Winter Garden Theatre, May 3, 1930.

The building at 1634 Broadway was constructed in 1896 for William Kissam Vanderbilt's American Horse Exchange. In 1911 the building was leased by the Shubert family for a theatrical venue. They hired architect William Albert Swasey to redesign the theatre. The fourth New York theatre to be named 'Winter Garden," the venue opened March 10, 1911 with a production of the musical revue "La Belle Paree."

In 1922 the building was completely remodeled by famed theatre architect Henry J. Krapp.The rebuilt stage is wider than most other Broadway theatres, with a a low proscenium arch. The Shuberts purchased the name and format of the Ziegfeld Follies after the death of Florenz Ziegfeld in 1932. The Winter Garden hosted the Follies in 1934 and 1936.

The Winter Garden, though, is best known as the venue that hosted the 18-year run of the musical "Cats." The show premiered on October 7, 1982 and ran 7,485 performances. (Currently it is the fourth longest Broadway run, only exceeded by "Phantom of the Opera," 'Chicago," and "The Lion King.")