RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL WEEKLY FACTS
Dec. 8 - The Radio City Music Hall stage, also known as "The Great Stage", measures a whopping 144 feet long by 66 feet wide. By comparison, a professional WNBA basketball court measures 94 feet long by 50 feet wide. If you add in the apron or "out of bounds" area of the court, it measures 100 feet long by 56 feet wide, still allowing plenty of space for the Liberty court to be situated on the stage.
Dec. 15 - In 2004, the Liberty will be only the second sporting event to compete at Radio City Music Hall. The Hall hosted the first-ever back on January 15, 2000 when Roy Jones, Jr. and David Telesco battled in a Championship Boxing match.
Dec. 22 - Before moving to New York City in 1925 and debuting at the Roxy Theatre as the "Roxyettes", the dance troupe originally began in St. Louis, Missouri as the "Missouri Rockettes." The Roxyettes then moved to Radio City in 1932 for the hall's grand opening, changing their name for the final time, to the "Rockettes."
Dec. 29 - Radio City Music Hall opened its doors on December 27, 1932, with the debut show lasting until 2 a.m.
Jan. 5 - Back In 1933, ticket prices for a show at the Music Hall were 35 cents until 1 PM, 50 cents in the afternoon and 75 cents in the evening.
Jan. 12 - Every year more than a million visitors make the Radio City Christmas Spectacular part of their holiday festivities. It has been a success since its debut in 1933. Today it is the highest grossing live show in the world.
Jan. 19 - Radio City Music Hall was originally the name of Rockefeller Center. The music hall was called "The International Music Hall" during its planning stage.
Jan. 26 - Radio City Music Hall was designated a New York City landmark in 1979, and a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
Feb. 2 - Radio City�s auditorium most striking feature is an immense proscenium arch, whose semi-circular design dominates the entire auditorium. The walls and ceiling are formed by a series of arches, with each one larger than the next, creating a stylized representation of a sunrise. The steel truss that supports the proscenium weighs 300 tons, making it the heaviest used in theatre construction.
Feb. 9 - Radio City Music Hall cost approximately $8 million dollars to build in 1932. In 1999, Cablevision employed hundreds of artisans, architects and specialists to restore the legendary theater to its original grandeur. This process took seven months, with an estimated cost of $70 million. During the restoration, state-of-the-art sound systems, lighting and HDTV capabilities were installed behind-the-scenes.
Feb. 16 - The Tony Awards, Grammy Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, ESPY Awards, and the Daytime Emmy Awards are among the many award shows that have called Radio City home. As far as live television productions, the Music Hall is one of the most important venues in the world.
Feb. 23 - Until 1979, films were followed by a live stage show, featuring the Radio City Rockettes, Radio City Corps de Ballet, Radio City Glee Club, and Radio City Orchestra. Among the over 700 movies that premiered at Radio City are King Kong (1933), Little Women (1933), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), Breakfast at Tiffany�s (1961), To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), and The Odd Couple (1968).
Mar. 1- More than two million people walk through Radio City�s doors each year, with more than 1.1 million for The Radio City Christmas Spectacular alone.