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proposed staging plays at what initially was called the West Bank Cafe
Downstairs Theater Bar. Over the course of 14 years, Foerster was the Artistic Director, Black was the playwright in residence, and authored forty plays there, and Magee was the musical director. More than 1,500 one-act
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On August 27, 2014, Joan Rivers gave her final performance at the theatre. The following day, Rivers suffered a cardiac arrest resulting from complications during a procedure on her vocal cords, and died on
September 4, 2014.
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The theater was opened in 1983 by the West Bank Cafe owner Steve Olsen. The cafe/theater is in
Manhattan Plaza, which was specifically built to house people who are active in New York's theater scene.
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On
Christmas day 2020, the Cafe ran a telethon to raise needed funds to stay open. Among the notable performers who appeared on the program were
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Initially, the theater was strictly drinks only. However, it has evolved to include dinner before the show.
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413:"West Bank Cafe Christmas Day Telethon Blasts Through Fundraising Target in 90 minutes"
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387:"Broadway Stars Come Together for Save West Bank Cafe Virtual Telethon December 25"
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Interior of the Laurie
Beechman Theatre prior to a show on October 9, 2014
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Olsen experimented with the venue, offering it for jazz and cabaret.
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369:"Joan Rivers Dead At 81, Daughter Melissa Says In Statement"
346:. newyorkrestaurantinsider.com. July 2007. Archived from
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177:in the basement of the West Bank Cafe at 407 West
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171:West Bank Cafe Downstairs Theater Bar
16:Dinner theater in Manhattan, New York
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491:1983 establishments in New York City
236:have been performed at the theater.
385:Harms, Talaura (25 December 2020).
208:was a bartender in the restaurant.
411:O'Brien, Phil (25 December 2020).
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450:Internet Off-Broadway Database
243:often performed there, as has
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284:Manhattan Borough President
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466:Theatres completed in 1983
486:Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
192:The theater is named for
187:Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
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52:Manhattan, New York City
496:42nd Street (Manhattan)
476:Nightclubs in Manhattan
446:Laurie Beechman Theatre
299:List of dinner theaters
167:Laurie Beechman Theatre
20:Laurie Beechman Theatre
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80:40.75866°N 73.992842°W
481:Theatres in Manhattan
227:, Rand Foerster, and
185:apartment complex in
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344:"The West Bank Cafe"
319:"Open Table Profile"
85:40.75866; -73.992842
375:, September 4, 2014
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210:Tennessee Williams
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373:CBS New York
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352:. Retrieved
348:the original
323:. Retrieved
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422:7 September
396:7 September
287:Gale Brewer
268:Nathan Lane
241:Joan Rivers
229:Rusty Magee
225:Lewis Black
179:42nd Street
99:Steve Olsen
83: /
58:Coordinates
43:42nd Street
460:Categories
305:References
282:, and the
71:73°59′34″W
68:40°45′31″N
260:Al Pacino
218:Sean Penn
145:/beechman
41:407 West
391:Playbill
293:See also
147:_theatre
115:Capacity
49:Location
448:at the
200:History
181:in the
132:Website
108:Cabaret
38:Address
354:May 1,
325:May 1,
124:Opened
417:W42ST
234:plays
149:.html
96:Owner
424:2021
398:2021
356:2011
327:2011
216:and
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143:.com
127:1983
104:Type
139:www
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