In the next weeks we will be exploring the Ben Hall collection’s selection of stage show photos from the Roxy Theatre. When Samuel Lionel “Roxy” Rothafel built the Roxy Theatre in Times Square, he set out to make the most awe-inspiring viewing experience imaginable.  This extraordinary movie palace featured more than the luxuries of an elaborately decorated auditorium and an expansive plush lobby (though it had those as well!).

Rothafel envisioned an entertainment experience that paired film with live music and performance. Films were screened in conjunction with coordinated stage spectaculars and musical programming. This photo shows the rehearsal for an act in the “Mickey Mouse Show” titled “Mysterious Basket Ballet.”

(credit: American Theatre Architecture Archive, Theatre Historical Society of America)