Those who find themselves in the company of people who love the theater and other forms of intellectual and artistic endeavors know that Amsterdam Holland has long been considered to be one of the finest cultural centers in all of Europe. As a result, many people are not at all surprised to learn that one of the oldest and highly regarded of the Broadway theaters in New York City, the New Amsterdam, bears the name of the capital of Holland.

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, just after the beginning of a fresh new century, that Abraham Erlanger and Marc Klaw, two ambitious impresarios of the era, decided to compete with Oscar Hammerstein's Republic Theater by building their new venue right across the street. They engaged the services of Herts & Tallant to build the New Amsterdam Theater on 42nd street, in the heart of the burgeoning theater district.

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.

Today, the New Amsterdam Theater is the home of another successful Disney stage production, this time the well-loved tale of "Mary Poppins." With such a long and successful history, the Amsterdam NY will no doubt continue to give honor to the place that inspired its name, Amsterdam NL.

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