Ellen’s Stardust Diner is poised to re-open in November – more than 18 months since its world-famous singing waitstaff performed before a packed room of tourists noshing on “ruby” Ruebens or sipping salted caramel milkshakes.
“It’s magic. Visiting Ellen’s is magic,” boasted namesake owner Ellen Hart Sturm, 80, the former New York City beauty queen whose idea to mix show tunes with classic diner fare made the eatery one of Midtown’s most popular tourist destinations. Pre-pandemic two-hour waits at the corner of Broadway and West 51st attested to its appeal.
“A lot of people can’t afford a Broadway show, but they can afford to eat here and get a real Broadway experience,” said general manager Joe Kazhdan.
The diner briefly re-opened last fall. But with no theaters operating and few if any tourists in town, the effort was short-lived. Ellen’s shut its doors on Dec. 13. They have remained closed since.
The re-opening of Ellen’s is a sign of much-needed new life as Broadway, a high-profile barometer of the city’s overall vitality, battles to win back theater-goers amid continuing COVID concerns and a vaccine mandate that limits the potential audience.
Ticket sales so far “are disappointing,” one Broadway insider told The Post, citing the lack of data coming out of box offices. The COVID outbreak that briefly shut down production of “Aladdin” last week, among a crew that was reportedly 100 percent vaccinated against the virus, shows other hurdles await.
The Broadway League website shows box office receipts peaked at nearly $56 million during the last week of 2019, before trailing off early in 2020, as is usual in the New Year. The reports abruptly ended when Broadway closed with the COVID outbreak in March 2020 and have not been updated since.
“If sales were strong, they’d be sure to let everyone know,” the source said.
The re-opening of Stardust is a sign that better days are ahead, said actress Brandi Massey, who began working at the diner in 2004 and went on to perform in Broadway hits “Wicked” and “The Color Purple.”
“Ellen’s is a community within a community,” said Massey. “It’s the perfect place to go between gigs, practice your craft and make a little money.”
The New Jersey resident still returns to serve, and sing, at Ellen’s between acting engagements. She will be working the diner when the doors reopen next month.
Returning visitors will find “more show-stopping moments” on the menu,” Kazhdan said, including kid-friendly Fruity Pebbles and Dunkaroos pancakes, breakfast all day long, and a refurbished interior highlighting its classic 1950s retro decor.
Ellen’s talent director and former actor Scott Barbarino delights in the diner’s reputation for not only helping launch careers, but in welcoming newcomers to the city who hope to someday see their name in lights on the Great White Way.
“Ellen gives them a job and is happy to welcome them back, too” said Barbarino, who says scores of Ellen’s employees have gone on to perform on Broadway.
“It’s very good practice for them,” said Sturm. “Like a rehearsal every day.”