Boston Opera House facts for kids
Interior view of venue
(view as a 360° interactive panorama) |
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| Former names | B.F. Keith Memorial Theatre (1928–29) RKO Keith's Memorial Theatre (1929–65) Savoy Theatre (1965–80) |
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| Address | 539 Washington St Boston, MA 02111-1718 |
| Owner | Boston Opera House Ventures, LLC |
| Operator | Live Nation (theater productions) |
| Capacity | 2,600 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | October 29, 1928 |
| Closed | 1990–2004 |
| Reopened | July 16, 2004 |
| Architect | Thomas W. Lamb |
| Tenants | |
| Boston Ballet Broadway Across America in Boston |
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The Boston Opera House, also called the Citizens Bank Opera House, is a cool place for shows and even video game competitions (esports)! You can find it at 539 Washington Street in Boston, Massachusetts.
It first opened on October 29, 1928. Back then, it was a fancy movie theater called the B.F. Keith Memorial Theatre. It was part of a big movie chain. Later, it became known as the RKO Keith's Theater.
After showing movies for over 50 years, the building changed. In 1980, it became home to the Opera Company of Boston. This opera company performed there until 1990. The theater then closed for a while.
In 2004, after a huge makeover, the theater reopened. Today, it is the main home for the Boston Ballet. It also hosts many popular touring Broadway shows.
Contents
History of the Boston Opera House
Building a Grand Theater
The Boston Opera House was first designed as the B.F. Keith Memorial Theatre. It was meant to be a very fancy movie theater. A famous architect named Thomas W. Lamb created its design. He dedicated the theater to Benjamin Franklin Keith, who was a pioneer in vaudeville shows. Vaudeville was a type of entertainment with many different acts, like comedy, music, and dance.
Just before the theater opened, a new company called Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO) took over. The theater officially opened on October 29, 1928. It showed new movies and also had live vaudeville acts.
From Movies to Opera
By 1929, the theater mostly showed only movies. It was one of Boston's top movie spots through the 1950s. People knew it as RKO Keith's. You could see both "B.F. Keith's" and "RKO Keith's" signs on the building.
In 1965, a company called Sack Theaters bought the building. They changed its name to the Savoy Theater. Later, they added a second, smaller movie screen inside. They built a wall to separate it from the main stage area.
In 1980, the theater stopped showing movies. It became the new home for the Opera Company of Boston. The theater was renamed the Boston Opera House. The opera company worked hard to fix up the building. They got help from a Boston arts supporter named Susan Timken.
Challenges and Reopening
The opera company performed there for about ten years. But in 1991, the company faced money problems and had to close. This left the theater empty and without money for repairs. The building got very cold, and water damaged the electrical system. The beautiful decorations inside the theater were also harmed. Many costumes stored there were lost too.
In 1996, the opera company gave up ownership of the building. Boston's Mayor Thomas Menino and Senator Ted Kennedy helped save the theater. In 1999, it was given "landmark status." This means it was recognized as an important historic building.
After some delays, a company called Clear Channel (now Live Nation) agreed to fix up the theater. They spent $38 million to restore the damaged inside. The Boston Opera House reopened on July 16, 2004. The first show was the Broadway musical The Lion King.
Live Nation keeps the theater busy with many touring Broadway musicals and pop concerts. Even though it's called the Opera House, opera shows are not regularly held there today.
Current Use
The current owners are Boston Opera House Ventures, LLC. This is a partnership of local Boston businessmen Don Law and David G. Mugar. The main groups that use the theater are Broadway Across America and the Boston Ballet.
The Boston Ballet has performed their annual show The Nutcracker at the theater since 2005. In 2009, the Boston Opera House became the ballet company's permanent home.
See also
- Boston Opera House (1909)
- Benjamin Franklin Keith (1846–1914), the person the B.F. Keith Memorial Theatre was named after
- RKO Boston Theatre
