This article is about former club for men involved in theater in New York City. For the London-based club, see
Green Room Club.
The Green Room Club was a New York fraternal organization founded on December 20, 1902, for men involved in the dramatic arts. Its members included actors, managers, singers, composers, librettists, dramatists, other members of the theatrical profession, journalists, and lay members. Its purpose was to bring actors and managers into close personal relations.[1]
Library
By 1908, the club claimed that its library held the most complete collection of dramatic materials in the country and had a goal of building it into the most complete in the world.[2][3] Aubrey Boucicault (son of
Dion Boucicault and brother of
Nina Boucicault) was the chairman of the library committee in 1906.[4]
Club founding
The Green Room Club was founded in 1902. Those signing the articles of incorporation were by
William A. Brady, Milton Nobles,
Thomas McGrath, Walter Fessler,
F.F. MacKay, and Charles Dickson.[5] Some of its founding members had been former members of the Actors Order of Friendship. They founded the Green Room with the aim of attracting younger actors. But later, the club became the primary social organization for managers and producers of theater, whose members included
David Belasco and
Daniel Frohman.[6]
Club dissolution
The Green Room Club disbanded on November 11, 1928, under financial duress. Among other things, the organization was in arrears on rent for its clubhouse located at 19 West 48th Street. Its landlord was
Columbia University, which, at the time, was located in that area.
Former addresses
1921: 139 West 47th Street
1938: 19 West 48th Street
Former officers
The elected officials were titled Prompter (president), Call Boy (vice president), Copyist (secretary), and Angel (treasurer). Its board of directors were referred to as Board of Supers.[7]
Note: Neither the
Green Room Club of London nor the Green Room Club of Melbourne was affiliated with the Green Room Club of New York.
References
General references
Articles of Incorporation, Constitution, By-Laws and House Rules, With List of Officers and Members of the Green Room Club, (1904)
OCLC42414857,
81861747
Articles of Incorporation, Constitution, By-Laws and House Rules, With list of officers and members of the Green Room Club (1909)
OCLC38993782,
26957355
A General Letter of Invitation to the Annual Dress Rehearsal of the Green Room Club (1916)
OCLC46952626,
46939036