McKittrick Hotel

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McKittrick Hotel
The McKittrick Hotel 1.jpg
Exterior of the McKittrick Hotel
McKittrick Hotel
Address530 West 27th Street
Manhattan, New York
United States
Coordinates 40°45′02″N74°00′14″W / 40.75056°N 74.00389°W / 40.75056; -74.00389
Opened2011
ClosedJanuary 12, 2025
Website
https://mckittrickhotel.com/

The McKittrick Hotel (also known as The McKittrick) was a performing arts venue themed as a 1930s hotel in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was located at 530 West 27th Street and was best known as the setting of the immersive theater production Sleep No More . [1] It also featured a bar and dining space known as Gallow Green on the roof, [2] a restaurant called the Club Car (originally called the Heath) on the sixth floor, [3] and a bar called the Manderley on the second floor. [4] In addition to Sleep No More, it was used as a venue for a number of parties, performances, and special events. [5] It closed in January 2025 following the final performance of Sleep No More and a trio of farewell parties entitled APPARITIONS. [6]

Contents

The venue's name is a reference to the Alfred Hitchcock film Vertigo .

Location and theming

The McKittrick spanned roughly 100,000 square feet (9,300 square meters) across three adjoining warehouses. [7] There were six stories and around a hundred rooms. [8] This space was previously used as part of several nightclubs, including Twilo and Guesthouse before its conversion into the McKittrick in 2011. [9]

The McKittrick was never a real hotel, but Emursive, the producers of Sleep No More and many of the other events at the venue, have created a fictitious history for it. According to its official website, the McKittrick was built in 1939 to be New York's "most decadent" hotel but was shut down two days after the outbreak of World War II (six weeks before the hotel's scheduled opening). [10] While not all areas of the venue reflect a hotel theming, they generally maintained a 1930s noir aesthetic.

Programs and events

Exterior plaque for the McKittrick Hotel Plaque for the McKittrick Hotel (Detail).png
Exterior plaque for the McKittrick Hotel

The McKittrick was primarily used as the set for Sleep No More, a retelling of William Shakespeare's play Macbeth with additional elements from the Paisley witch trials and the films of Alfred Hitchcock. It spanned all six floors of the space and was known for its immersive elements and the distinctive masks that audience members wore during the performance. [11] Sleep No More opened on March 7, 2011 and closed on January 5, 2025. [6] It won numerous awards, including the 2011 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience [12] and special citations for design and choreography for its production company Punchdrunk at the 2011 Obie Awards. [13] [14]

Additionally, the McKittrick hosted a wide range of limited-time events, including:

There were also various concerts and parties for other holidays and events. [32] [33] [34] [35]

Spaces

The McKittrick consisted of three main spaces: the Manderley bar, the Sleep No More set, and the combination of the Club Car and Gallow Green, which spans the top floor and the rooftop.

The Manderley

Upon entering the venue and passing the coat check, guests ascended a flight of stairs to the second floor and passed through a dark maze to reach the Manderley. Named after the estate in the novel Rebecca (upon which the Hitchcock film is based), the bar featured two connected rooms – one with the bar and a performance area and another further back with additional seating. During performances of Sleep No More, the area around the stage was roped off for those who had paid for premium entry. The performance area often featured live music appropriate for the 1930s theming, including covers of modern pop songs.

In addition to its use during performances of Sleep No More and other events such as the Follies, the Manderley sometimes functioned as a normal bar open to the public. [4] [36]

Sleep No More set

The majority of the McKittrick was taken up by the set of Sleep No More, which spans all six floors. Guests entered on the first floor and after "checking in," were brought up to the Manderley bar. They were then given access to the performance area via elevator or stairwell. The space consisted of:

Part of the sixth floor was a dedicated performance space inspired by the Manderley estate in Rebecca, but this area could only be reached via a specific interaction with one of the cast members.

The set was also used for other events at the McKittrick, including many of its parties. [37]

Exterior of entrance to Gallow Green Exterior of Gallow Green.png
Exterior of entrance to Gallow Green

The Club Car and Gallow Green

The sixth floor of the building housed the Club Car, a restaurant made to resemble a 1930s train car. It was originally named the Heath, a reference to the setting of several scenes in Macbeth involving the witches. [38] [39] It was later renamed the Club Car to better reflect its theming. [40] [41] The small indoor entrance to the sixth floor represented the train stop in a station, with a period advertisement board, train schedule, and newspaper booth. The Club Car operated as a full-service restaurant and included a stage area. [42] [3]

Gallow Green was a rooftop bar, with theming varying depending on the season. In the summer, it featured a garden theme with lots of plants and open air. [2] In the winter, it was sometimes referred to as "The Lodge at Gallow Green" and included pine trees, yurts, open fires, and spiced wine. [43] The name Gallow Green is a reference to the Paisley witch trials.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Brantley, Ben (April 13, 2011). "Shakespeare Slept Here, Albeit Fitfully". The New York Times. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Gallow Green | New York Magazine | The Thousand Best". New York Magazine. February 20, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Morabito, Greg (December 13, 2013). "The Heath, Sleep No More's Restaurant Counterpart". Eater NY. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "The Manderley Bar". Time Out New York. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  5. ↑ "The McKittrick Hotel – Off-Broadway". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Lang, Brent (October 31, 2024). "'Sleep No More' Sets Final Performance After Closure Was Delayed a Year (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  7. ↑ "No Sleep Till..." UrbanDaddy. February 1, 2011. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  8. ↑ Piepenburg, Erik (March 16, 2011). "Stage Is Set. Ready for Your Part?". The New York Times. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  9. ↑ Solish, Scott (February 2, 2011). "Adaptive Re-uses". Eater NY. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Our Story". mckittrickhotel.com. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  11. ↑ Soloski, Alexis (February 9, 2022). "'Sleep No More' Awakens After a Long Hibernation". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  12. ↑ Jones, Kenneth (May 24, 2011). "Drama Desk Awards Go to Book of Mormon, Normal Heart, War Horse, Sutton Foster, Norbert Leo Butz". Playbill. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  13. ↑ "11". Obie Awards. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Sleep No More by Punchdrunk". www.punchdrunk.com. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  15. ↑ Gioia, Michael. "More Whiskey! Dave Malloy's Immersive Ghost Quartet Adds Performances at Chelsea's McKittrick Hotel". Playbill. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Hypnotique". mckittrickhotel.com. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  17. ↑ Soloski, Alexis (November 10, 2023). "Curtains Down, Bottoms Up: When the Show Ends, the Night's Just Getting Started". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  18. ↑ Chow, Andrew R. (October 18, 2016). "National Theater of Scotland to Bring Prudencia Hart to New York". The New York Times . Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  19. ↑ "The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart". mckittrickhotel.com. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  20. ↑ "The Guilty Party by Supercinema at the McKittrick Hotel". Behind the Scenes NYC. September 7, 2016. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Clue 2016". mckittrickhotel.com. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Gatsby 2016". mckittrickhotel.com. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  23. ↑ Araujo, Roberto (October 4, 2019). "WATCH: A Look Inside at The McKittrick Hotel's Bartschland Follies". Playbill. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  24. ↑ "The McKittrick Hotel Heats Up with Halloween-Themed Inferno". Playbill. October 13, 2015. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  25. ↑ Baratian, Bryan (October 28, 2018). ""Inferno" Review – The McKittrick Masquerade". Splash Magazines. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  26. ↑ "This Lost Supper won't be lost on you". USA TODAY. July 20, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  27. ↑ Saxena, Jaya (January 17, 2023). "For My Next Trick, Dessert". Eater. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  28. ↑ Simmons, Paulanne (October 1, 2023). "Off-Broadway Review: AT THE ILLUSIONIST'S TABLE (The McKittrick Hotel)". Stage and Cinema. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  29. ↑ No Proscenium (May 29, 2024). "Review Rundown: Goin' Big Instead of Goin' Home". Medium. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  30. ↑ Feldman, Adam (August 11, 2021). "Speakeasy Magick". TimeOut. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  31. ↑ Hall, Margaret (November 19, 2024). "The McKittrick to 'Close Its Doors Forever'; Farewell Parties Planned". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 21, 2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  32. ↑ Lang, Brent (October 31, 2024). "'Sleep No More' Sets Final Performance After Closure Was Delayed a Year (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  33. ↑ "The Nightmare Before Christmas". mckittrickhotel.com. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  34. ↑ "Halloween 2023". mckittrickhotel.com. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  35. ↑ Tapogna, Maximilian (November 6, 2023). "Down the rabbit hole at the McKittrick Hotel". Document Journal. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  36. ↑ "Manderley Bar". New York City Tourism + Conventions. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  37. ↑ Baxter, David (November 15, 2018). "Inferno at The McKittrick Hotel Gives Occult Themed Revelries!". Manhattan Digest. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  38. ↑ The Arden Macbeth 1.1.6, 1.3.77
  39. ↑ Clark, Sandra; Mason, Pamela (2015). Macbeth. The Arden Shakespeare. London New York: Bloomsbury Arden Shakespeare. ISBN   978-1-904271-41-3.
  40. ↑ "All Aboard The Club Car At The McKittrick Hotel". Drink Me. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  41. ↑ "The Club Car at The McKittrick Hotel". mckittrickhotel.com. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  42. ↑ "The Heath (at McKittrick Hotel)". TimeOut. November 25, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  43. ↑ Bahamondes, Bianca (January 27, 2022). "Gallow Green's Cozy Winter Rooftop, The Hideout, Has Officially Reopened". Secret NYC. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
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