Broadway’s Best Historic Theaters

Celebrate the artistic and architectural legacy of these historic theaters on the Great White Way

One of the best things about enjoying a top-notch show on Broadway is getting to spend time in some of the world’s most iconic, historic theaters. And while the stage productions are the main draw, the breathtaking architecture and intriguing stories of these venerable Broadway theaters are just as astounding. From legendary vaudevillian houses to magnificent Beaux-Arts-inspired spaces, here are the five of Broadway’s best historic theaters.

Broadway’s oldest continually operating theater, The Lyceum was built in 1903 by producer/manager Daniel Frohman. Designed by architects Herts & Tallant in the Beaux-Arts style, the theater features an elaborate, gray limestone façade, ornate Corinthian columns, and spectacular marble grand staircases that lead up to the mezzanine. But that’s not all. Frohman also built an apartment that had a small peeping door with a bird’s eye view of the stage right above the theater. Rumor has it that when his wife, actress Margaret Illington, was on stage, he would wave a white handkerchief to let her know she was overreacting. Today, this space is called the Shubert Archive, and is filled with many more historic treasures for you to explore. The Lyceum also happens to be one of the smallest theaters on Broadway and has staged notable productions such as the Broadway debut of “The Good Country Girl” (1950) and “Be More Chill” (2019).

Among the oldest theaters on Broadway, The Hudson was built between 1902 and 1904 by Henry B. Harris, who was one of the top Broadway producers at the time. The theater opened its doors in 1903, with “Cousin Kate” starring Ethel Barrymore. Once you’re inside the theater’s 100-foot long lobby, you’ll notice a backlit stained glass ceiling manufactured by Tiffany. Many stars have graced its stage, including Douglas Fairbanks, Helen Hayes, and Edward G. Robinson, among others. Judith Anderson and Barbara Stanwyck also made their debuts here. And even “The Tonight Show”’s first nationwide broadcast starring Steve Allen originated from The Hudson in 1956.

Built in 1903 by producers A.L. Erlanger and Marcus Klaw and designed by architects Hertz & Tallent, New Amsterdam boasts a beautiful Beaux-Arts-style interior of carved stone, painted plaster, fine wood, tiles, and murals. Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was the opening performance—specially selected to evoke this theater’s ethereal magic. New Amsterdam gained popularity between 1913 and 1927 because it was home to Florenz Ziegfield's “Follies” (a show that mixed Broadway and high-class vaudeville acts). Like many of its contemporaries, this theater was hit hard by the Great Depression and was converted into a movie house in 1937 before being restored to its art nouveau glory by the Walt Disney Company. In 1997, it reopened to stage popular Broadway musicals such as “Mary Poppins,” “Aladdin,” and the multi-Tony Award-winning “The Lion King.”

Broadway mogul David Belasco opened the Stuyvesant Theatre in 1907, which he renamed after himself three years later. Designed in a neo-Georgian style by architect George Keister, the space features 18 murals by American realist painter Everett Shin, and a ceiling inlaid with 22 Tiffany-glass panels. Belasco also built a duplex apartment above the theater, and it was rumored that his ghost haunted the theater up until the 1971 risqué production of “Oh! Calcutta!.” Belasco Theatre staged the legendary 1975 production of “The Rocky Horror Show,” featuring Tim Curry and the 2014 production of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (its longest-running show). It has also showcased classics from William Shakespeare to George S. Kaufman; iconic talents such as John Barrymore and Humphrey Bogart; and Tony-winning performances from Ralph Fiennes (“Hamlet,” 1995) to Janet McTeer and Owen Reed (“The Doll House,” 1997).

"Playing the Palace" has been the dream of many performers since this theatre opened in 1913. In other words, if you got the chance to perform here, you “made it.” Considered the world’s most famous vaudeville house at one time, the who's who of entertainment royalty have performed on The Palace Theatre’s stage, including Harry Houdini, Judy Garland, Harry Belafonte, Bette Midler, and Diana Ross. When the Great Depression hit, the Palace became a movie theater before it was bought by the Nederlander Organization in 1996. It then went on to run famous shows including “La Cage aux Folles” and “Woman of the Year”—both of which garnered many Tony Awards.