Among the guests and participants at the Manhattan Theatre Club Dec. 12 groundbreaking at the Biltmore Theatre were The Tale of the Allergist's Wife star Valerie Harper, Full Monty star Andre de Shields and Cherry Jones.
Manhattan Theatre Club is one of New York City's leading nonprofit, Off Broadway theatres, operating out of two spaces in City Center. The company premiered Proof and The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, in 1999-2000, and both went on to Broadway runs that continue today. Their plans for the Biltmore include $27 million which will go to renovating the scarred, scorched and water-damaged 1925 theatre, which hasn't housed a show since 1987. MTC hopes to host their 2003 Broadway season at the 650-seat space on 47th Street.