The first theatre in New York City was built in 1750 on Nassau Street, Manhattan. By the 1840s, P.T. Barnum was operating an entertainment complex in Lower Manhattan. In 1829, at Broadway and Prince Street, Niblo’s Garden opened and soon became one of New York’s premiere nightspots. Theatre in New York moved from downtown gradually to midtown and then to the Theatre District. There are many other theatres, restaurants, hotels, and other places of entertainment in the area. There are currently 41 Broadway theatres in operation in New York.
Here below are some amazing vintage photos of New York theatres from the 1930s. These photographs were captured by Brad Smith.
