The Chanins commissioned Herbert Krapp to design the theatre complex in what he called a “modern Spanish” style, complete with terra-cotta base and Spanish brick-wall ornamentation, and arched windows.  In 1930, the Chanins transferred ownership of all three houses to the Shuberts.
 
Because The Phantom of the Opera had been permitted to remove the house stage and install their own show deck, when they loaded out, the theatre was left with no stage floor. One of the first things that Shubert Facilities needed to take on was installing an entirely new stage—unique for this type of restoration. 
 
The Majestic underwent a full overhaul of the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and sprinkler systems. The new mechanical system consists of two AC systems to control the auditorium/house air. An additional 46 fan coiled units for heat/air conditioning of the dressing rooms were installed.  The real Majestic chandelier had not been seen by the public in 35 years, as Phantom famously featured its own fixture in the show. Weighing approximately 900 pounds, with an 11-foot radius and 10-foot height, the house chandelier has 142 lamps and is now back in its rightful place. Additionally, all the original lighting fixtures have been restored, including sconces throughout the main auditorium and front of house and eight chandeliers at the arches.
 
Because the building’s interior is landmarked, Shubert Facilities worked with the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) and created new restroom spaces, including a gender-neutral ambulatory/ADA-compliant restroom at the lobby level with (4) private stalls. In the lower lounge and mezzanine, both men’s and women’s restrooms have increased capacity, with 10 stalls added for women.  The upper orchestra crossover was restored to its original state, overlooking the grand staircase below and architectural half dome ceiling above. Three brand-new concession stands have been constructed for the lower lounge, main lobby, and mezzanine.  The plaster restoration process, which took over seven months to complete, involved scraping plaster, restoring all damaged ornamental work, and finally painting. That final phase required primer, base paint, silver leaf, colored glazes, and sealant. New wallpaper was installed, mimicking the lattice appearance of the first box archway in the auditorium.  The dressing rooms have been completely gut-renovated, with brand-new sinks, tables, mirrors, power sources, lighting, and ventilation.
 
Outside, the façade has been restored, with layers of black paint removed and a new LPC approved color applied.  A new marquee awning connecting the two existing historic marquees was installed and the existing blade sign was restored and relocated higher on the building. Digital signage was added to the awning, and a new 14-foot digital sign, angled towards Seventh Avenue, has been added. 
 
The restoration was completed in approximately one year.  ​

Pop Quiz: Which comment is a compliment, and which one is a microaggression?
“Your English is so good.”
“You look so good for your age.”
“Come on now, we all have some disability.”

Sorry but it’s a trick question because they are all microaggressions.  How may you ask? What even is a microaggression? Microaggressions are defined as the everyday, subtle, intentional — and oftentimes unintentional — interactions or behaviors that communicate some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups.1 Microaggression was first used around 1970 by Harvard psychiatrist, Dr. Chester Pierce. Dr. Pierce used this term to describe the regular insults and dismissals he witnessed people who were non-Black using against people who were Black.
Let’s walk through each of these “compliments” and dissect how they are microaggressions.

Your English is so good.
This microaggression relies on the premise that the person you are talking to couldn’t be an American because they look foreign or exotic.  It’s similar to the “but where are you from FROM?” question.  It’s a way to other someone and make them feel as if they are a perpetual visitor. America is a salad (not a melting pot), so we come in all shapes, and flavors, so there’s no way to assume you know where a person is from, based on their perceived identity. 

You look so good for your age.
I heard this one recently and let me tell you, I didn’t appreciate it one bit. It may seem as if you are paying someone a compliment, but what you are saying is that you only expect people of a certain age to retain their beauty and youthfulness. It’s also something that’s very rarely said to men, so in addition to being ageist, it also has a smattering of sexism. You may notice that in Hollywood, women of a certain age are made to play grandmothers, and people who are past their prime, while you have Sean Connery playing a sex symbol at 69. We can all look our best regardless of our ages. Age doesn’t equate to beauty, so next time you see a pretty woman, just compliment her. No need to even mention her age.

Come on now, we all have some disability.
You may be saying this to connect, to form a bond, but it can come of as dismissive. Each person has their own feelings and experiences around their disability, so to equate yours with theirs can be disingenuous and impersonal. There are different ways to connect with someone without participating in the oppression Olympics. We may all experience life’s stresses, but not in the same way.
We’ve all said something that led us to make the Homer Simpson face.




​

​

​It doesn’t have to be the end of the world. If someone brings it to your attention that what you said didn’t land the way you thought it would. If they ask you “what do you mean by that”, it might be tempting to deflect and downplay it, but don’t. Hear them out. They are giving you a gift of correction. It can be hard and ego bruising, but in that moment it’s not about you. We’ve all been there, and we’ll all be there. Just take it in and try to do better next time.
​
Watch this video for a visual description of microaggressions
​

You may have noticed that people are putting their pronouns in their email signatures, introducing themselves with it, and even asking folks what their pronouns are. Pronouns are not new. They are a basic part of learning a language, but lately they have taken on the banner of being “woke speech.” You’ll hear people say, “I don’t have pronouns” “I don’t use pronouns”, except we all do use pronouns. Misinformation has changed foundational language rules into something to try and ban. So, let’s level set. What is a pronoun? A pronoun is a word used to replace a noun in a sentence. Instead of saying “I think that’s Bobby’s book,” you can say “I think that’s his book.” His and her are considered gendered pronouns, as they fall on the binary, but what happens when someone doesn’t ascribe to the gender binary.  How would you refer to them? By using the pronoun they.  I know that many people quibble about referring to a single person as they, but we do it all the time without even realizing. Picture this, your friend tells you that he just came back from the doctor for a follow up. You want to know what the doctor said, so you ask, “what did they say.” You just referred to the singular doctor as they. According to The Oxford English Dictionary, the singular they showed up in writing in 1375—over 600 years ago! The OED also suggests the usage is even older since written language usually reflects trends already present in spoken language.1

So, in the famous words of Jerry Seinfeld, “what’s the deal with pronouns?” Why is getting someone’s pronouns so important? I have seen people apologize profusely for calling someone’s dog by the wrong pronoun, but that same person will dismiss their colleague when they correct them. Getting someone’s pronouns correct is about affirming someone’s identity and giving them a safe space to be fully themselves. When people are misgendered, they feel invalidated and unseen. When this happens daily, it becomes a burden that can negatively impact their mental health and their ability to function in the world. Before you gripe about how hard it is to remember someone’s pronouns, remember how easy it was to start calling your newly married coworker by their new last name. This is no different. If you do misgender someone, the best course of action is to apologize, and try to be more aware of their pronouns in the future. It may be easier if we start to include more gender-neutral language in our everyday lives. Instead of saying “men and women,” you could say “everyone,” “all people.” We can also put our pronouns in our email signature, by contacting the helpdesk.
​
At the end of the day, we all want to be respected and seen in the fullness of our humanity.
1 The Hub