Ezrath Israel was originally established as a Jewish Community Center in 1917 by the West Side Hebrew Relief Association, a group of Orthodox Jewish shop owners. The area was known for its busy steamship ports, however, the entertainment business eventually became one of the biggest industries in this part of town. As show business grew, so did the number of congregants, and it became the place of worship for many prominent actors and performers, including Sophie Tucker and Shelley Winters. The Actors' Temple continued to thrive until shortly after WWII when people in the industry began journeying across the country to Hollywood. The synagogue then found its membership slowly decreasing. By 2005, there were only twelve members left in the congregation. A year later, when Jill Hausman became the rabbi, she found herself resuscitating what had once been a proud shul. Rabbi Hausman was pleased to report to us that in the eight years that she has been there, membership has increased to about 150, a marked improvement. Still, she has hope that the Actors' Temple will continue to grow. "We are a well-kept secret, " she says, "but we don't need to be. " To help maintain the synagogue, the sanctuary is shared with an Off Broadway theater company that performs on their "stage, " just a few feet in front of their sacred arc and collection of eleven torahs. Today, Rabbi Hausman welcomes all denominations of Judaism, even those who are "on the fringes of society. " She is a warm, sweet, bright woman who not only has her door open to everyone, but her heart as well. She emphasizes the importance of love and acceptance in her sermons and is adamant that the Actors' Temple is a "no-guilt synagogue. " People should come if they feel compelled to pray – Rabbi Hausman's only goal is to have them leave with a desire to return.

While traffic is streaming in and out from the Lincoln Tunnel and the Port Authority, a striking structure emerges on the west side of 41st between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues. This imposing Roman Catholic church serves as New York's Croatian-American parish. It was built in 1902 to serve the Irish Catholics of Hell's Kitchen, and 1974 saw a merging of nearby parishes to create the current configuration. In this sparser side of the city, the church emerges as a breathtaking find, casting quite the shadow with its powerful twin spires and gray stone. It is a beauty to behold and an ideal way to end my walk.

The oldest standing structure on 42nd Street, Holy Cross was founded in 1852, with the current building completed in 1870. The parish is Roman-Catholic, and services are conducted in English and Spanish.

The New Dramatists is a center that offers seven-year long residencies to playwrights, giving them the time, space and resources to write plays in which they have complete creative authority, allowing them to continue with their own artistic growth. Since 1949, in a former church, the New Dramatists has served more than 600 playwrights, among them sixteen Pulitzer Prize winners and twenty-four Tony award winners. During their time at the New Dramatists, resident playwrights participate in The Playwrights' Lab and associated programs that give them an opportunity to develop their own work through a series of readings and workshops. As executive director, Joel Ruark corroborates, telling us "the most valuable thing they get is one another. "A rotating committee chooses the residents every year to ensure fresh perspectives. The entire operation is grant-and philanthropy-funded, letting playwrights focus on developing their craft. This approach has won the organization an honorary Tony Award and renown to spare.