Those who get a lot of enjoyment from arts and culture have known for a long time that Amsterdam city in Holland is an important and vibrant cultural center, which is home to some of the finest cultural venues and draws people from many parts of the world. Because of that fact, it is not surprising to learn that one of the most respected theaters in the Broadway district reflects the name of this jewel of a city and is called the New Amsterdam NY.
The New Amsterdam Theatre is one of the oldest and most heralded of the legitimate theaters in the famed Broadway district that has brought audiences some of the finest theater presentations ever produced. The Amsterdam is among just a handful of venerable and distinguished theaters on Broadway to have survived through the many years of ups and downs in the turbulent world of Broadway productions.
It was in 1902 that impresarios Abraham Erlanger and Marc Klaw commissioned the firm of Herts & Tallant to build the New Amsterdam Theater. They selected a strategic location, just across the street from the then popular and successful Republic Theater, owned by Oscar Hammerstein, on the celebrated 42nd street.
When one passes through the entrance of the New Amsterdam Theatre, they are greeted by some of the finest in Art Nouveau decor found anywhere among the New York City theaters. The Amsterdam boasts beautiful carved and painted plaster accents, stunning murals, gorgeous pieces of carved wood and carved stone, and exquisite tiles, which all combine to evoke a sense of what it must have been like to attend the theater in the height of the season back at the turn of the century when it was first built.
The first production staged at the New Amsterdam Theatre was Shakespeare's classic "A Midsummer Nights Dream," which opened on November 2, 1903. From 1913 until 1927, the Amsterdam was home to the "Follies" of Florenz Ziegfeld. The famous troupe presented numerous productions and revues including "The Midnight Frolic," as well as "The Nine O'Clock Revue," which was performed on the unique rooftop stage of the theater.
During the difficult economic times of the Depression, the New Amsterdam Theatre, as well as many of the other nearby theaters, were converted into movie houses. In 1982, the Nederlander Organization undertook the project of restoring the grand theater as part of an overall redevelopment plan for the Times Square area. However, problems arose and plans were delayed and the theater was later sold to the State of New York and eventually was purchased by the Walt Disney Company and the property was completely overhauled.
The carefully renovated New Amsterdam Theatre was officially reopened by the Walt Disney Company in April of 2007. In November of that same year, after hosting the premiere event for the animated film "Hercules" and staging a limited run of "King David," the Disney stage production of "The Lion King" opened and continued to run in that venue until June of 2006.
Nowadays, there is another Disney stage production, "Mary Poppins," that promises to be long-running and is making the Amsterdam NY its home. With so many years of successful runs behind it, there is no doubt that the New Amsterdam Theater will continue to thrive and be a well-recognized namesake of Holland Amsterdam for years to come.
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