A bit of Hollywood glamour has come to Staten Island recently in the form of "Smash," the new NBC series about a Marilyn Monroe-inspired Broadway production, which is filming scenes at the St. George Theatre, just a stone's throw from the ferry terminal.
Playwright Theresa Rebeck, the show's creator, said producers wanted the look of a big Broadway house and chose the 2,800-seat St. George because "the stage dimensions are gorgeous." While only the stage is shown in early episodes of the show, which makes its premiere Feb. 6,Ms. Rebeck said plans are in place to turn the camera around to feature more of the theater itself in later episodes.
"You're not expecting to walk into a theatre like that out there-it's spectacular," said cast member Will Chase of the venue.
A sumptuous vaudeville and movie palace built to rival its Times Square cousins, the St. George had the bad timing to open on Dec. 4, 1929-five weeks after Black Tuesday. At 75 cents a pop, tickets weren't cheap, but they sold. "People wanted to get out, bury their problems for a couple hours," said Henry Decker, the theater's box-office manager and in-house historian.
As the Depression set in, prices dropped to 50 cents, then 25. By 1935, vaudeville was dead and the St. George became a movie house for the next 40 years.
On Staten Island, said Doreen Cugno, its current executive director, it was "the place to be."
The St. George managed to survive a 30-year period of neglect, with holes in the roof, caved-in ceilings and various animals taking up residence: mice, birds, raccoons and Jack Black (the finale of "School of Rock" was shot at the St. George in 2003).
A local dance teacher named Rosemary Cappozalo took up the task of restoring the Staten Island cultural hub. Working with her daughters, Luanne Sorrentino, Rosemary Hiller, and Ms. Cugno, Ms. Cappozalo poured her life savings into the effort.
After a 12-week renovation, they reopened the theater in 2004, booking acts like Tony Bennett, Liza Minnelli and the Jonas Brothers, and helping launch a mini-revitalization of the neighborhood. Ms. Cappozalo died in 2009.
"The borough, the chamber of commerce, the city-they all love us," said Ms. Cugno.
"So do all the artists who come in here," said Ms. Sorrentino, who serves as director of operations. "We run it like a mom-and-pop store."
Restoration efforts are continuing, with $3 million spent thus far and another $3 million earmarked from the Staten Island borough president's office and the city's Department of Cultural Affairs.
"You could never build a place like that again today," said Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro. "The [skilled] labor just doesn't exist."
Mr. Decker, who directs the work, has a long wish list that includes updating the marquee, restoring water-damaged stenciled ceilings and repairing light strips that haven't had a bulb changed since the 1960s.
For now, flush with "Smash" cash and a roster of future bookings, the St. George is in the black and, its owners say, its resident ghosts- like "Jimmy," who wears a bowler and hangs out by the box office-are happy.