The Rehearsal Club was a theatrical ingenue boarding house founded in 1913 by Jean "Daisy" Greer, daughter of New York's Episcopal bishop, and Jane Harriss Hall, an Episcopal Deaconess. The residence provided young women pursuing theater a place to rest between auditions, along with opportunities to socialize and receive simple meals. Within a year, the Professional Children’s School was established in back parlor of The Rehearsal Club.

History

In 1920, the Club relocated from its first home on West 46th Street to a large house on West 45th to accommodate increasing residency. In 1923, the Club moved to 47 West 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue. Two years later, in 1925, The Rehearsal Club expanded into the neighboring building, 45 West 53rd Street. Both houses were owned by Rockefeller family members, and the Club remained there for over 50 years. The Rehearsal Club served as the inspiration for

Edna Ferber Edna Ferber (August 15, 1885 – April 16, 1968) was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright. Her novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning '' So Big'' (1924), '' Show Boat'' (1926; made into the celebrated 1927 musical), '' Cima ...

and George S. Kaufman's 1936 play ''

Stage Door ''Stage Door'' is a 1937 American Tragicomedy, tragicomedy film directed by Gregory La Cava, and starring Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou, Gail Patrick, Constance Collier, Andrea Leeds, Samuel S. Hinds, and Lucille Ball. Adapt ...

'', which was adapted into the 1937 film of the same name starring

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress whose Katharine Hepburn on screen and stage, career as a Golden Age of Hollywood, Hollywood leading lady spanned six decades. She was known for her headstrong ...

and

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

."Origins of 'Stage Door,'" ''The New York Times'' 25 Oct. 1936. One of the most noted Rehearsal Club residents was

Carol Burnett Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American comedian, actress, singer and writer. Burnett has played dramatic and comedic roles on stage and screen. She has received List of awards and nominations received by Carol Burnett, nu ...

. In 1955, she initiated and was featured in a showcase of her fellow Club friends called 'The Rehearsal Club Revue,' which served as an initial career boost for several of the girls. Ms. Burnett sponsored scholarships for Club residents in the 1960s, and fondly recalls her Club life in her memoirs ''This Time Together'' and ''One More Time: A Memoir''. Many well known alums include

Yvonne Craig Yvonne Joyce Craig (May 16, 1937 – August 17, 2015) was an American actress who is best known for her role as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the 1960s television series ''Batman (TV series), Batman''. Other notable roles in her career include Dorot ...

, Blythe Danner, Cynthia Darlow, Diane Keaton and Sandy Duncan and a host of others. Although men were not allowed upstairs, many did hang out in the Rehearsal Club’s first-floor parlor.

James Dean James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He became one of the most influential figures in Hollywood in the 1950s, despite a career that lasted only five years. His impact on cinema and popular culture was p ...

, before he became a Hollywood legend, often visited the Rehearsal Club and for a time dated resident

Liz Sheridan Elizabeth Ann Sheridan (April 10, 1929 – April 15, 2022) was an American actress. While best known for her roles as the nosy neighbor, Mrs. Ochmonek, on the sitcom '' ALF'' (1986–1990), and Jerry's mother, Helen, in ''Seinfeld'' (1990–1998 ...

, also known as "Dizzy," then a 23-year-old fledgling dancer on the Milton Berle Show. In 1979,

Rockefeller Brothers Fund The Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) is a philanthropic foundation created and run by members of the Rockefeller family. It was founded in New York City in 1940 as the primary philanthropic vehicle for the five third-generation Rockefeller brothe ...

sold the buildings at 45–47 West 53rd Street to American Folk Art Museum and the Rehearsal Club closed for good.

Today

After a 2006 revival of the play ''Stage Door'', Rehearsal Club alumni gathered and reignited the Rehearsal Club with a mission to "preserve the name of The Rehearsal Club, protect its legacy and inspire other younger generations." In 2018, The Rehearsal Club partnered with Webster Apartments and relaunched their residency program to provide a safe affordable haven for young women seeking careers in the performing arts. Young women seeking residency today may apply on line through the website rehearsalclubnyc.com. The Rehearsal Club also accepts men’s and women’s applications for non-residency General Memberships. On October 20, 2023, TRC celebrated their 110th anniversary.

References

{{Reflist 1913 establishments in New York City 1979 disestablishments in New York (state) 20th-century theatre