Editing Dominion Theatre (section)

==History==
The first production at the Dominion was the Broadway musical ''[[Follow Thru (musical)|Follow Through]]'', which closed after 148 performances.<ref name=early/> The first film was the British premiere of 1925's ''[[The Phantom of the Opera (1925 film)|The Phantom of the Opera]]'' with added sound, on 21 July 1930, which was attended by [[H. G. Wells]]. [[Associated British Cinemas]] took over the theatre in October 1930 and subsequently leased it to [[United Artists]], and in February 1931 it hosted the London premiere of [[Charlie Chaplin]]'s ''[[City Lights]]'', with Chaplin himself attending and speaking from the stage,<ref name=Treasures/> but a financial slide led to liquidation of the company on 30 May 1932.<ref name=early/>

The Dominion had already been somewhat adapted to cinema use, with removal of cloakrooms and bars. In January 1933 it was sold to [[Gaumont-British Picture Corporation]], which in 1940 was acquired by [[The Rank Organisation|Rank]].<ref name=London/> Gaumont installed a three-manual, 12-rank [[Compton organ]];<ref name=Treasures/> [[Frederic Bayco]], principal organist for Gaumont, was organist in residence and other organists who played there included [[Felton Rapley]] and William Davies.<ref name=Girdwood>{{cite web |first=Chas |last=Girdwood |url=http://www.girdwood.co.uk/britorg8.html |title=Dominion Theatre, Tottenham Court Road, London & Compton Organ |website=Girdwood.com |access-date=21 August 2022}}{{dead link|date=February 2025}}</ref> During the Second World War, the building was damaged in the [[The Blitz|Blitz]]; it reopened in 1941, but the organ was not restored until October 1945, when Jackie Brown became resident organist.<ref>{{cite web |first=Charles S.P. |last=Jenkins |url=http://stories-of-london.org/jb-3/ |title=Jackie Brown: Not Just a Theatre Organist: An Organist's Life for Me! |website=Stories of London |access-date=21 August 2022}}</ref> [[John Logie Baird]] made the first demonstration of his system for transmitting live television to cinemas over a landline at the Dominion in 1937, and in December that year began regular large-screen colour transmissions that formed part of the Dominion's [[variety show]]s.<ref name=History/><ref>{{cite book |author=Joseph Attard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LtpzEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT96|title=Opera Cinema: A New Cultural Experience |location=London |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |year=2022 |isbn=978-1-5013-7033-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Charles Allen |last=Oakley |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2exJAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA181 |title=Where we Came In: Seventy Years of the British Film Industry |page=181 |orig-year=1964 |location=Abingdon |publisher=Routledge |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-415-72682-5}}</ref>

After the war, the carpenter's shop, the upper floors of dressing rooms and the café were converted to office space.<ref name=London/> Live shows recommenced in the late 1950s: [[Bill Haley and the Comets]] opened their UK tour there in February 1957,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.americanrocknrolluktours.co.uk/tour/bill-haley-feb-march-1957/ |access-date=8 August 2018 |title=Bill Haley – Feb / March 1957 |website=American Rock n Roll the UK Tours}}</ref> and ''[[Judy Garland|The Judy Garland Show]]'' ran for a month in late 1957.<ref name=Treasures/><ref name=History>{{cite web |url=https://www.nederlander.co.uk/dominion-theatre/about-us-dominion-theatre/our-history |title=Our History |website=Dominion Theatre |access-date=21 August 2022 }}</ref> But it remained primarily a cinema. It closed in February 1958 for the installation of a [[Todd-AO]] system with two [[Philips]] 70&nbsp;mm / 35&nbsp;mm projectors and a {{convert|45|ft|m}} wide screen; at this time the upper circle was closed and also became offices.<ref name=Treasures/><ref name="londontheatredirect">{{cite web| url=https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/16/Dominion-Theatre.aspx| title=Dominion Theatre, London| website=London Theatre Direct| access-date=2015-11-04}}</ref> The film version of [[Rodgers and Hammerstein]]'s ''[[South Pacific (1958 film)|South Pacific]]'' opened on 21 April 1958 and played for four years and 22 weeks, grossing $3.9&nbsp;million.<ref name=History/><ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=3 October 1962 |page=25 |title='South Pacific' Sets All-Time UK B.O. Record, Bigger Than 'Wind'}}</ref> In 1963, [[Elizabeth Taylor]] appeared at the European opening of ''[[Cleopatra (1963 film)|Cleopatra]]'', which played for almost two years. From 29 March 1965 to 29 June 1968, ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' was screened at the Dominion, the longest run of screenings of the film at any venue in the world.<ref name="londontheatredirect"/><!-- The re-release of [[David Lean]]'s 1962 [[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|''Lawrence of Arabia'']] had its screening here from 11 September 1970. --> [[George Lucas]]{{'}} ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' had its UK premiere jointly at the Dominion and the then [[Odeon West End|Leicester Square Theatre]] in 1977, and its sequels ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' and ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'' also premiered at the Dominion.<ref name=History/>

[[File:Dominion Theatre, London (11001992335).jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|left|Statue of [[Freddie Mercury]] on the theatre façade during the 12-year run of ''[[We Will Rock You (musical)|We Will Rock You]]'']]
In the 1970s, the Dominion returned to hosting concerts;<ref name=History/> since 8 November 1981 it has been primarily used for live performances.<ref name=Treasures/><ref name="londontheatredirect"/> It was where [[Tangerine Dream]] recorded the album ''[[Logos Live|Logos]]'' in 1982, which contains a tribute tune called "Dominion". [[Dolly Parton]] filmed her 1983 concert at the Dominion and released it as a television special, ''Dolly in London''.  Other performers to appear during this era included [[Duran Duran]], Adam and The Ants, Billy Bragg, Bon Jovi, The Boomtown Rats, Boy George, David Bowie, Ian Drury and [[the Blockheads]], Manfred Mann, Ricky Skaggs, Sinead O'Connor, The Stranglers, Thin Lizzy, U2 and Van Morrison.<ref name=rock>{{cite web| title=History of the Theatre: The Rock and Roll Years| url=http://www.dominiontheatre.com/theatre/about-the-theatre/history-of-the-theatre/the-rock-and-roll-years/| website=Dominion Theatre| url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530114052/http://www.dominiontheatre.com/theatre/about-the-theatre/history-of-the-theatre/the-rock-and-roll-years/ |archive-date=30 May 2016 }}</ref> In 1986, the interior was painted black for the musical ''[[Time (musical)|Time]]'',<ref name=NYT>{{cite news| title=Stage View: In London, Green Lasers and Red Smoke| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/04/theater/stage-view-in-london-green-lasers-and-red-smoke.html| author-link=Benedict Nightingale |first=Benedict |last=Nightingale |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=4 May 1986| access-date=2015-11-04 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> which ran for two years.<ref name=Treasures/><ref name=rock/> After a legal dispute, Rank sold the theatre to developers who sought to demolish it; in 1988 it became a [[Grade II listed building]], and following protests, a public enquiry halted the demolition in 1990.<ref name=Treasures/> Rank leased the theatre back from the developers and then sold it to [[Paul Gregg]]{{'s}} Apollo Leisure Group;<ref name=London/> in 1992 it was acquired by the New York-based [[Nederlander Organization]], with Apollo Leisure retaining a financial interest and operating the theatre on behalf of Nederlander Dominion Ltd.<ref name=ownership/>

Since the early 1990s the Dominion has hosted several musicals including a new production of ''[[Grease (musical)|Grease]]'' by [[David Ian]] and [[Paul Nicholas]], ''[[Scrooge: The Musical]]'', [[Matthew Bourne]]'s ''[[Swan Lake]]'', [[Walt Disney Theatrical|Disney]]'s ''[[Beauty and the Beast (musical)|Beauty and the Beast]]'', a return of ''Grease'', and ''[[Notre Dame de Paris (musical)|Notre Dame de Paris]]''.<ref name=History/> The Dominion also hosted the [[Royal Variety Performance]] from 1992 through 1996 and in 2000 and 2001.<ref name=RVP>{{cite web| title=Archive| url=http://www.eabf.org.uk/royal-variety-performance/archive| website=[[Royal Variety Performance]]| archive-url=https://archive.today/20140318022722/http://www.eabf.org.uk/royal-variety-performance/archive| archive-date=18 March 2014| url-status=dead}}</ref>

The stage musical ''[[We Will Rock You (musical)|We Will Rock You]]'', based on the songs of [[Queen (band)|Queen]] and created by guitarist [[Brian May]] and drummer [[Roger Taylor (Queen drummer)|Roger Taylor]] together with British comedian [[Ben Elton]], opened at the Dominion on 14 May 2002. Scheduled to close in October 2006 before embarking on a UK tour, it was extended indefinitely by popular demand and ultimately ran for 12&nbsp;years, closing on 31 May 2014.<ref name=Treasures/><ref name=History/><ref name=BBC>{{cite news| website=[[BBC News]]| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26530182| title=Queen musical We Will Rock You to close after 12 years| date=11 March 2014| access-date=2015-11-04}}</ref><ref name=world>{{cite journal |title='We Will Rock You' to Close at the Dominion, May 31 |url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/WE-WILL-ROCK-YOU-to-Close-at-the-Dominion-May-31-2014031132#.Ux9HbfldV8E |journal=Broadway World |date=11 March 2014 |access-date=2015-11-04}}</ref> To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the production, in 2012 the theatre converted an area previously devoted to Judy Garland memorabilia into the ''Freddie Mercury Suite'', which displays pictures from the Queen singer's lifetime.<ref name=Freddie>{{cite web| title=Fredie Mercury Hospitality Suite| url=http://www.dominiontheatre.com/events/dominion-events-2/freddie-mercury-hospitality-suite/| website=Dominion Theatre| access-date=2015-11-04}}</ref>

In 1999, [[SFX Entertainment]] acquired Apollo Leisure and in 2001 [[Clear Channel Entertainment]], part of the US-based multinational, purchased SFX.  Clear Channel spun-off its venues as [[Live Nation UK]], who operated them on behalf of Nederlander. On 23 October 2009 the Nederlander Organization took full control of the Dominion, buying out Live Nation.<ref name=ownership>{{cite web| title=History of the Theatre: Ownership and Independence| url=http://www.dominiontheatre.com/theatre/about-the-theatre/history-of-the-theatre/ownership-independence/| website=Dominion Theatre| url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530133555/http://www.dominiontheatre.com/theatre/about-the-theatre/history-of-the-theatre/ownership-independence/ |archive-date=30 May 2016 }}</ref>
[[File:The Bodyguard musical at Dominion Theatre.jpg|thumb|The restored façade illuminated at night]]
An extensive programme of refurbishment and restoration of the theatre was begun in the 21st century. In 2008 the area above the main foyer was reclaimed as 'The Studio', a rehearsal and audition space. In 2011 the original link to the building on Great Russell Street now known as Nederlander House was restored, providing theatre management offices and creating boardroom or conference space on the top floor where the 1929 plans had indicated a boardroom. In 2014, during a 15-week closure after the end of ''We Will Rock You'', both the interior and the exterior were extensively refurbished, including restoring architectural features on the Tottenham Court Road façade, such as the gryphons, which are believed to have been removed in 1932, cleaning and replacing stonework and windows at the rear and updating much of the backstage facilities, including the [[Fly system|flying system]].<ref name=London/><ref name=restore>{{cite web |title=Restoration |url=http://www.dominiontheatre.com/theatre/about-the-theatre/restoration/ |website=Dominion Theatre |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530114855/http://www.dominiontheatre.com/theatre/about-the-theatre/restoration/ |archive-date=30 May 2016}}</ref> In 2017, renovations were completed with the unveiling of a new double-sided LED screen, the largest and highest-resolution projecting screen on the exterior of a West End theatre.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Dominion Theatre, home to An American in Paris, completes £6M refurbishment |url=http://www.mrcarlwoodward.com/news/dominion-theatre-home-american-paris-completes-6m-refurbishment/ |website=MrCarlWoodward.com|date=7 August 2017 |access-date=24 August 2017 |archive-date=7 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007032157/http://www.mrcarlwoodward.com/news/dominion-theatre-home-american-paris-completes-6m-refurbishment/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Since re-opening on 16 September 2014 for the completion of renovations, the Dominion Theatre has been home to a number of short run musicals and spectaculars, including ''[[Evita (musical)|Evita]]'' (September 2014)<ref name=Cavendish>{{cite news |title=Evita, Dominion Theatre, review: an 'air of hollowness '|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-reviews/11112764/Evita-Dominion-Theatre-review-an-air-of-hollowness.html |first=Dominic |last=Cavendish |date=22 September 2014 |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |access-date=2015-11-04}}</ref> and the London premiere of ''Elf'' (October 2015).<ref name=Direct>{{cite web |title=Full Cast Announced For Elf The Musical at the Dominion Theatre |url=https://www.londontheatredirect.com/news/1690/Full-Cast-Announced-For-Elf-The-Musical-At-The-Dominion-Theatre.aspx |first=Jacob |last=Porteous |work=London Theatre Direct |date=18 August 2015 |access-date=2015-11-04}}</ref> From February to April 2016, it hosted a "re-imagined" production of Jeff Wayne's musical version of ''The War of the Worlds''.<ref>{{cite news |first=Holly |last=Williams |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/reviews/the-war-of-the-worlds-dominion-theatre-london-review-bombastic-bloated-and-accidentally-hilarious-a6883946.html |title=The War of the Worlds, Dominion Theatre, London, review: Bombastic, bloated and accidentally hilarious |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |location=London |date=19 February 2016 |access-date=21 August 2022 }}</ref> From March 2017 to January 2018, it housed ''[[An American in Paris (musical)|An American in Paris]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=An American in Paris extends in the West End |url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/an-american-in-paris-extends-west-end-dominion_43459.html |date=27 April 2017 |first=Will |last=Longman |access-date=14 February 2025 |website=WhatsOnStage}}</ref>

In addition to hosting musicals in recent years, the theatre was home to the London auditions of ''[[Britain's Got Talent]]'' and has hosted a number of regular charity events, including MADTrust's West End Eurovision (2012, 2013, 2014) and ''West End Heroes'' (2013, 2014, 2015), which brought together stars from current West End Shows, with musicians, from all the armed forces. The second event, in 2014, was hosted by [[Michael Ball]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Michael Ball hosts 2014 West End Heroes gala concert |website=Musical Theatre Review |url=https://musicaltheatrereview.com/michael-ball-hosts-2014-west-end-heroes-gala-concert/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

The organ was separated from its console and for some years was in a church in [[Llanelli]].<ref name=Girdwood/> It was purchased by a collector in 2002 and is to form part of the collection of The Music Palace, a museum of cinema organs in [[Porth]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Lisa |last=Baker |url=https://newsfromwales.co.uk/the-music-palace-opens-its-doors-to-bring-a-theatre-organ-revival-to-wales/ |title=The Music Palace opens its doors to bring a theatre organ revival to Wales |website=News from Wales |date=28 July 2022 |access-date=21 August 2022 }}</ref>