Nikon at Jones Beach Theater is an outdoor amphitheatre, located at Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh, New York. It is one of two major outdoor arenas in the New York City Metropolitan Area, along with PNC Bank Arts Center. The theater was designed to specifications provided by Robert Moses, who created Jones Beach State Park.[1]
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History
Opened in 1952, the venue originally had 8,200 seats and hosted musicals. Moses had several boxes designated for his own use - Moses' friend Guy Lombardo performed often in the early years. The opening show was the operetta extravaganza "A Night in Venice" by Johann Strauss II, produced by film producer, Mike Todd, complete with floating gondolas and starring Enzo Stuarti, Norwood Smith and Nola Fairbanks. (After about thirty years, the primary focus of the venue would change to concerts. [1] In 1991 and 1992, under contract from concert promoter Ron Delsener, the theatre would undergo an extensive renovation, adding a second level, and increasing the capacity to 11,200 seats. The capacity was expanded again in 1998 to hold 15,000 seats. [2] The original design of the theater had a "moat" - the stage was actually on the ocean and separated from the beach, and performers could be brought to the stage by boat (some scenes had floating scenery). The moat was covered or filled in during the first renovation and seats closer to the stage were installed. The Guy Lombardo Orchestra would pass through the "moat" on a yacht during the intermissions. The band would play tunes while floating in front of the audience.
Later years and today
The day that the Jones Beach summer concert lineup is unveiled, generally in early May, is regarded as a sort of holiday for Long Island music fans. In 2002, the company of clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger purchased the naming rights to the venue, giving it the name Tommy Hilfiger at Jones Beach Theater for four years. [3] On April 13, 2006, after Tommy Hilfiger, under new ownership, declined its option to keep the company's name on the theater, naming rights were purchased by the camera company Nikon, giving the venue its current name, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater. [4] The venue has a strict no-alcohol policy[5].
See also
- PNC Bank Arts Center, an outdoor amphitheatre in Holmdel, New Jersey
- List of U.S. concert venues
- List of contemporary amphitheatres
