New Amsterdam Theater

About the New Amsterdam Theater in New York

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Stepping out of Europe and the Netherlands, let’s go across the ocean for the moment and introduce you to one of the oldest theaters in New York – named after the city of Amsterdam - the New Amsterdam Theater. (Read more about New York in our New York articles section.)

In the history of Broadway, the New Amsterdam Theater is a name worthy to consider. It is considered as the oldest house for Broadway, being opened in 1903, the same night as the Lyceum Theater was opened. It was built by Marc Klaw and Abraham Erlanger and its elaborate design was said to be a collaboration of a number of painters, sculptors, and designers.

"The House Beautiful"

The New Amsterdam Theater in New York was first decorated in mauve, green and dull gold, and it is from these colors that the beauty of the New Amsterdam Theater earned its name "The House Beautiful" from the New York Time upon its opening. Many have said that during the opening of this theater, three motifs were used in the decoration. The first is the history of New Amsterdam from Henrick Hudson to 1903, the history of the theater, and art nouveau floral and fauna.

The first show staged in the New Amsterdam Theater is Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Nights Dream. Although the theater could accommodate up to 1800 people, making it the largest theater in New York, it was fully packed when the first show was staged. From then on, several plays and musicals were performed on this theater. Top the list are She stoops to Conquer, George M. Cohan’s Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway, and The Merry Widow. It was in the 1913 that the New Amsterdam Theater became the home of Ziegfeld Follies. The Follies were the ones who brought a number of the greatest Broadway actors and actresses to the theater.

The Depression Period

However, during the depression period, the New Amsterdam Theater was greatly affected. While shows produce inside the theater remained fairly constant through the early thirties, the rooftop theater had suffered, and in 1936, the theater was closed. It was only reopened the next year, but for radio use rather than live productions. Then, it was transformed into a movie theater, but again the further project was cancelled when certain problems were discovered in the main supporting beam.

The New Amsterdam Theater was brought back to life when the Walt Disney Corporation purchased it in 1993 at a cost of $34 million. The theater was then restored, and it was noted that from the outside to the inside, the restoration is stunning.

The Grand Re-Opening

The grand opening of the New Amsterdam Theater happened in May of 1997, with a concert staging of King David. Later that year, a stage version of the highly successful full-length cartoon The Lion King was performed at this theater. It was actually The Lion King which went on to win the Tony Award for best musical in 1998 and has been playing to capacity crowds since its opening. The Lion King is still staged at the New Amsterdam Theater up to now.

Today, purchased and restored by Walt Disney Corporation, the New Amsterdam Theatre has been considered as the focal point of the recent Times Square revival. It is now considered as Disney’s premiere showcase for its stage shows, and much to your surprise, tours are still given on Mondays and Tuesdays and cats from The Lion King seem to play the New Amsterdam Theater in New York forever.

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Amsterdam Articles

• Amsterdam Holland - Amsterdam is a lively, vibrant, and liberal city, built on 90 islands and connected by 400 stone bridges, across 100 kilometres of canals.
• Amsterdam Netherlands - The center of the 17th century world economy, Amsterdam is also highly acclaimed for its rich heritage and tolerant character.
• Amsterdam Weather - Typically weather forecast for Amsterdam ranges from a little freezing in winter to beautiful sunny days in the summer.
• Flight to Amsterdam - There are several reputable web sites that provide online booking services for Amsterdam flights.
• Cheap Flight to Amsterdam - You will also find several well known websites providing online bookings for Amsterdam cheap flights.
• Amsterdam Airport - What sets Amsterdam Airport Schiphol apart from other European airports is that it offers a number of great attractions.
• Amsterdam Hotels - Whether it's business, passing through, or staying for a holiday, you will find an Amsterdam hotel the most convenient accommodation.
• Amsterdam Netherlands Hotel - Although more pricey, Amsterdam hotels enjoy high occupancy, so it's good to book well in advance or your arrival.
• Victoria Hotel Amsterdam - As one of the most remarkable historical and architectural Amsterdam buildings, Victoria Hotel offers luxury and name.
• Swissotel Amsterdam - Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the Swissotel offers 4-star personalized service to make your holiday in Amsterdam enjoyable.
• Cheap Amsterdam Hotel - If budget is on your mind then you will find that cheap Amsterdam hotels can provide great accommodation, often in the heart of the city.
• Cheap Hotel in Amsterdam - It's worthy to note that Amsterdam offers a wide selection of cheap hotels. These include Renaissance, Park, Ibis, and Marriott hotels.
• Amsterdam Red Light District - For five centuries, the Amsterdam's Red Light District has been servicing the personal needs and desires of locals and visitors.
• Amsterdam Red Light - A very popular place in the Netherlands, Amsterdam Red Light district embraces all the virtues and vices known to people.
• Amsterdam CoffeeShops - The primary commodity in the Amsterdam coffeeshop is cannabis. And yes, they do sell coffee, too.
• Amsterdam Live - There are many acclaimed live music and entertainment hotspots. From Paradiso and Jazz Cafe Alto, to Kashmir Lounge and Boom Chicago.
• Amsterdam Map - To get around this great city, you will need a good Amsterdam map, offered by several web sites, to help you find places of interest.
• Amsterdam Vacation - The city of Amsterdam has an instant appeal, is easy to look at, pleasant to walk around, and with a welcoming attitude towards visitors.
• Amsterdam Travel - You can get to Amsterdam by air, train, or bus. To get around the city, use bus, metro, tram, bicycle, and of course go on foot.
• Amsterdam Marathon - As an extremely well-organized event, the Amsterdam Marathon is classified in the Golden League category by the IAAF.
• University of Amsterdam - Founded in 1632, the University of Amsterdam is one of Europe's major universities, with over 20,000 students in 60 disciplinary fields.
• Amsterdam Apartments - Some of the best holiday accommodation offered in the heart of the city can be found at different Amsterdam apartments.
• Amsterdam Hostels - Hostels in Amsterdam offer good accommodation and services, often amongst the best, within walking distance to many city's attractions.
• Amsterdam Bed & Breakfast - Countless and charming Amsterdam bed and breakfast houses are located in the heart if the city, offering good accommodation.
• Amsterdam Accommodation - A number of sites will help you find the right Amsterdam accommodation deals in hotels, apartments and bed & breakfast places.
• Hostels in Amsterdam - Good accommodation can be found at hostels Cosmos, AnneMarie, Lucky Lake, as well as Stayokay Vondelpark and Amigo Hotel.
• Amsterdam Tours - Amsterdam offers a whole variety of interesting tours. Apart from the 'red light district', there are great museums, libraries, and restaurants.
• Ajax Amsterdam - The Ajax Amsterdam football club is a world famous club with a very rich history, winning the national championship 27 times.
• Amsterdam Printing - At some stage you too have received a direct mail envelope, which had Amsterdam postmark, or a return address in the Netherlands.
• Amsterdam News - New York City's original name was New Amsterdam. Accordingly, one of New York's first and leading newspapers was The Amsterdam News.