Following the Civil War, the resumption of industry, trade, and peace were boom times for New York City. Hundreds of thousands flocked to New York and as they did the city expanded. Out of this new growth came with it the Theater District, which teemed with shows, operas, and acts to amuse the city's population. This list highlights some of the theaters that sprung up during the turn of the century.

Kalman 'Kalmele' Weitz, known as “The Boy Cantor,” and ‘The Young Caruso” was born in 1916 in Grosswardein in Austro-Hungary on the Romanian border in what is currently known as Oradea, Romania. Weitz was a Jewish liturgical musician, concert performer frequently accompanying himself on piano, and a cantor, who hailed from a creative family of traditional scribes, rabbis, musicians and more. He debuted at six years of age before hundreds in a packed local synagogue on a Jewish holiday, and subsequently went on to tour widely in Central and Western Europe, even appearing in a musical film directed by composer Ferdinand Straub.

The Casino Theatre was designed by Francis H. Kimball and Thomas Wisedel in a Gothic style. It was the home of musical comedies and housed the famous Gilbert and Sullivan attractions. The theater fell to the wreckers' ball in 1930.

Built in 1882, the Casino Theatre signaled a number of firsts for New York's theaters. Since the days of the Astor Place riots, New Yorkers had proved themselves voracious theater fans, and the Casino Theatre, and others like it represented the next step in forming the theater district that would make Broadway famous.