The former Little Theatre was renamed the Helen Hayes Theatre, making her the first woman with two successive Broadway theatres bearing her name.
On June 9, 1986, the former Little Theatre on West 44th Street in New York City was officially renamed the Helen Hayes Theatre, following the 1982 demolition of the original Helen Hayes Theatre (the former Fulton Theatre), which had borne her name since 1969. This renaming made Helen Hayes the first woman in Broadway history to have two successive theatres named in her honor.
The rededication came in the wake of significant public controversy over the destruction of the original Helen Hayes Theatre as part of Times Square redevelopment, an event that had galvanized theatrical preservationists and prompted changes to New York City's landmark preservation laws for historic theatres. The decision to rename the Little Theatre in her honor was widely seen as a correction of that loss and a reaffirmation of her singular importance to American theatre.
This second dedication remains a rare and enduring tribute: the Helen Hayes Theatre continues to operate under her name into the 21st century, making her name a permanent fixture of the Broadway theatre district. It stands as one of the most tangible legacies of her career, ensuring that new generations of theatregoers encounter her name each time they attend a Broadway production at that address.