The New York Hippodrome was a massive theater on Sixth Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets in Manhattan, New York City. It opened on April 12, 1905, with a lavish production titled “A Yankee Circus on Mars.” The Hippodrome was designed by Frederic Thompson and Jay Herbert Morgan in the Beaux-Arts style with Moorish Revival influences. It was the largest and most successful theater in New York until the opening of the Roxy Theater in 1927.
The Hippodrome was known for its extravagant spectacles, which included circus acts, vaudeville, opera, sporting events, and rallies. The theater had a seating capacity of 5,200 and a stage that was 12 times larger than any Broadway “legit” house. It also had an 8,000-gallon clear glass water tank that could be raised from below the stage by hydraulic pistons for swimming-and-diving shows.
Some of the most famous productions to play at the Hippodrome include “A Yankee Circus on Mars,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Follies of 1918,” and “Good Times.” The Hippodrome also hosted many sporting events, including boxing matches, wrestling matches, and horse races.
The Hippodrome closed in 1939 and was demolished in 1940. Today, the site of the Hippodrome is occupied by the Tudor City apartment complex.
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