Boch Center facts for kids
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The Wang
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The Boch Center Wang Theatre, 2018
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| Address | 270 Tremont Street |
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| Location | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Capacity | 3,500 |
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| Renovated | 1983 |
The Boch Center is a special non-profit group in Boston, Massachusetts. It helps bring amazing live shows to people. It used to be called the Citi Performing Arts Center and the Wang Center for the Performing Arts.
The Boch Center takes care of two old and beautiful theaters: the Wang Theatre and the Shubert Theatre. Both are on Tremont Street in Boston's Theater District. Here, you can watch all sorts of performances. These include plays, operas, classical music, pop concerts, comedy shows, dance, and big Broadway musicals. The center also offers fun workshops and activities for the community. It works with many other arts groups in Boston.
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History of the Boch Center Theaters
The Wang Theatre first opened its doors in 1925. Back then, it was known as the Metropolitan Theatre. For 30 years, it kept that name. Later, it was called the Music Hall, and then the Metropolitan Center.
How the Wang Theatre Got Its Name
In 1983, a generous couple named An and Lorraine Wang gave money to fix up the theater. Because of their help, it was renamed the Wang Center for the Performing Arts. The Wang Theatre is a very important building. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With over 3,600 seats, it is one of the five largest stages in the entire country.
Expanding to Include the Shubert Theatre
The Wang Center started managing the Shubert Theatre in 1996. They signed a 40-year agreement to operate it. This made the Boch Center responsible for two major theaters.
Name Changes Over the Years
In 2006, the Wang Center changed its name to the Citi Performing Arts Center. This happened after they partnered with Citigroup for 10 years. Then, in 2016, the Citi Performing Arts Center became the Boch Center. This new name came from a long-term partnership with the Boch family. In the past, the center also helped manage other theaters. These included the Emerson Colonial Theatre and the Strand Theatre.
What You Can See at the Boch Center
The Boch Center hosts many different shows and events. These take place at the Wang and Shubert Theatres. You can enjoy plays, dance performances, comedy acts, operas, and concerts. Both classical and popular music concerts are featured. Of course, they also bring exciting Broadway shows to Boston.
Working with Other Arts Groups
The center works with many other non-profit arts groups in Boston. These partners help bring a wide variety of shows to the stages. Some of these groups include the Fiddlehead Theatre Company, the Handel and Haydn Society, and the A.R.T.. Other partners are the Celebrity Series of Boston, the Huntington Theatre Company, World Music, Dance Umbrellas, and Express Yourself.
Special Events and Movie Filming
The Wang and Shubert Theatres are also used for special events. Companies hold conferences there, and people host award ceremonies, galas, and even weddings. Sometimes, movies are filmed at the Wang Theatre. Famous movies filmed there include Ghostbusters (from 2016), American Hustle, The Pink Panther 2, The Witches of Eastwick, and The Great Debaters.
Helping the Community Through Arts
The Boch Center is a non-profit organization. This means it uses its money to help people and support the arts, not to make a profit. In 1988, the Education Department at the Boch Center was started. The next year, the Walter Suskind Memorial Education Fund was created. These programs help bring arts education to young people.
Arts Education Programs
The center has several arts education programs. These include:
- City Spotlights Leadership Program: This is a seven-week summer job program for teenagers in the Boston area. In 2016, 61 students from many different high schools took part. They learned about arts and leadership, how to speak up for their community, and how to perform.
- Teen Council: A smaller group of teens from the Boston area meet all year. They create their own performances, lead workshops, work for social change, and volunteer.
- Target Arts Program: Started in 2009 with Boston Public Schools, this program brings artists to four different Boston schools each year. It is funded by Target Corporation.
- Interactive Reading: Stories Alive: This program brings fun, interactive storytelling to children in different Boston neighborhoods.
- Ticket Access: This program gives free tickets to about 3,000 community groups and schools in the Greater Boston area every year. This helps more people experience live performances.
ArtWeek Boston Festival
ArtWeek Boston is another special event created by the Boch Center. This festival happens twice a year and lasts for 10 days. It features over 150 unique and creative experiences. These events are often hands-on, interactive, or let you see how artists create their work behind the scenes. The Highland Street Foundation helps present this festival.
Theaters Managed by the Boch Center
See also
- An Wang
- The Shubert Organization
- List of concert halls
