Adieu Bijou

Cinema and underground cruising spot has closed.

Bijou, 82 East 4th Street, New York

"Shows old movies to gay patrons who aren't watching them"

--New York Songlines

From the very beginning this subterranean space has served as an entertainment venue.

Certificate of Occupancy, October 22, 1927:

Cellar-- Persons Accommodated 150-- Restaurant, cabaret, and storage    

Originally the Rainbow Inn, it became Club 82 in 1954 (some accounts list 1958), famous for spectacular drag reviews.

Business partner Vito Genovese. like many mobsters, "financed Village gay bars, which were prevented from obtaining legitimate funding due to homophobic laws and social stigmas."

Photo: Queer Music Heritage

Various sources credit the New York Dolls, in 1973 or 74,  as the first rock group to play there.

Marty Thau:

"I was manager of the Dolls and I was approached by the club because they were switching over to glam rock bands. The drag crowd had moved on and the Club 82 never returned to the original format." 

A comment on the blog "It's All Streets You Crossed" differs:
"So many [sic] of the information regarding Club 82, in the glam period, are [sic] incorrect. Club 82 started having bands in '72, not '74. The Dolls were not the first band to play there. Another Pretty Face was the already house band there in '73." 

 An indie-film theatre took over the space in 1978, followed by an all-male strip club. Ron Wood opened the music venue Woody's in 1990, a dismal failure closing after only a few months.

Since  about 1992, the basement has been an on-again-off-again unmarked gay porn theater called the Bijou, featuring second-run Hollywood films in the main theatre with a separate row of private booths.

The Bijou closed for the final time in April 2019, the space has been gutted. According to the New York City Department of Buildings a "stop work order exists on this building."

Since 1997 theatre historian,  Cezar Del Valle, has conducted a popular series of  theatre talks and walks, available for  historical societies, libraries, senior centers, etc.

Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, a three-volume history of borough theatres.

The first two chosen 2010 OUTSTANDING BOOK OF THE YEAR by the Theatre Historical Society. Final volume published in September 2014.

Currently seeking funding for “Editing & Formatting” the first three volumes of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, 3rd Edition

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John Street Theatre, New York

Theatre Magazine, September, 1902:

"The John Street Theatre, on the northerly side of John Street, was opened by Mr. [David] Douglas on December 7, 1767, with 'The Stratagem' and 'Lethe.' For many years this was the principal place of amusement in the city."

 One of the oldest objects in the Museum of the City of New York's theatre collection is a theatrical broadside for a performance of The Merchant of Venice at the John Street Theatre on Wednesday, November 30, 1785.

The theatre produced what is considered to be America's earliest musical - The Archers (subtitled 'The Mountaineers of Switzerland'), written by William Dunlap and Benjamin Carr. Based on the legend of William Tell, it ran for three performances--April 18-22, 1796.

With the city's growing prestige, the wealthy wanted to expand stage performance beyond the John Street Theatre which now appeared shabby and run down. . 

"Then, as the new century dawned, came new theatres, new players and new methods. The Park Theatre, which stood in Park Row, about two hundred feet east of Ann Street, was opened on January 29, 1798 and was long the fashionable place of amusement." [Theatre Magazine, September 1902]

The last production, at the John Street, took place on January 13, 1798, with its resident company moving to the new Park.

Briefly used by a neighboring grain and hay store, the John Street Theatre was demolished in late 1798.

The site,15-21 John Street, currently occupied by Brasserie Les Halles and a Duane Reade pharmacy.

Since 1997 theatre historian, Cezar Del Valle, has conducted a popular series of theatre talks and walks, available for historical societies, libraries, senior centers, etc.


Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, a three-volume history of borough theatres.


The first two chosen 2010 OUTSTANDING BOOK OF THE YEAR by the Theatre Historical Society. Final volume published in September 2014.


Editing and updating the third edition of the Brooklyn Theatre Index.


AboutMe


Goodreads

Medotcom

   

Lower East Side Preservation Initiative's Moveable Feast

An Afternoon on The Lower East Side

 Sunday May 18, 2014

Part One: Tour the Bowery

2:00-4:00 pm

with theatre historian Cezar Del Valle

Meet in front of the Liz Christy Garden, Bowery and Houston Street

The Bowery entertainment district was once bursting with Yiddish, Chinese and Italian Theatres, vaudeville houses, early film venues, dime museums, and concert saloons. Explore this colorful, earthy history with theatre historian Cezar Del Valle.

Admission: $20  LESPI Members: $15

 

History Quickie: Lower East Side History Project


Part Two:

 LUNCH AT AN HISTORIC GREEK-AMERICAN SYNAGOGUE 

4:00 - 6:00 pm

At the Kehila Janina Kedosha synagogue, a New York City Landmark, enjoy  a delicious lunch of traditional Greek-Jewish kosher yaprakes, bourekas, kourlouia, Greek salad, seasonal fruit, hot and cold beverages.

Tour the beautifully restored 1927 synagogue interior, and visit the synagogue's fascinating museum on the history of the congregation and Greek American Jewish life.

Cosponsored with Kehila Janina Kedosha 

Meet  at: Kehila Janina Kedosha Synagogue at 280 Broome St, between EldrIdge and Allen Streets

Admission: $25

LESPI and Synagogue members $20

SPECIAL COMBINED TOUR AND LUNCH EVENT PRICE: $40   

LESPI MEMBERS: $30

Info@LESPI-nyc.org with any questions.

This program is part of Lower East Side History Month 

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

He is available for theatre talks and walks in 2014, historical societies, libraries, senior centers, etc. 

Second Edition Brooklyn Theatre Index, Special Offer

On Sale June 1-July 31, 2013:

Now available:
Brooklyn Theatre Index Volume I Second Edition
Brooklyn Theatre Index Volume II Second Edition

The first edition was chosen 2010 Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

 

Purchase directly from the author for $14 per volume (plus postage); this special discount will also apply to the third and final volume (Coney Island) to be published later this summer.

As a "print-on-demand" book there will be a short delay between receiving orders and shipments.

Contact the author for details.  

The Brooklyn Theatre Index

Cezar Del Valle is available for theatre walks and talks 2013.