Radio City

Home of the legendary Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes, this iconic event venue in New York City’s Rockefeller Center features unobstructed sightlines and perfect acoustics.

From Cirque to Soleil to Barry Manilow to Sesame Street Live, Radio City showcases a wide variety of concerts and live stage shows as well as high-profile events such as the Tony Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards.

Showplace of the Nation

More than 300 million people have visited Radio City to attend one of its larger than life stage performances. With its dazzling marquee that stretches a full city-block, it’s no surprise that it is one of New York’s most popular tourist destinations.

Located in the heart of Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall is the largest indoor theatre in the world. Its spectacular interior was declared a city landmark for good reason. The Great Stage is widely considered by technical experts to be the world’s most perfectly equipped, featuring hydraulic-powered elevators that can create stunning staging effects. The sweeping gold stage curtain is the biggest in the world.

Some of the biggest names in showbiz have graced the Music Hall’s Great Stage including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr, Ella Fitzgerald, Liberace, Ann Margaret, and BB King. The venue also has a history of hosting movie premieres including the original King Kong and Breakfast at Tiffany's.

History of the Hall

Radio City Music Hall opened on December 27, 1932 as part of Rockefeller Center, which was the creation of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. He wanted to develop a complex of buildings that would showcase world-class architecture and stand as a symbol of hope after the devastating 1929 market crash.

Rockefeller joined forces with the Radio Corporation of America and theatre impresario Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel to create Radio City Music Hall, a venue that would offer high-quality entertainment that was both affordable and inspiring. The Art-Deco structure was designed by architect Edward Durell Stone and interior designer Donald Deskey. It was the first building to be completed in the complex.

The Rockettes and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular

When you think Radio City, you think of the high-kicking Rockettes. The world-famous precision dance company are the stars of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular which is seen by over two million people each year. These glamourous dancers have been a Radio City tradition for over eight decades and more than 3,000 women have danced as Rockettes since the troupe was formed. Each year thousands audition for the chance to perform as part of this iconic show.

The Rockettes didn’t actually get their start in the Big Apple. They were founded in 1925 as the “Missouri Rockets” by Rusell Markert in St. Louis, Missouri. Markert was inspired by the dancers in the 1922 Ziegfied Follies. Eventually he moved the group to New York where they were discovered by Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel during a Broadway performance. When Radio City opened in 1932, it featured the group who were renamed the "Roxyettes”. In 1934 their name was changed again to the Rockettes.

Visiting Radio City in New York City

Radio City Music Hall is located in Rockefeller Center at 1260 6th Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) between W. 50th and W. 51st Streets.

Location: 1260 6th Avenue, New York City, New York
Phone: 212-247-4777

Click here to visit Radio City official website