Bowdoin Square Theatre facts for kids
The Bowdoin Square Theatre was a famous place in Boston, Massachusetts. It opened in 1892. This building was both a playhouse, where live shows happened, and a cinema, where movies were shown.
You could find the theatre on Bowdoin Square in an area called the West End. A well-known architect named C.H. Blackall designed the building. People like Charles F. Atkinson and William Harris helped run the theatre. Even some famous people, like future magician Julius Linsky and actor Joseph Sicari, watched shows there.
Contents
What Was Shown at the Theatre?
The Bowdoin Square Theatre hosted many different kinds of entertainment. People could see live plays, musicals, and even early "moving pictures."
Shows in the 1890s
In its early years, the theatre featured many popular stage plays. These shows often had exciting stories and famous actors.
- The Dazzler
- A Parlor Match (with Evans and Hoey)
- The Idea, a musical with Hallen and Hart
- Sutton Vane's The Span of Life
- Hands Across the Sea
- The Cotton King
- John P. Smith's Uncle Tom's Cabin, starring Jenny Kay
- Daniel A. Kelly's Outcasts of a Great City
Shows in the 1900s
As the new century began, the theatre continued to bring exciting performances to Boston. Audiences enjoyed a mix of drama and adventure.
- The Victorian Cross
- In Sight of St. Pauls, with Zeffie Tilbury
- Utah, also with Zeffie Tilbury
- A Break for Liberty
- Two Orphans
- The Cattle King
- Wicked London
- Escaped from Sing Sing
Shows in the 1910s
This decade saw the rise of "moving pictures" at the theatre. Films became a big part of the entertainment.
- War's Women (a moving picture), starring Frank Keenan
- Ting Shan Wang Troupe (a live performance group)
- Patria (a film), with Mrs. Vernon Castle
Shows in the 1920s
Movies became even more popular in the 1920s. The Bowdoin Square Theatre showed many silent films with famous stars.
- Camille (a film), with Nazimova
- From the Ground Up (a film), starring Tom Moore
- Burn 'em up Barnes, with Johnny Hines
- Gleam o' Dawn (a film), with John Gilbert
- "Drake and Walker's Big Colored Musical Revue" (a live musical show)
The Bowdoin Square Theatre continued to entertain people for many more years. It remained a part of Boston's cultural scene until the mid-20th century.
