Colonial Theatre
106 Boylston Street,
Boston,
MA
02116
106 Boylston Street,
Boston,
MA
02116
5 people
favorited this theater
Boston’s beloved Colonial Theatre was built inside a new office building on the site of the old Boston Public Library. The sumptuously decorated house quickly eclipsed the nearby Tremont Theatre (later the Astor Cinema) as the Klaw and Erlanger syndicate’s Boston flagship. It is a richly rococo Victorian-era playhouse, home to both touring shows and pre-Bway tryouts. The opening production was the stage spectacular “Ben Hur”.
The advent of full-length feature “photo plays” after 1910 created “road-show” movie presentations in legit houses. A number of these movies played at the Tremont Theatre and in February 1913, “The Miracle” in “Lyricscope” opened at the Colonial Theatre. Sound films came to the theater in October 1927 with the local premier of “Don Juan” using the Vitaphone process. The feature was accompanied by a number short subjects which were also designed to show off Vitaphone sound. When the engagement ended, these films went into other Boston houses at regular prices.
The Shuberts controlled the theatre from the 1930 to the mid-1950’s. At that time, it boasted a square cinema-style marquee which used white letters on a black background. Around 1956 it was thought that the house would be sold to a movie exhibitor, but that did not happen. Emerson College, which also owns the Cutler Majestic Theatre around the corner, currently owns the Colonial Theatre and leases it to the organization that operates the Wang Center.
Contributed by
Ron Salters
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Recent comments (view all 53 comments)
The Colonial is included in the 1906 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. The proscenium opening was 38 feet square, and the stage was 45 feet deep. Seating: Orchestra 618, sofas 39, 1st balcony 552, 2nd balcony 368, 12 boxes 60, 4 loges 16; total: 1,653 seats.
The Colonial is closing this weekend with no future shows scheduled, due to a disagreement between Emerson College and Broadway in Boston. Emerson would like to bring in another promoter, but that has yet to happen. Read more in this Boston Globe article
I have heard that the booking of attractions at the Colonial will be handled by the Wang Center; I don’t know how accurate that is. And further to the comments above of May 10: notwithstanding what was listed in the Julius Cahn guide, I believe that the Colonial’s stage is 55 feet deep, not 45.
It was in the Globe a few days ago: Citi Performing Arts Center plans to reopen Colonial Theatre
I walked by the Colonial yesterday and it’s totally dead and dark with posters for shows at the Boston Opera House in its poster frames.
The Colonial has been closed and unused during the present 2011-2012 theater season. But that will change next season because at least 2 or 3 shows have been booked there.
The Colonial has been closed since early-summer 2011. Now there are at least 2 touring shows booked for this 2012-2013 theatrical season. The theater’s name as printed in the ads for those shows is: “Citi Emerson Colonial Theatre”. Oh, barf.
What are the two shows? Are they a joint venture between ArtsEmerson and the Wang Center?
I can’t remember the titles, but they are two touring shows, both musicals, I think. One is booked in Dec., and the other in Feb. Both are part of the Broadway in Boston line-up. Ads for them have run in the Quincy Patriot-Ledger; it was in these ads that I noted the change in the theater name.
In the entertainment section of today’s Quincy (MA) Patriot Ledger there is mention of the musical “Memphis” which it says is now playing “at the Citi Performing Arts Center Emerson Colonial Theater”. How’s that for a mouthful !