THE RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR
First Opened: 1933
Genre: Musical & Dance performance
How Long is Radio City Christmas Spectacular: 90-105 minutes
Performers: The Rockettes
Theatre: Radio City Music Hall
Theatre Location: 1260 Avenue of the Americans, New York, NY
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is a dance performance that takes place each holiday season. The original and most famous version of Christmas Spectacular takes place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Christmas Spectacular shows at Radio City run between early November and New Year's, with up to 5 shows per day. The show features performances by the Radio City Rockettes, the world famous dance squad.
The Rockettes have been performing the Radio City Christmas Spectacular since 1933. When it started, the show was put together to entertain people between movie screenings. Since that time the Xmas Spectacular has greatly increased in stature, and now also includes touring performances that take place all around the country. Each Winter the touring versions of Christmas Spectacular fan out to hit a dozen cities across the United States. These shows allow easier access to the Christmas Spectacular show, although nothing truly replaces the excitement of seeing it performed at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Each Christmas Spectacular performance lasts approximately 90 minutes. It includes precise dance routines, incredible stage effects and gorgeous costumes. Some of the more popular numbers from Christmas Spectacular are: "Here Comes Santa Claus", "A Little Girl's Dream" and "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers".
The show celebrated it's 75th anniversary in 2007 with a revamped line-up of scenes choreographed by Linda Haberman. It was one of the only shows to stay open during the 2007 Broadway strike. Scenes added in 2007 include "New York at Christmas", "Magic is There", and "Let Christmas Shine."
It's estimated that over 2 million people each year see the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. The audience comes from all over the World to see the show at Radio City in NYC. That vast attendance makes Christmas Spectacular one of the most watched New York theater shows in history.
The show is appropriate for all ages and is popular with families. All children over the age of two (2) are required to have a ticket. Children under two (2) may attend, but they cannot occupy a seat unless you buy them a ticket.