Tremont Theatre, Boston (1889) facts for kids

The Tremont Theatre was a famous playhouse in Boston, Massachusetts. It opened in 1889 and was a popular spot for shows in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Two people named Henry E. Abbey and John B. Schoeffel started the theatre. They also oversaw the building's construction at 176 Tremont Street, which is in the Boston Theater District. Many different managers ran the theatre over the years.

The Tremont Theatre in Boston, around 1910.

A program cover from the Tremont Theatre in 1918.

In 1899, a travel guide described the theatre's inside. It said the main hall was 75 feet high, 75 feet wide, and 80 feet deep. It looked like a giant shell. There were ten special private boxes on each side of the stage, which made the inside look unique. The ceiling had a fancy design that looked like a Gobelin tapestry, and the walls had matching colors. The stage itself was very big, measuring 73 by 45 feet, with a height of 69 feet to the top where scenery was hung. The theatre could seat 2,000 people!

Later, in 1947, the Tremont Theatre changed. It became a movie theater called the Astor. For a short time before it closed for good, it was even a juice bar. Sadly, after a fire in 1983, the building was torn down. Today, a large movie theater called AMC Boston Common 19 stands where the Tremont Theatre used to be.

Performances

The Tremont Theatre hosted many exciting shows over the years, from plays and musicals to famous performers.

Early Years: 1880s–1890s

In its first years, the theatre welcomed many well-known acts.

• Famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt performed here.
• 1492 Up to Date was a popular show.
• Plays like "Niobe" and "Two Little Vagrants" entertained audiences.
• J.M. Barrie, who later wrote Peter Pan, had his play "The Professors Love Story" performed.
• The theatre also featured musical shows like "Puritania" and "His Excellency".

New Century: 1900s

The early 1900s brought more variety to the stage.

• "Prince of Pilsen" was a popular musical.
• Plays based on books, like Winston Churchill's "The Crisis," were performed.
• "Darling of the Gods" and "The Stolen Story" were other notable plays.
• Musical comedies like The Cingalee and "A Knight for a Day" were also big hits.

Roaring Twenties: 1910s–1920s

The 1910s and 1920s continued the tradition of great entertainment.

• The famous Ziegfeld Follies, a grand musical revue, came to the Tremont.
• Plays by George M. Cohan, like "7 Keys to Baldpate," were performed.
• The groundbreaking film The Birth of a Nation was shown here.
• Later, in the 1920s, the theatre hosted shows like the Ed Wynn Carnival and musicals such as Little Nellie Kelly.
• The popular play "The Gold Diggers" also played at the Tremont.

Final Acts: 1930s–1940s

In its last years as a live theatre, the Tremont still presented interesting shows.

• The play Green Grow the Lilacs was performed. This play later became the famous musical Oklahoma!.
• Other plays like "Confidential Service" and "Divorce Me, Dear" were also staged.

Images for kids

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  Advertisement for "the cool Tremont," 1902

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  Tremont Street, 1903, across from Boston Common. (Tremont Theatre 6th building from right)

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  Portrait of John B. Schoeffel, one of the proprietors

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  Performance of "The Stolen Story" at the Tremont Theatre, c. 1906

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  Programme from "The Student King," 1906

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  Detail of 1911 map of Boston, showing Tremont Theatre