▁the ▁building ▁as ▁a ▁theatre . ▁ ▁The ▁fourth ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁ven ue ▁to ▁be ▁christ ened ▁the ▁Winter ▁Garden , ▁it ▁opened ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁with ▁the ▁early ▁Jer ome ▁K ern ▁musical ▁La ▁Belle ▁P are e . ▁ ▁The ▁show ▁star red ▁Al ▁J ol son ▁and ▁launched ▁him ▁on ▁his ▁highly ▁successful ▁singing ▁and ▁acting ▁career . ▁ ▁He ▁played ▁the ▁Winter ▁Garden ▁many ▁times ▁after ▁that . ▁▁ ▁The ▁Winter ▁Garden ▁was ▁completely ▁rem ode led ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁by ▁Herbert ▁J . ▁Kra pp . ▁The ▁large ▁stage ▁is ▁wider ▁than ▁those ▁in ▁most ▁Broadway ▁houses , ▁and ▁the ▁pro sc enium ▁arch ▁is ▁relatively ▁low . ▁The ▁building ▁is ▁situated ▁unus ually ▁on ▁its ▁lot , ▁with ▁the ▁main ▁entrance ▁and ▁marque e , ▁located ▁on ▁Broadway , ▁connected ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 5 2 6 - se at ▁Se vent h ▁Avenue ▁aud itor ium ▁via ▁a ▁long ▁hall way , ▁and ▁the ▁rear ▁wall ▁of ▁the ▁stage ▁ab ut ting ▁ 5 0 th ▁Street . ▁ ▁When ▁Al ▁J ol son ▁performed ▁there , ▁the ▁Winter ▁Garden ▁had ▁a ▁run way ▁built , ▁going ▁out ▁into ▁the ▁audience , ▁and ▁J ol son ▁would ▁run ▁out ▁ ▁and ▁slide ▁on ▁his ▁kne es ▁while ▁singing , ▁and ▁the ▁audience , ▁not ▁used ▁to ▁such ▁dynamic ▁and ▁close - up ▁show mans hip ▁from ▁a ▁perform er , ▁would ▁go ▁wild