Architect J.B. McElfatrick constructed the Empire Theatre on 1430 Broadway at 40th Street, financed by Charles Frohman and William Harris. The theatre opened on January 25, 1893, with David Belasco’s The Girl I Left Behind Me. During the Empire's formative years, Frohman established a stock company of actors including Maude Adams, William Gillette, John Drew, and Frohman’s niece, Ethel Barrymore. Theatre actors such as Sarah Bernhardt, Helen Hayes, Billie Burke, Leslie Howard, and the Barrymores graced the Empire stage. The Empire was beloved by its company and patrons for its beauty, architectural grandeur, and history. After its final performance of The Time of the Cuckoo in 1948, audience members tore at the theatre for souvenirs including seat covers, plumbing pieces, lighting fixtures, and statue heads of Cupid. The Empire Theatre was demolished in 1953, marking the end of the old theatre district that once extended far below 40th Street.