The theater has housed several long-running musicals in its history, including original productions of Oklahoma!, The King and I, Hello, Dolly!, The Who's Tommy, and The Producers.

Across 44th Street are the Row NYC Hotel to the northwest, the Majestic and Broadhurst theaters to the north, and the Shubert Theatre and One Astor Plaza to the northeast.

An entablature runs near the top of the auditorium, starting from the front of the second balcony level and extending above the boxes and proscenium arch.

[9][15] The lobby's inner section originally contained a 17th-century Flemish tapestry on the west wall and a green-and-white marble table, which were the only furnishings in the room.

[33] The ladies' lounge had Adam style decorations and a rose-and-gold color scheme; it included a marble shelf with a mirror, as well as ceiling vents.

[40] Erlanger made an agreement that December to instead develop the theater for revues, specifically for vaudeville duo Bernard and Collier; in exchange, the pair would not perform outside New York City.

[68] After A. L. Erlanger's estate failed to pay rent,[69] ownership of the theater reverted to the Astor family, the owners of the underlying land.

[76] The revue Walk a Little Faster was the first show at the renamed St. James,[77] opening in December 1932 with Bobby Clark, Paul McCullough, and Bea Lillie;[78] it ran for 121 performances.

[68][81] The Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo opened at the St. James in December 1933,[82][83] staying through April 1934[82][c] with performers including Irina Baronova, Léonide Massine, and Tamara Toumanova.

[97][98] The WPA leased the theater in April 1938 for its production of Trojan Incident,[99][100] prompting the League of New York Theatres to complain that the government had an undue advantage over private producers.

[103][107] In January 1940, the St. James hosted that year's version of Earl Carroll's Vanities;[108][109] reviewers criticized the show's short run because it used microphones for amplification.

[111][112] That November, the St. James hosted another Shakespeare production: Twelfth Night with Evans, Wesley Addy, Helen Hayes, Sophie Stewart, and June Walker.

[120] From January to March 1942, the St. James hosted the Boston Comic Opera Company and the Jooss Ballet Dance Theatre in repertory.

[110] The Boston Opera Company presented Gilbert and Sullivan works, which were performed simultaneously with dance shows such as Kurt Jooss's The Green Table.

[121][122] The same year, the theater hosted a transfer of the long-running play Claudia,[117][123][124] as well as the Theatre Guild comedy Without Love with Audrey Christie, Katharine Hepburn, and Elliott Nugent.

[117][148] By the 1950s, the Shuberts operated nearly half of all legitimate theaters in New York City, prompting the U.S. federal government to file an antitrust suit against the family.

[151][152] The sale was finalized that July, when Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing president William L. McKnight and theatrical executive Samuel H. Schwartz agreed to buy the St. James for $1.75 million in cash.

The curtains, carpets, and seats were replaced; the adjacent alley was converted to a smoking area; and new electronic systems were installed.

[159][156][160] This was followed the same year by Jean Anouilh's play Becket, with Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn,[161][162][163] and the Betty Comden/Adolph Green/Jule Styne musical Do Re Mi, with Nancy Walker and Phil Silvers.

[161][164][165] Another Comden/Green/Styne musical arrived in 1961: Subways Are for Sleeping, featuring Orson Bean, Sydney Chaplin, Carol Lawrence, and Phyllis Newman.

[10] The same year, the theater hosted the musical Mr. President,[168][169] which was Irving Berlin's last Broadway show and was not popularly received.

[176][177] This was followed in 1971 by Galt MacDermot and John Guare's version of Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona,[178][179] featuring Raul Julia, Clifton Davis, and Jonelle Allen for 613 performances.

[205] The changes, executed by Total Concept,[206] included a new marquee, seats, draperies, and carpets, as well as a repainted auditorium and new electrical wiring.

[211][212] The St. James's last shows of the decade were Bill Irwin's play Largely New York[213][214] and a revival of the musical Gypsy with Tyne Daly in 1989.

[258][259] In 2009, Roth acquired a 50 percent stake in Jujamcyn and assumed full operation of the firm when Landesman joined the National Endowments of the Arts.

[260][261] The same year, the St. James staged the Goodman Theatre's revival of Desire Under the Elms[262][263] and the City Center Encores production of Finian's Rainbow.

These included American Idiot in 2010; Hair and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever in 2011; Leap of Faith and Bring It On: The Musical in 2012; Barry Manilow's concert and Let It Be in 2013; and Bullets Over Broadway and Side Show in 2014.

[282] As part of a settlement with the United States Department of Justice in 2021, Jujamcyn agreed to improve disabled access at its five Broadway theaters, including the St.

[287] Jujamcyn and Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) agreed to merge in early 2023; the combined company would operate seven Broadway theaters, including the St.

[288][289] In July 2023, Jordan Roth sold a 93 percent stake in Jujamcyn's five theaters, including the St. James Theatre, to ATG and Providence Equity.