Stars Celebrate $56 Million Renovation of New York's City Center

The newly painted ceiling of New York's City Center (Photo: Luke Szczygielski)

The 88-year old institution celebrated its re-opening on Tuesday after a massive overhaul of the Moorish style auditorium's lobby, restrooms, backstage areas and hall seating. "Much was made of the various programming that has graced the City Center stage. There have been musicals, represented on Tuesday by Patti LuPone (who sang 'Everything's Coming Up Roses' from Gypsy), Brian Stokes Mitchell (who sang 'It Ain't Necessarily So' from Porgy and Bess, which has been produced at City Center) and Donna Murphy (who, in an homage to our city, sang 'I Happen to Like New York,' a song she also performed a decade ago at a gala right after Sept. 11, she explained at the dinner following at Cipriani 42nd Street. "I love that song," she said). There has been plenty of dance. And there has been opera, which was represented Tuesday by Denyce Graves, who sang from Samson and Delilah. 'Feel free to sing along,' Ms. Graves said. 'I know it's been on a Ragu spaghetti commercial, so you may recognize it.'" [Source]

Read lots more about the details of the renovation over on WQXR , there is photo coverage over at TheaterMania and three more anecdotes from the evening are after the jump.