Modern Theatre (Boston) facts for kids
(1915)
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| Address | 525 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111 |
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| Coordinates | 42°21′15″N 71°03′44″W / 42.35417°N 71.06211°W |
| Owner | Suffolk University |
| Type | Theatre |
| Capacity | 185 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1876 |
| Renovated | 1914, 2010 |
| Architect | Levi Newcomb (original) Clarence H. Blackall (conversion) Childs Bertman Tseckares (renovation) |
The Modern Theatre is a cool place located on Washington Street in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. It first opened as a movie theater in 1914. Before that, it was a regular building that was changed by a famous theater designer named Clarence H. Blackall.
In 2009, Suffolk University took down the old building. But first, they carefully saved its front part. Then, they built a brand new building on the same spot. The new Modern Theatre opened its doors on November 4, 2010.
This theater is part of the Washington Street Theatre District. This area became a special historic place in 1979. The Modern Theatre itself was also named a Boston Landmark in 2002. This means it's an important part of Boston's history.
Contents
History of the Modern Theatre
From Carpet Store to Movie Palace
In 1876, an architect named Levi Newcomb designed this building. It was built as a warehouse and showroom for John and James Dobson. They owned the biggest carpet factories in the United States. The building had five floors and was made of Ohio sandstone. It also had cool cast-iron fronts on the ground floor. The Dobsons moved their business here in early 1878.
Later, in 1913, a Boston businessman named George White hired Clarence H. Blackall. He wanted Blackall to turn the bottom two floors into a theater. Movies, called "photo-plays" back then, were becoming very popular.
Blackall's plan for the first floor was interesting. It had a small entrance area with a round ticket booth. There was also a small lobby leading to a long, narrow room for watching movies. This room had a balcony and could fit about 800 people. There was a small stage and a special area for an orchestra. This area held a large Estey organ.
The inside of the theater looked fancy, like old Italian art. It used Italian marble and dark wood. Blackall also added a new, classic-looking front made of white Vermont marble.
The Golden Age of Movies
The Modern Theatre opened on June 25, 1914. Many people think it was the first theater in Boston made just for movies. A theater owner named Jacob Lourie ran it. They showed silent films, had singers perform, and played music on the big organ.
In 1927, Lourie put in new equipment called Vitaphone. This allowed movies to have sound! They showed Don Juan with music. The next year, the Modern Theatre showed The Jazz Singer. This was a very famous movie because it had both music and people talking.
Changes and Comebacks
In 1949, the theater changed its name to the Mayflower Theatre. It stayed open until 1976, when it closed down and became empty.
In 1977, a young actor named David L. Archer tried to fix up the theater. He wanted it to be a place for community shows. On December 12, 1978, the theater opened again as the Modern Theater. It hosted many different events, like jazz concerts and plays. Famous musicians like Sun Ra and Herbie Mann performed there. But this new effort didn't last long. The Modern Theater closed again in May 1981.
After that, the building changed owners a few times. But no one fixed it up. Then, in 2007, Suffolk University bought the property. They planned to build more student housing. In 2009, they carefully removed the old front of the building. Then, they took down the rest of the building.
A company called CBT Architects designed a new, modern theater. It also had a ten-story building for student homes above it. The old front of the building was put back onto the new one. Suffolk University's new Modern Theatre opened on November 4, 2010. It's a flexible space that can seat 185 people.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation gave the Modern Theatre an award in 2011. This was for its help in making the Washington Street area better.
Images for kids
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Inside the theater in 1915.
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An advertisement from 1920 for the Modern and Beacon Theatre.
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The theater in 2007.
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The Modern Theatre during its renovation in February 2010.
