Oscar Hammerstein II is recognized as a leading influence for modern Broadway musicals. His grandfather, Oscar Hammerstein I, built the Victoria Theatre, a 1,000-seat venue located at 42nd Street and 7th Avenue in New York, considered the first theater on Broadway. When the Victoria first opened, musicals of the time were more like popular entertainment, combining songs, magic, and dance, with an emphasis on the spectacle. Stories were straightforward and simple, often portraying lighthearted, romantic themes with happy endings, offering enjoyment to the public as a form of entertainment show.