Prestigious Theatre Museum Award to Honor Millennium Broadway Hotel's Restoration of Landmark Hudson

October 10th, 2005 ceremony to be held amidst Hudson Theatre's rediscovered Tiffany mosaics

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. October 14, 2008

NEW YORK, NY, October 3, 2005. While the Hudson Theatre has played host to many celebrities - from Elvis Presley to Barbara Streisand and Bob Hope to Bill Maher, it will host itself as a shining star at the 2005 Theatre Museum Awards benefit dinner to be held on Monday, October 10th, 2005 at its home at the Millennium Broadway Hotel (145 West 44th Street, NYC).

Presented by The Theatre Museum, a New York non-profit museum dedicated to the history of theatre, the 2005 Theatre Museum Awards will honor the restoration of the Hudson Theatre for excellence in Theatre History Preservation along with fellow honorees: Michael Kantor and Laurence Maslon, the Emmy Award winning creators of the PBS series and book, Broadway: The American Musical; the Ten Chimney's Foundation, the historic home of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne; Michael Presser, the Founder and Executive Director of Inside Broadway for his achievements in bringing theatre to New York City students; Periwinkle Productions, Inc., the country's oldest non-profit educational touring theatre company.

Broadway actor and producer Bonnie Comley will chair the 2005 Theatre Museum Awards ceremony at the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel (145 West 44th Street, NYC) on Monday October 10, 2005. Reception and buffet supper begins at 6:00PM with a 7:30PM awards presentation and entertainment to follow. In celebration of the Harold Arlen centennial, entertainment for the evening will feature musical performances from the Arlen songbook performed under the musical direction of Aaron Gandy. For tickets, call (212) 764 4112 ext. 203.

"Theatre is live. It's of the moment. After the moment has passed, it becomes an integral part of our history," says event chairperson Bonnie Comely. "This year's honorees have all been recognized for their tireless efforts in preserving the theatre's legacy for new audiences. Particularly until our vision for a world-class Theatre Museum in NYC comes to fruition, the contributions of our honorees must be recognized and celebrated for ensuring that the theatre remains alive for generations."

The $2 million dollars restoration project of the Hudson Theatre is one of the most exciting projects undertaken in the historic Times Square/Broadway district of New York City, an area that has seen much change over the years but never lost its love affair with excitement, glamour and celebrity. The Millennium Broadway Hotel's management was hoping to recapture the elegance of turn-of-the-century New York City when they embarked on the restoration of their 102-year old historic landmark, the Hudson Theatre. But they got much more. Based on a lead from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, internationally acclaimed restoration experts from Jablonski Berkowitz Conservation, Inc. conducted tests under the painted walls, where they discovered beautiful turquoise Tiffany glass mosaics that have been forgotten over the years.

Not that the Hudson Theatre didn't already have a distinguished association with Tiffany, the world-famous designer who New Yorkers embrace as their own. The theatre, used by the Millennium Broadway for special events and corporate meetings and presentations, has Tiffany ceilings and spectacular chandeliers, all of which have been gloriously restored to original condition. The surprise was the extraordinary turquoise Tiffany mosaic tiles around the theatre's proscenium arch and decorating the mezzanine and balconies that had been plastered and painted over. All have been brought back to their opening night appearance in 1903.

With approval for the project from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, renovation of the hotel was commenced under the direction of the renowned architectural design firm, Stonehill & Taylor, and Jablonski Berkowitz were commissioned to undertake the restoration process. Scientific surveys of the theatre's structure were conducted before proceeding with the restoration process. Jablonski Berkowitz's portfolio includes the Ellis Island National Historic Site, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, Radio City Music Hall, and Columbia University's Low Library. The restoration was completed in July 2005.