An Art Deco ode to Manhattan, this magnificent venue opened in 1932 during the Great Depression and was designed to be so enticing it would attract commercial tenants in a downtrodden economy and city. John D. Rockefeller Jr teamed up with the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and that vision was the Radio City Music Hall.
Rockefeller and RCA then brought theatre impresario S.L. 'Roxy' Rothafel to bring his razzle-dazzle style to a palace for the people in a theatre to entertain and inspire the masses. The stunning Art Deco design paired industrial elements with precious materials to create a long-lasting interior, which only underwent its first extensive refurbishment in 1999.
The resulting restoration meshes the original 1930s ambience with state-of-the-art technology for a truly unique experience. As the largest indoor theatre in the world, over 300 million people have enjoyed a show, movie, concert or special event here where the interior opulence vies for attention with the stellar acts that have performed within the venue. The 6,000-seat theatre has hosted performances from Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald to name just a few.
To many, Radio City Music Hall means the legendary Rockette dance troupe which began in 1925 and has been entertaining audiences with their iconic moves ever since. While the Rockettes only appear at Radio City Music Hall during the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, budding dancers can book a three-hour Rockette Experience to learn the kick-line choreography, go through a mock audition and have a Q&A session with an instructor for US$120.
The venue also runs Stage Door Tours - an one-hour guided walking tour for a behind-the-scenes look of Radio City Music Hall. Visitors can explore the Art Deco interiors, learn the secrets and history of the Great Stage, see the celeb guest book and meet a Rockette. Tours run from 11am to 3pm daily with adult tickets for US$19.25 and children aged five to 12 years for US$12.50. To visit Radio City Hall, take the B,D, F or V train to 47th – 50th/Rockefeller Center. From here, it's a two-minute walk down Sixth Avenue.
