Built on the site of the historic Capitol Theatre by the Uris Brothers, and designed by Ralph Alswang, the Gershwin Theatre opened on Nov. 28, 1972 as the Uris Theatre.

The premiere production was the musical Via Galactica which starred Raul Julia. The Gershwin Theatre has served as a traditional theatre for the majority of its existence — it was a concert hall from 1974 to 1976.

The theatre was renamed to honour composer and lyricist duo, George and Ira Gershwin, during the 37th Tony Awards on Jun. 5, 1983. The Gershwin Theatre has the largest seating capacity on Broadway and also houses the American Theatre Hall of Fame in its lobby.