Staging tours of a Broadway theater

NEW YORK - Walking into a Broadway theater at showtime is something special - the electricity, the excited murmurs, the shared anticipation. But, it turns out, walking into an empty Broadway theater can be just as fun.

A newly launched tour of the Hudson Theatre offers a rare chance to wander around the interior of Broadway's oldest theater and hear some of the fascinating stories that have happened over its 116 years.

"I would encourage you to bask in the rare moment of being in a Broadway theater by yourself with no other audience members," says tour leader Tim Dolan, moments before opening the Hudson's inner doors.

Staging tours of a Broadway theater

Staging tours of a Broadway theater

Staging tours of a Broadway theater

Staging tours of a Broadway theater

Staging tours of a Broadway theater