Daily News from New York, New York • 277

ni imii ii ii ir'li' -T H-itA W--- fiimiihilm TV il Tin iiiinr i r'iTii 1 Daily News, Tuesday, September 27, 1983 By JOAN SHEPARD BOUT FOUR YEARS ago, the word on W. 43d St. was: "We've got to save Town WW Town Hall In the old days: It was founded by suffragists. -rift carpet at cost. Lef fler's list of necessary improvements is long but absolutely crucial for success of the hall.

The list includes a 51 foot wide curtain, a computerized lightim; system, relocation of the men's room, new dressing rooms, redesign of the box office, and making the hall accessible to wheelchairs. In fact, just everything in Town Hall needs renovation. Hut. since the hall's structure is sound, the cosmetic surgery should do won ders for the 63 year -old hall. Although it needs a lot of work, Town Hall is busy and provides an opportunity for many artists and groups who cannot afford or possibly fill the vast spaces at Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall.

The Select Debut Series begins at 6 p.m tomorrow when violinist Nancy Tsung will make her New York debut. Admission is just $3. The Shalom Yiddish Theater is rehearsing its latest production, "The Jewish Gypsy," which will open Oct. 5. There will Ik- a concert of Chilean folk music on Oct.

10. Guitartist Sabicas will launch "Spanish Accent on Guitar," produced by the American Institute of Guitar on Oct. 14, and the New Amsterdam Theater will begin its season at a Town Hall Gala on Oct. 16, when Dina Merrill will Ih honored. William Berkowitz will begin his popular Dialogue Forum Series on Oct.

31. Berkowitz interviews news figures. He will discuss the Rosen berg case during the series. The debut series is one way Town Hall subsidizes artists. "The debut does not cost the artist one red cent," explained Leffler.

"The artist gets the hall, promotion, plus a tape of the performance, and reviews. Last year reviews for the debut artists ran from excellent to good." Town Hall, designed by McKirn, Mead White, was originally built as a place for public debate. "Five suffragettes," said Leffler, "built the hall so they could campaign for the 19th Amendment. They had been speaking on street corners but kept getting arrested, so they decided to build a hall where they could talk." By the time the hall was built, according to Leffler, women had won the right to vote, so the hall was used for debates and lectures. The excellent acoustics were discovered when a violinist was booked into the hall for the first time.

"Town Hall," said Leffler, "is really the people's hall. We are open to the community, to those who need us. And we can do morning and afternoon bookings as well as in the evening." Hall." Fortunately, the hall has been saved and is on its way to being restored to its former glory as a prominent concert hall. The eclipse of Town Hall, 123 W. 43d began after Lincoln Center opened in the 1960s.

By the mid-'70s use of the hall was infrequent as the Times Square area got seedier and seedier. But in Manhattan today's bad neighborhood is tommorrow's trendy one. And things are looking better around Times Square as new restaurants like O'Neal's 43d St. and the Century Cafe thrive, as the Marriott Marquise Hotel rises, and as tenants move into a high-rent newly renovated apartment building on 44th St. The hall has a lot going for it.

"We've got tradition," said Marvin Leffler, president of the Town Hall Foundation. "Leonard Bernstein, Joan Sutherland, Andres Segovia, Lotte Lenya and many important artists made their New York debut here. Tradition is important. Finally in this country we understand that there is more to do than just tear down and build glass monuments. Also we have excellent acoustics, and a great location." Since 1978, after Town Hall was landmarked by the city, Leffler and his volunteers have been busy raising money.

Leffler and the new board took over the hall and the Town Hall Foundation from New York University, which had operated it from 1958 to 1978. "We are currently waiting for final approval on a 25-year, $300,000 low-interest loan from the Housing and Urban Development agency. The city has approved it," said Leffler. "We are waiting for the federal government." In addition, Leffler is talking to foundations and individuals. "It has taken four years to get where we are today," said Leffler.

"We had to demonstrate that we could run the place before corporations and foundations would put up money." One of the grand but sensible fund-raising ideas is to grant "instant immortality" to an individual who donates $1.5 million to renovate the auditorium. In turn, the auditorium would be named after the donor. After all, in this city, $1.5 million is spent casually by many people on condominium apartments. "Immortality costs no more than 1 JiV iff Z' fte, fa, a A "St, -1 Afc-J A 8 4 PI Marvin Leffler, president of the Town Hall Foundation. become a sustaining member, which entitles the donor to two tickets to the gala and a newsletter," explained Leffler.

For a $1,000 a donor can get a seat plaque. Leffler welcomes in-kind contributions. So far, fiber has been donated for a new carpet and a carpet mill has agreed to make the a Fifth Ave. apartment," said Leffler, smiling. "We are in the talking stage now with individuals," said Leffler.

"But nothing is firm. What the donation would mean is that we could free up other money to start an endowment." By no means is Leffler shutting out small donors. "For $200 one can.