The New Amsterdam Theatre
is a Broadway theatre located at 214 West 42nd Street in the heart of Times Square in New York City. It is operated by Disney Theatrical Productions, and is currently showing the musical Mary Poppins.
|
NEW AMSTERDAM THEATRE TICKETS
| EVENT | DATE | AVAILABILITY |
|---|
| Aladdin Tickets 6/9 | Jun 09, 2026
Tue, 7:00 PM |  | | Aladdin Tickets 6/10 | Jun 10, 2026
Wed, 1:00 PM | | | Aladdin Tickets 6/10 | Jun 10, 2026
Wed, 7:00 PM | | | Aladdin Tickets 6/11 | Jun 11, 2026
Thu, 7:00 PM | | | Aladdin Tickets 6/12 | Jun 12, 2026
Fri, 8:00 PM | |
|
History
Construction and original run
The New Amsterdam was built in 1903 by the partnership of impresarios
A.L. Erlanger and
Marcus Klaw and designed in the
Art Nouveau style by architects Herts and Tallant. At the time of construction, it was the largest theatre in New York with a
seating capacity of 1,702. Along with the
Lyceum Theatre, also built in 1903, it is the oldest surviving Broadway venue.
The New Amsterdam opened in November 1903 with a production of Shakespeare's
A Midsummer Night's Dream
. For many years, it hosted the
Ziegfeld Follies
, showcasing such talents as
Olive Thomas,
Fanny Brice and the
Eaton siblings. A racier sister show of the
Follies
, the
Midnight Frolics
, played in the New Amsterdam's roof garden theatre. The New Amsterdam was the scene of
Marilyn Miller's greatest triumphs in the musicals
Sally
(1920) and
Sunny
, which opened in September 1925 co-starring
Clifton Webb as Harold Wendell-Wendell and ran for three seasons
[1]. But the theatre also hosted serious productions, and in June 1927
Basil Rathbone appeared there as Cassius in
Julius Caesar
[2].
Restoration
The
Great Depression took its toll on the theatre business, and in 1936 the New Amsterdam closed. It reopened on a limited basis in 1937 but was soon converted to a
movie theatre. The Nederlander Organization purchased the landmark property in 1982, but it would not be on the road to rehabilitation for another eight years. In 1990, after a court battle, the State and City of New York assumed ownership of the New Amsterdam and many other theatres on 42nd Street.
Disney Theatrical Productions signed a 99 year lease for the property in 1993. The theatre, which had recently been used as a filming location for the movie
Vanya on 42nd Street
, was in shambles; it would take several years and millions of dollars, to restore it to its original usage and grandeur. The roof garden remained closed when it was discovered that it could not be brought up to modern building codes.
The New Amsterdam was officially reopened on
April 2,
1997. In November 1997, after the premiere of the film
Hercules
and a limited engagement of a concert version of
King David
, Disney's stage version of
The Lion King
opened. On June 4, 2006,
The Lion King
closed in The New Amsterdam Theatre, moving two blocks uptown to the
Minskoff Theatre on June 13, 2006.
Mary Poppins
began previews at the New Amsterdam Theatre on October 16, 2006 and opened on November 16, 2006.
Benefit events
The New Amsterdam has also hosted events benefitting
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
, including the annual Easter Bonnet Competition. In recent years, the benefit's honored guest has been
centenarian Doris Eaton Travis, who originally performed on the New Amsterdam stage in the
Ziegfeld Follies of 1919
.
References
- Parker, John (ed), ''Who's Who in the Theatre'', 10th revised edition, London, 1947: 1429
- Parker, John (ed), ''Who's Who in the Theatre'', 10th revised edition, London, 1947: 1184