Shubert Theatre (Boston) facts for kids
Shubert Theatre at the Boch Center, 2018
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| Full name | Shubert Theatre at the Boch Center |
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| Former names | Shubert Theatre at the Wang Center |
| Address | 265 Tremont Street |
| Location | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates | 42°21′01″N 71°03′55″W / 42.3504°N 71.0654°W |
| Public transit | Boylston, Tufts Medical Center |
| Owner | The Shubert Organization |
| Operator | Boch Center |
| Type | Theatre |
| Capacity | 1,600 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1908 |
| Opened | January 10, 1910 |
| Renovated | 1996 |
| Architect | Thomas M. James |
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Sam S. Shubert Theatre
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Architect | Hill, James, & Whitaker; Et al. |
| MPS | Boston Theatre MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000444 |
| Added to NRHP | December 9, 1980 |
The Shubert Theatre is a historic theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. It is located on Tremont Street in the city's famous Boston Theater District. Because of its long and important history, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which is the official list of the United States' most historic places worth saving.
Contents
History of the Theatre
Building a New Stage
The theatre was designed by architect Thomas M. James and can seat about 1,600 people. It was originally going to be called The Lyric Theatre. However, the first developer passed away, and a group called The Shubert Organization took over the project in 1908.
The Shubert Organization was run by three brothers who were very important figures in American theatre. They decided to name the new theatre after their middle brother, Sam S. Shubert, who had died in an accident a few years earlier in 1905.
The Shubert Theatre officially opened on January 24, 1910. The very first show was a play by William Shakespeare called The Taming of the Shrew.
Changes and Updates
In 1996, the theatre was given a major update. The Wang Center for the Performing Arts signed a 40-year deal to run the theatre, while the Shubert Organization continued to own the building.
After the renovation, the theatre reopened in November 1996 with the first national tour of the hit musical Rent. In 2016, the center was named after the Boch family, so the theatre's full name became the Shubert Theatre at the Boch Center.
Famous Shows That Started Here
Many famous Broadway shows had their first performances at the Shubert Theatre before moving to New York City. This is called a "pre-Broadway engagement," and it's like a test run to see how audiences like the show. Some of the most well-known musicals that started in Boston include:
- South Pacific (1949)
- The King and I (1951)
- The Pajama Game (1954)
- ... Yankees (1955)
- The Sound of Music (1959)
- Camelot (1960)
- Funny Girl (1964)
- Mame (1966)
- Cabaret (1966)
- Company (1970)
- Gypsy (1974)
- Dreamgirls (1981)
See also
