Winthrop Ames

In November 1909, the theatre opened officially to the public with an opulent production of Antony and Cleopatra starring Julia Marlowe and E. H. Sothern.

The New Theatre was the largest playhouse in New York City at that time, and Ames began to mount ambitious productions, ranging from Shakespeare and other classics to modern works.

[4] In 1912, bucking the tide of Broadway commercialism, Ames used his own money to build the Little Theatre at 240 West 44th Street with the express idea of putting on experimental dramas and to give an opportunity to new playwrights.

[4] Ames's most notable Broadway productions included an adaptation of Prunella (1913), The Philanderer (1913), A Pair of Silk Stockings (1914), and Pierrot the Prodigal (1916).

During World War I, Ames organized the Over There Theatre League, which arranged for actors to travel to Europe to entertain troops.

[4] After the war, Ames began to direct most of the Broadway shows that he produced, including The Betrothal (1918), The Green Goddess (1921), The Truth About Blayds (1922), Will Shakespeare (1923), Beggar on Horseback (1924), Minick (1924), Old English (1924), White Wings (1926), Escape (1927), The Merchant of Venice (1928) and Mrs. Moonlight (1930).

Ames revived interest in these comic operas with lavish and lively seasons of Iolanthe, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado from 1926 to 1929.

In 1931, as he wound down his business affairs with age and poor health, he sold the Little Theatre building to The New York Times.