Designed by Herbet J. Krapp, Broadway's most prolific architect, the Imperial was the fiftieth theater built by the Shubert Organization in the New York area. Krapp designed fifteen of the forty remaining Broadway theaters, more than any other architect. The theater is located on 46th Street but the Shuberts wanted an entrance on 45th Street; because Shubert Alley runs between 44th and 45th Streets and they already operated several other theaters on 45th Street, the Imperial was designed with a narrow entrance to meet this requirement.

The Imperial’s rectangular auditorium is wider than it is deep, which creates an intimacy between the audience and performers. In its early years, the Imperial was home to string of hits including many musicals by Rogers and Hammerstein, George and Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Cole Porter. In more recent decades it has presented many Tony Award–winning productions including Fiddler on the Roof, Pippin, Dreamgirls, and Billy Elliot.

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