WNYC and Theater Broadcasts

Radio broadcasts from the major Broadway theaters were not new, as the Rialto's expansion to the airwaves followed that of the Capitol, Strand, Piccadilly,and Rivoli. Variety reported  the WNYC broadcast would be from the Rialto's studios, except "a new kink in his idea is that at 9:25 o'clock the wires will be switched to the orchestra and organ downstairs, so that the organ solo, the overture and the classical jazz features of the [theater] program will be sent out." WNYC was also broadcasting from Brooklyn's Mark Strand Theatre on Sunday evenings in March, 1925 using a faux radio studio on stage.

It appears, however, that the November 11, 1924 broadcast brought the performers to WNYC, according to soprano Miriam Lax, who said, "The real thrill came the first night that the Rivoli-Rialto broadcast from WNYC. A special car called for us and escorted by police we traveled down Broadway in style, and in full costume from the stage. No traffic stops impeded us; the city bowed before us, and so we arrived at the Municipal Building with colors flying."
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The Name Dropper: Did you know that historian and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois was a fan of WNYC in 1952?  See: LISTENER