Skip to main content

Theater

    Fay's Theater Sign
    Fay's Theater Sign

    The small theater at 40th and Market Streets was most well-known as Fay's but it began it's life as the Knickerbocker Theatre.

    Duke Ellington and his Orchestra
    Jazz at Fay’s

    Fay’s Theatre found success as a jazz club after managers expanded their target audience to reflect West Philadelphia’s changing demographics.

    Fay's Theater Sign
    Fay’s Theatre: Community Change and Community Space

    Fay’s Theatre, a small West Philadelphia entertainment venue, reflected the creation and transformation of community spaces during the Great Migration.

    Knickerbocker Theatre Newspaper Advertisement
    Knickerbocker Theatre Newspaper Advertisement

    A 1915 Evening Public Ledger advertisement for Knickerbocker Theatre's production of "Bought and Paid For." The play was typical fare for the Knickerbocker—seemingly scandalous but ultimately reinforcing traditional middle-class values.

    Knickerbocker Theatre Newspaper Advertisement
    Plays for the Local Audience

    The Knickerbocker Theatre, predecessor to Fay’s Theatre, debuted in 1914, offering performances catering to the local community.