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Herbert J. Krapp

{{Short description|American architect (1887–1973)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Herbert J. Krapp

| image = Herbert J. Krapp young portrait.jpg

| image_size = 175px

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Start date|1886|2|21}}

| birth_place = New York City, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1973|2|16|1886|2|21}}

| death_place = Florida, U.S.

| other_names =

| nationality = American

| known_for = Theatre architecture, especially on Broadway

| spouse = Elaine Tuska

}}

Herbert J. Krapp (1887–1973) was a 20th-century theatre architect and designer, notable for his contributions to Broadway theater district architecture.{{Cite web |last=Landmarks Preservation Commission |date=Nov 17, 1987 |title=Designation List 196 LP-1333 |url=http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/1333.pdf |website=NYC.gov}}{{Cite news |date=1973-02-17 |title=HERBERT KRAPP, 86, THEATER ARCHITECT |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/02/17/archives/herbert-krapp-86-theater-architect.html |access-date=2024-05-24 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Known for his innovative approach to design, his built work favors width, rather than depth, to create better sightlines for an "intimate theatre" experience.{{Cite news |last=Grant |first=Neva |date=Jan 2, 2012 |title=Up Close And Personal: Introducing Intimate Theater |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/01/02/144483332/up-close-and-personal-introducing-intimate-theater |work=NPR}}

Of the 41 Broadway theatres now standing, Krapp designed 13 and redesigned two.{{Cite web |date=2013-05-19 |title=Broadway Theatre Design: Architect Herbert J. Krapp {{!}} Broadway Scene |url=https://broadwayscene.com/broadway-theatre-design-architect-herbert-j-krapp/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=Broadway Scene {{!}} Provided by All Tickets Inc.}} All of his extant Broadway theatres' interiors, and nearly all of their exteriors, have since been designated historic landmarks by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.{{Cite web |title=Theater District {{!}} |url=https://www.nypap.org/preservation-history/theater-district/ |access-date=2024-05-24 |language=en-US}}

Career

A graduate of Cooper Union, and an apprentice with the Herts & Tallant firm until 1915, Krapp began working in theatre architecture at the time when architects were just beginning to design "a playhouse's exterior and interior as a single, integrated design."{{Cite web |title=Herbert J. Krapp |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110810105230451 |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=Oxford Reference |language=en }} His functional innovations include orchestra-level stadium seating, and single, rather than double, balconies above it.{{Cite web |title=Majestic Theatre {{!}} Shubert Organization |url=https://shubert.nyc/theatres/majestic/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=shubert.nyc}}

He favored neoclassical façades, incorporating elements, such as ornamental iron balconies, patterned brickwork and grilles, as well as decorative pilasters, cornices, arches and frieze.{{Cite web |title=Barrymore Theatre {{!}} Shubert Organization |url=https://shubert.nyc/theatres/barrymore/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=shubert.nyc}} A frequent user of the Adam style, sometimes complemented with Elizabethan, Mediterranean, Mission or other revival elements, Krapp's interiors made regular use of recessed ceilings, wall columns and ornamental wall panels, decorated with floral or geometric motifs.

Sometime between 1912 and 1916, in addition to designing theatres for the Chanin brothers, Krapp began working directly with the Shubert brothers.{{Cite web |last=Vasquez |first=Sabrina |date=2018-03-21 |title=Krapp or Treasure?… Maybe it's both |url=https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/the-buzz/krapp-or-treasure-maybe-its-both/ |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=The Buzz Archive |language=en-US}} His first independent commissions for them were the Broadhurst and the neighboring Plymouth Theatre (now known as the Schoenfeld), which opened within two weeks of each other, and were designed as mirror images of each other.{{Cite web |title=Broadhurst Theatre {{!}} Shubert Organization |url=https://shubert.nyc/theatres/broadhurst/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=shubert.nyc}} Krapp would eventually become their primary architect, designing the Lyceum, Shubert, Booth, New Amsterdam and Longacre Theatres, among many others.{{Cite web |title=Theatre Database / Theatre Architecture - database, projects |url=https://www.theatre-architecture.eu/db.html?personId=3743 |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=www.theatre-architecture.eu}}

Krapp was well known for his ability to use his building space to its fullest potential. For the Majestic Theatre, Krapp incorporated stadium seating into the plans for the orchestra level, creating better sightlines and allowing for the creation of larger lounge and lobby areas. He designed the Ambassador Theatre on a diagonal plan to fit it into a small site. Krapp renovated the Winter Garden Theatre and the Helen Hayes Theatre in the 1920s. He also designed the Hotel Edison, the Lincoln Hotel (now the Row NYC Hotel), and numerous other buildings.

Although the stock market crash of 1929 brought an end to the theatre building boom, Krapp remained with the Shuberts until 1963, supervising the maintenance and renovations of the existing venues. He also experimented with inventing; one of the tools he created was patented and used by the U.S. Air Force. He died in Florida in 1973.

Broadway Façades

File:Ambassador Theatre - Chicago (48296059772).jpg|Ambassador Theatre

File:Brooks Atkinson Theater - Waitress (48193414186).jpg|Lena Horne Theatre

File:Barrymore Theatre (52302264853).jpg|Barrymore Theatre

File:Biltmore Theatre NYC 2007.jpg|Biltmore Theatre

File:Bernard B Jacobs Theatre on Broadway (6284928911).jpg|Jacobs Theatre

File:Broadhurst Theatre NYC 2007.jpg|Broadhurst Theatre

File:John Golden Theatre (52302250066).jpg|Golden Theatre

File:Hayes Theater (51495253685).jpg|Hayes Theatre

File:Imperial Theater - ain't too proud (48193459947).jpg|Imperial Theatre

File:Majestic Theatre - The Phantom of the Opera on 1 April 12.jpg|Majestic Theatre

File:Eugene O'Neill Theatre - Book of Mormon (48295951286).jpg|Eugene O'Neill Theatre

File:Rodgers Theater - Hamilton (48193460677).jpg|Richard Rodgers Theatre

File:Schoenfeld Theatre jeh.JPG|Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre

File:Neil Simon Theatre (48269598196).jpg|Neil Simon Theatre

File:Back To the Future- The Musical at the Winter Garden Theatre, August 2023, night.jpg|Winter Garden Theatre

Theatres and hotels

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Current Broadway theatres

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Other notable buildings

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References

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External links and resources

{{Commons category}}

{{Spoken Wikipedia|Wikipedia Audio - Herbert J. Krapp.wav|date=2018-11-10}}

  • [http://www.forrest-theatre.com/forrest-theatre-history.html Short history]
  • [http://cinematreasures.org/architect/166/ Partial listing of theatre credits at Cinema Treasures]
  • Broadway Theatres: History and Architecture, William Morrison, 1999, Dover Publications, {{ISBN|0-486-40244-4}}
  • Lost Broadway Theatres, Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, Princeton Architectural Press, 1997, {{ISBN|1-56898-116-3}}
  • The Shuberts Present: 100 Years of American Theater, Maryann Chach, Reagan Fletcher, Mark Evan Swartz, Sylvia Wang, Harry N. Abrams, 2001, {{ISBN|0-8109-0614-7}}
  • Shubert Organization Theatres [http://www.shubertorganization.com/theatres/default.asp] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201055554/http://www.shubertorganization.com/theatres/default.asp |date=2013-02-01 }}

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Category:1887 births

Category:1973 deaths

Category:American theatre architects

Category:Broadway theatre

Category:Architects from New York City

Category:Defunct architecture firms based in New York City

Category:20th-century architecture

Category:20th-century architects

Category:20th-century theatre

Category:20th-century American architects

Category:American theatre designers