Step Inside Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre

Located in the heart of Times Square on 42nd Street, the New Amsterdam Theatre was built 1902-1903 by Marcus Klaw and Abraham Lincoln Erlanger.

New Amsterdam Theatre lobby — New Amsterdam Theatre entrance lobby and the famed “Faberge Eggs” chandlers. Marc J. Franklin

New Amsterdam Theatre entrance lobby and the famed “Faberge Eggs” chandlers.

New Amsterdam Theatre lobby

Photo of the 1927 Ziegfeld Follies

Built with a lush Art Nouveau aesthetic, the 11-story building was designed by architects Henry Herts and Hugh Tallant, featuring two theatres as well as an elaborate lobby, staircase, murals, and more, earning the nickname “the House Beautiful”

New Amsterdam Theatre lobby

New Amsterdam Theatre auditorium — New Amsterdam Theatre lobby Marc J. Franklin

New Amsterdam Theatre lobby

The theatre opened October 26, 1903 with a lavish staging of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream starring Nat C. Goodwin and William Farnum, featuring the music of Felix Mendelssohn.

Although A Midsummer Night’s Dream was a moderate success, the New Amsterdam Theatre’s first real hit arrived on October 21, 1907 with Franz Lehar’s beloved operetta The Merry Widow.

In 1913, Floren Ziegfeld began producing his annual Ziegfeld Follies revues at the theatre, showcasing comedians, singers, songwriters, and more. The famed producer would continue producing his famous shows at the theatre until 1936.

Step Inside Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre

Step Inside Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre

Step Inside Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre

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