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{{Short description|Theater in Boston}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox venue
{{about|the theatre in Boston, Massachusetts||Colonial Theatre (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox theatre
| name = Colonial Theatre
| name = Colonial Theatre
| image = 2009 ColonialTheatre Boston 4122063381.jpg
| image = 2009 ColonialTheatre Boston 4122063381.jpg
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| owner = [[Emerson College]]
| owner = [[Emerson College]]
| tenant =
| tenant =
| operator = [[Ambassador Theatre Group]]
| operator = [[ATG Entertainment]]
| capacity = 1,700
| capacity = 1,700
| type =
| type =
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}}
}}


The '''Colonial Theatre''', opened in 1900, is the oldest continually-operating theatre in [[Boston, Massachusetts]], [[United States]]. Designed by the architectural firm of [[Clarence Blackall]] and paid for by [[Frederick Lothrop Ames, Jr.]], the theatre first opened its doors for a performance of ''[[Ben-Hur (play)|Ben-Hur]]'' on December 20, 1900. ''Ben-Hur'' operated with a cast and crew of 350 people and featured eight live horses on stage in full gallop during the chariot race scene. The play was so mechanically and technically extraordinary, it was featured on the cover of [[Scientific American]]. It is located at 106 [[Boylston Street]] on [[Boston Common]] at the former site of the [[Boston Public Library]]. It is a pending [[Boston Landmark]].
The '''Colonial Theatre''' in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], opened in 1900, is the oldest continually-operating theatre in the city.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} It is located at 106 [[Boylston Street]] on [[Boston Common]] at the former site of the [[Boston Public Library]]. It is a pending [[Boston Landmark]].

==History==
The Colonial Theatre was designed by the architectural firm of [[Clarence Blackall]] and paid for by [[Frederick Lothrop Ames Jr.]] The theatre first opened its doors for a performance of ''[[Ben-Hur (play)|Ben-Hur]]'' on December 20, 1900 with a sold out show and [[Winston Churchill]] attending.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tepper |first=Jennifer Ashley |url=http://www.playbill.com/article/10-important-colonial-theatre-events-every-theatre-nerd-must-know-com-378473 |title=10 Important Colonial Theatre Events Every Theatre Nerd Must Know |work=[[Playbill]] |date=2016-01-10 |access-date=2019-03-22 }}</ref> ''Ben-Hur'' operated with a cast and crew of 350 people and featured eight live horses on stage in full gallop during the chariot race scene. The play was so mechanically and technically extraordinary it was featured on the cover of ''[[Scientific American]]''.

[[George Bernard Shaw]]'s play ''[[Too True To Be Good]]'' received its world premiere at the Colonial Theatre on February 29, 1932.

===Recent history===
In the 1990s, Colonial president Jon Platt led a renovation of the Colonial.<ref name=Clay>{{cite news| last=Clay| first=Carolyn| work=[[The Phoenix (newspaper)|Boston Phoenix]]| url=http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/arts/theater/documents/02025032.htm| title=Lobby hero: Jon Platt books the Colonial| date=December 6, 2001| access-date=July 4, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120112743/http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/arts/theater/documents/02025032.htm| archive-date=November 20, 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1998, Platt sold his Boston theater interests to SFX Entertainment (now [[Live Nation (events promoter)|Live Nation]]). In 2003, [[Emerson College]] leased the building with an option to purchase it.<ref name=Reidy>{{cite news| title=Emerson College, Colonial Theatre Link| url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/387643761.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+22%2C+2003&author=CHRIS+REIDY&pub=Boston+Globe&desc=EMERSON+COLLEGE%2C+COLONIAL+THEATRE+LINK&pqatl=google| archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131145146/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/387643761.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+22,+2003&author=CHRIS+REIDY&pub=Boston+Globe&desc=EMERSON+COLLEGE,+COLONIAL+THEATRE+LINK&pqatl=google| url-status=dead| archive-date=January 31, 2013| work=[[The Boston Globe]]| date=August 22, 2003| last=Reidy| first=Chris| page=D2|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

In 2006, Emerson invoked its purchase option with the intent of using the upper floors for dormitories.<ref name=Biz>{{cite news| work=[[American City Business Journals|Boston Business Journal]]| url=http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2006/02/20/daily58.html| title=Emerson College to add dorm to Colonial Building| date=February 4, 2006}}</ref> In 2008, [[Key Brand Entertainment]] purchased most of Live Nation's theatrical assets, including its lease on the Colonial Theatre.<ref name=Robertson>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/theater/25Live.html| title=Live Nation Finds a Buyer for Its Theater Business| work=The New York Times| last=Robertson| first=Campbell| date=January 25, 2008| access-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref> When KBE's lease ended, the [[Citi Performing Arts Center]] assumed operation of the venue and continued booking in partnership with KBE.<ref name=Laura>{{cite news| title=Deal near to reopen the Colonial: Citi Center has plan with Broadway group| url=http://articles.boston.com/2011-09-30/news/30230140_1_colonial-theatre-spaulding-colonial-stage| archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118150738/http://articles.boston.com/2011-09-30/news/30230140_1_colonial-theatre-spaulding-colonial-stage| url-status=dead| archive-date=January 18, 2013| first=Laura| last=Collins-Hughes| date=September 30, 2011| work=The Boston Globe}}</ref>

Through the succession of operators until 2015, the Colonial Theater housed Pre-Broadway shows and was often the first stop for national tours of Broadway shows. Because of its size, the Colonial can often host highly technical musicals that the smaller houses, such as the [[Shubert Theatre (Boston)|Shubert]] and the [[Wilbur Theatre|Wilbur]] Theatres, cannot accommodate. The Colonial has also played host to much larger shows such as ''[[Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables]]'', but after the renovation of the newly restored [[Boston Opera House (1980)|Boston Opera House]], some of its typical shows performed elsewhere. Nonetheless, the Colonial continued to be a testing ground for Broadway-bound shows.

When the Citi lease ended October 15, 2015, Emerson College closed the Colonial to evaluate the use of the structure. Later, the school announced plans to convert the theatre space into a dining hall.<ref name=Gay>{{cite news| title=Emerson College may turn Colonial into student center| last=Gay| first=Malcolm| url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2015/10/07/emerson-college-considering-plans-turn-colonial-theatre-into-student-center/OqVRroGj6xRKt64hTwzTKN/story.html| date=October 8, 2015| work=The Boston Globe}}</ref> After protests from faculty, alumni, historians and theatrical personnel, and over 7,000 signatures on a Change.org petition, including playwright/composer [[Stephen Sondheim]] and ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' theatre critic, [[Frank Rich]], Emerson President [[M. Lee Pelton]] announced on March 3, 2016, that the college would instead renovate another building into a dining hall and gathering area and seek to bring live performances back to the Colonial.<ref name=Viagas>{{cite journal| title=Emerson College Withdraws Plan to Convert Boston's Colonial Theatre| url=http://www.playbill.com/article/emerson-college-withdraws-plan-to-convert-bostons-colonial-theatre-com-368250| last1=Viagas| first=Robert| last2=Clement| first2=Olivia| journal=[[Playbill]]| date=March 3, 2016| access-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref>

In September 2016, Emerson College administration announced it was considering plans from various outside groups to reopen the theater. One of the proposals was from a local consortium, which included [[Live Nation (events promoter)|Live Nation]], the [[Boston Lyric Opera]], Broadway in Boston, and [[Celebrity Series of Boston]] with the consortium bringing Broadway shows, musical acts, opera, and more to the theater. There were also proposals internally from the college and from [[SMG (property management)|SMG]], a Pennsylvania-based venue management group.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gay |first=Malcolm |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater-dance/2016/09/11/emerson-weighs-proposals-reopen-colonial-theatre/eYUJAPRkTQIISSwNQLEPwO/story.html |title=Emerson considers reopening Colonial Theatre |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=September 12, 2016 |access-date=September 12, 2016 }}</ref>

===Reopening===
In January 2017, Emerson College announced a deal with the London-based Ambassador Theatre Group (now [[ATG Entertainment]]) to operate the Colonial Theatre under a 40-year lease. In a deal that was partly facilitated by the City of Boston, the college and ATG have both agreed to make substantial capital improvements to the venue which is now to be called the Emerson Colonial Theatre.<ref>{{cite episode| title=Commentary: The Walsh Administration's Success Story With The Huntington And The Colonial| url=http://www.wbur.org/artery/2016/06/13/marty-walsh-huntington-colonial| date=June 13, 2016| last=Siegel| first=Ed| series=The ARTery| station=[[WBUR-FM]]}}</ref> It reopened in July 2018 featuring the premiere of a new musical, ''[[Moulin Rouge! (musical)|Moulin Rouge!]]'', based on the [[Moulin Rouge!|film]] by Baz Luhrmann, prior to its Broadway run.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2018/07/30/emerson-colonial-theatre-can-can-can-moulin-rouge-the-musical-reopening-gala-performance/PxClpVV2GCRKydZjLhy6JK/story.html |title= Emerson Colonial Theatre can, can, can at 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical' reopening gala performance |access-date= 2019-03-04 |first= Maddie |last= Kilgannon |date= July 30, 2018 |work= Boston Globe}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gay |first=Malcolm |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater/dance/2017/01/08/colonial-theatre-reopen-new-deal-with-international-producer/fKXySjLPCGUp5mhXP48gKO/story.html? |title=Emerson College strikes deal to reopen Colonial Theatre |work=[[Boston Globe]] |date=January 9, 2017 |access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode| title=Colonial Theatre To Reopen In June With Pre-Broadway World Premiere Of 'Moulin Rouge!'| url=http://www.wbur.org/artery/2017/11/01/colonial-moulin-rouge| last=Garcia| first=Maria| date=November 1, 2017| series=The ARTery| station=WBUR-FM}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title='Moulin Rouge! The Musical' to Open in Boston With Broadway Hopes| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/01/theater/moulin-rouge-the-musical-boston-broadway.html| last=Paulson| first=Michael| date=November 1, 2017| newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>


==Shows==
==Shows==
The Colonial has long been used to house both touring productions of [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] shows, and to preview tryout runs of shows before their Broadway debuts. Notable shows which previewed at the Colonial before opening on Broadway include:<ref name=Viagas/>
The Colonial has long been a home to both touring productions of [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] shows, and to previews of shows prior to their Broadway debuts. Notable shows which previewed at the Colonial before opening on Broadway include:<ref name=Viagas/>
{{columns-list|3|
{{Columns-list|colwidth=22em|
* ''[[Anything Goes]]''
* ''[[Anything Goes]]''
* ''[[Red, Hot and Blue]]''
* ''[[Red, Hot and Blue]]''
Line 43: Line 62:
* ''[[Oklahoma!]]'' (called ''Away We Go!'' in Boston)
* ''[[Oklahoma!]]'' (called ''Away We Go!'' in Boston)
* ''[[The Merchant of Yonkers]]''
* ''[[The Merchant of Yonkers]]''
* ''[[Born Yesterday]]''
* ''[[Born Yesterday (play)|Born Yesterday]]''
* ''[[Carousel (musical)|Carousel]]''
* ''[[Carousel (musical)|Carousel]]''
* ''[[Annie Get Your Gun (musical)|Annie Get Your Gun]]''
* ''[[Annie Get Your Gun (musical)|Annie Get Your Gun]]''
* ''[[The Odd Couple (play)|The Odd Couple]]''
* ''[[Promises, Promises (musical)|Promises, Promises]]''
* ''[[Promises, Promises (musical)|Promises, Promises]]''
* ''[[La Cage aux Folles (musical)|La Cage aux Folles]]''
* ''[[La Cage aux Folles (musical)|La Cage aux Folles]]''
* ''[[Grand Hotel (musical)|Grand Hotel]]''
* ''[[Grand Hotel (musical)|Grand Hotel]]''
* ''[[Follies]]''
* ''[[Follies]]''
* ''[[Beatlemania (musical)]]''
* ''[[Beatlemania (musical)|Beatlemania]]''
* ''[[A Little Night Music]]''
* ''[[A Little Night Music]]''
* ''[[The Diary of Anne Frank (play)|The Diary of Anne Frank]]''
* ''[[The Diary of Anne Frank (play)|The Diary of Anne Frank]]''
* ''[[Seussical The Musical]]''
* ''[[Seussical The Musical]]''
* ''[[Tallulah (play)|Tallulah]]''
* ''Tallulah''
* ''[[High Fidelity (musical)|High Fidelity]]''
* ''[[High Fidelity (musical)|High Fidelity]]''
* ''[[Moulin Rouge! (musical)|Moulin Rouge!]]''
* ''[[David Byrne's American Utopia]]''
}}
}}

==Recent history==
In the 1990s, Colonial president Jon Platt led a renovation of the Colonial.<ref name=Clay>{{cite news| last=Clay| first=Carolyn| work=[[The Phoenix (newspaper)|Boston Phoenix]]| url=http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/arts/theater/documents/02025032.htm| title=Lobby hero: Jon Platt books the Colonial| date=December 6, 2001}}</ref> In 1998, Platt sold his Boston theater interests to SFX Entertainment (now [[Live Nation (events promoter)|Live Nation]]). In 2003, [[Emerson College]] leased the building with an option to purchase it.<ref name=Reidy>{{cite news| title=Emerson College, Colonial Theatre Link| url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/387643761.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+22%2C+2003&author=CHRIS+REIDY&pub=Boston+Globe&desc=EMERSON+COLLEGE%2C+COLONIAL+THEATRE+LINK&pqatl=google| work=[[The Boston Globe]]| date=August 22, 2003| last=Reidy| first=Chris| page=D2| subscription=yes}}</ref>

In 2006, Emerson invoked its purchase option with the intent of using the upper floors for dormitories.<ref name=Biz>{{cite news| work=[[American City Business Journals|Boston Business Journal]]| url=http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2006/02/20/daily58.html| title=Emerson College to add dorm to Colonial Building| date=February 4, 2006}}</ref> In 2008, [[Key Brand Entertainment]] purchased most of Live Nation's theatrical assets, including its lease on the Colonial Theatre.<ref name=Robertson>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/theater/25Live.html| title=Live Nation Finds a Buyer for Its Theater Business| work=The New York Times| last=Robertson| first=Campbell| date=January 25, 2008| accessdate=March 4, 2016}}</ref> When KBE's lease ended, the [[Citi Performing Arts Center]] assumed operation of the venue and continued booking in partnership with KBE.<ref name=Laura>{{cite news| title=Deal near to reopen the Colonial: Citi Center has plan with Broadway group| url=http://articles.boston.com/2011-09-30/news/30230140_1_colonial-theatre-spaulding-colonial-stage| first=Laura| last=Collins-Hughes| date=September 30, 2011| work=The Boston Globe}}</ref>

Through the succession of operators until 2015, the Colonial Theater housed Pre-Broadway shows and was often the first stop for national tours of Broadway shows. Because of its size, the Colonial can often host highly technical musicals that the smaller houses, such as the [[Shubert Theatre (Boston)|Shubert]] and the [[Wilbur Theatre|Wilbur]] Theatres, cannot accommodate. The Colonial has also played host to much larger shows such as ''[[Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables]]'', but after the renovation of the newly restored [[Boston Opera House (1980)|Opera House]], some of its typical shows performed elsewhere. Nonetheless, the Colonial continued to be a testing ground for Broadway-bound shows.

When the Citi lease ended October 15, 2015, Emerson College closed the Colonial to evaluate use of the structure. Later, the school announced plans to convert the theatre space into a dining hall.<ref name=Gay>{{cite news| title=Emerson College may turn Colonial into student center| last=Gay| first=Malcolm| url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2015/10/07/emerson-college-considering-plans-turn-colonial-theatre-into-student-center/OqVRroGj6xRKt64hTwzTKN/story.html| date=October 8, 2015| work=The Boston Globe}}</ref> After protests from faculty, alumni, historians and theatrical personnel, and over 7,000 signatures on a Change.org petition, including playwright/composer [[Stephen Sondheim]] and [[The New York Times|New York Times]] theatre critic, [[Frank Rich]], Emerson President [[M. Lee Pelton]] announced March 3, 2016, that the college would instead renovate another building into a dining hall and gathering area and seek to bring live performances back to the Colonial.<ref name=Viagas>{{cite journal| title=Emerson College Withdraws Plan to Convert Boston's Colonial Theatre| url=http://www.playbill.com/article/emerson-college-withdraws-plan-to-convert-bostons-colonial-theatre-com-368250| last1=Viagas| first=Robert| last2=Clement| first2=Olivia| work=[[Playbill]]| date=March 3, 2016| accessdate=March 4, 2016}}</ref>

In September 2016, Emerson College announced they were considering plans from various outside groups to reopen the theater. One of the proposals was from a local consortium, which included [[Live Nation (events promoter)|Live Nation]], the [[Boston Lyric Opera]], Broadway in Boston, and Celebrity Series of Boston with the consortium bringing Broadway shows, musical acts, opera, and more to the theater. There were also proposals internally from the college and from [[SMG (property management)|SMG]], a Pennsylvania-based venue management group.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gay |first=Malcolm |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater-dance/2016/09/11/emerson-weighs-proposals-reopen-colonial-theatre/eYUJAPRkTQIISSwNQLEPwO/story.html |title=Emerson considers reopening Colonial Theatre |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=September 12, 2016 |accessdate=September 12, 2016 }}</ref>

===Reopening===
In January 2017, Emerson College announced a deal with the London-based [[Ambassador Theatre Group]] (ATG) to operate the Colonial Theatre by signing a 40 year lease. In a deal that was partly facilitated by the City of Boston, <ref>http://www.wbur.org/artery/2016/06/13/marty-walsh-huntington-colonial</ref> the college and ATG have both agreed to make substantial capital improvements to the venue which is now to be called the Emerson Colonial Theatre. A reopening is scheduled for June, 2018 featuring the premiere of a new musical, ''[[Moulin Rouge! The Musical]]'', based on the [[Moulin Rouge!|film]] by Baz Luhrmann, prior to a possible Broadway run.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gay |first=Malcolm |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater/dance/2017/01/08/colonial-theatre-reopen-new-deal-with-international-producer/fKXySjLPCGUp5mhXP48gKO/story.html? |title=Emerson College strikes deal to reopen Colonial Theatre |work=[[Boston Globe]] |date=January 9, 2017 |accessdate=2017-01-09 }}</ref><ref>http://www.emerson.edu/news-events/emerson-college-today/emerson-partners-leading-international-theater-producer-atg-operate-colonial-theatre-0#.Wf9emPpOmf1</ref><ref>http://www.wbur.org/artery/2017/11/01/colonial-moulin-rouge</ref><ref>https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-MOULIN-ROUGE-Will-Re-Open-Bostons-Emerson-Colonial-Theatre-Before-Heading-to-Broadway-20171101</ref><ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/01/theater/moulin-rouge-the-musical-boston-broadway.html</ref>


==References==
==References==
Line 76: Line 84:


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.emersoncolonialtheatre.com Official website]
* [http://www.emersoncolonialtheatre.com Official website]
{{commons category|Colonial Theatre (Boston, Massachusetts)}}
{{Commons category|Colonial Theatre (Boston, Massachusetts)}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080818084927/http://www.bostonscolonialtheatre.com/ Boston Colonial Theatre defunct website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080818084927/http://www.bostonscolonialtheatre.com/ Boston Colonial Theatre defunct website]
* {{Cinema Treasures theater}}
* [http://cinematreasures.org/theater/15774/ The Colonial Theatre] at [http://cinematreasures.org cinematreasures.org]
* [http://www.jerseyboysbroadwayticketsonline.com/jersey-boys-colonial-theatre.html Jersey Boys performance at Colonial Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts]
* [http://www.jerseyboysbroadwayticketsonline.com/jersey-boys-colonial-theatre.html Jersey Boys performance at Colonial Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts]
* Boston Public Library, Special Collections. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130705115712/http://www.bpl.org/research/special/collections.htm#j William B. Jackson Theater Collection]. Includes materials related to the Colonial Theatre, 1900–1993
* Boston Public Library, Special Collections. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130705115712/http://www.bpl.org/research/special/collections.htm#j William B. Jackson Theater Collection]. Includes materials related to the Colonial Theatre, 1900–1993


{{ATGVenues}}
{{ATGVenues}}
{{Boston Common}}
{{Boston theatres}}
{{Boston theatres}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|42.352296|-71.065428|type:landmark|display=title}}
{{Coord|42.352296|-71.065428|type:landmark|display=title}}


[[Category:Theatres in Boston]]
[[Category:Theatres in Boston]]
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[[Category:Cultural history of Boston]]
[[Category:Cultural history of Boston]]
[[Category:20th century in Boston]]
[[Category:20th century in Boston]]
[[Category:Event venues established in 1900]]
[[Category:Theatres completed in 1900]]
[[Category:Emerson College]]
[[Category:Theatres in Massachusetts]]

Revision as of 05:40, 28 July 2024

Colonial Theatre
The Colonial Theatre, Boston, 2009
Map
Address106 Boylston Street
Boston, Massachusetts
United States
OwnerEmerson College
OperatorATG Entertainment
Capacity1,700
Construction
OpenedDecember 20, 1900 (1900-12-20)
Rebuilt1960, 1995
Website
www.emersoncolonialtheatre.com

The Colonial Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts, opened in 1900, is the oldest continually-operating theatre in the city.[citation needed] It is located at 106 Boylston Street on Boston Common at the former site of the Boston Public Library. It is a pending Boston Landmark.

History

The Colonial Theatre was designed by the architectural firm of Clarence Blackall and paid for by Frederick Lothrop Ames Jr. The theatre first opened its doors for a performance of Ben-Hur on December 20, 1900 with a sold out show and Winston Churchill attending.[1] Ben-Hur operated with a cast and crew of 350 people and featured eight live horses on stage in full gallop during the chariot race scene. The play was so mechanically and technically extraordinary it was featured on the cover of Scientific American.

George Bernard Shaw's play Too True To Be Good received its world premiere at the Colonial Theatre on February 29, 1932.

Recent history

In the 1990s, Colonial president Jon Platt led a renovation of the Colonial.[2] In 1998, Platt sold his Boston theater interests to SFX Entertainment (now Live Nation). In 2003, Emerson College leased the building with an option to purchase it.[3]

In 2006, Emerson invoked its purchase option with the intent of using the upper floors for dormitories.[4] In 2008, Key Brand Entertainment purchased most of Live Nation's theatrical assets, including its lease on the Colonial Theatre.[5] When KBE's lease ended, the Citi Performing Arts Center assumed operation of the venue and continued booking in partnership with KBE.[6]

Through the succession of operators until 2015, the Colonial Theater housed Pre-Broadway shows and was often the first stop for national tours of Broadway shows. Because of its size, the Colonial can often host highly technical musicals that the smaller houses, such as the Shubert and the Wilbur Theatres, cannot accommodate. The Colonial has also played host to much larger shows such as Les Misérables, but after the renovation of the newly restored Boston Opera House, some of its typical shows performed elsewhere. Nonetheless, the Colonial continued to be a testing ground for Broadway-bound shows.

When the Citi lease ended October 15, 2015, Emerson College closed the Colonial to evaluate the use of the structure. Later, the school announced plans to convert the theatre space into a dining hall.[7] After protests from faculty, alumni, historians and theatrical personnel, and over 7,000 signatures on a Change.org petition, including playwright/composer Stephen Sondheim and New York Times theatre critic, Frank Rich, Emerson President M. Lee Pelton announced on March 3, 2016, that the college would instead renovate another building into a dining hall and gathering area and seek to bring live performances back to the Colonial.[8]

In September 2016, Emerson College administration announced it was considering plans from various outside groups to reopen the theater. One of the proposals was from a local consortium, which included Live Nation, the Boston Lyric Opera, Broadway in Boston, and Celebrity Series of Boston with the consortium bringing Broadway shows, musical acts, opera, and more to the theater. There were also proposals internally from the college and from SMG, a Pennsylvania-based venue management group.[9]

Reopening

In January 2017, Emerson College announced a deal with the London-based Ambassador Theatre Group (now ATG Entertainment) to operate the Colonial Theatre under a 40-year lease. In a deal that was partly facilitated by the City of Boston, the college and ATG have both agreed to make substantial capital improvements to the venue which is now to be called the Emerson Colonial Theatre.[10] It reopened in July 2018 featuring the premiere of a new musical, Moulin Rouge!, based on the film by Baz Luhrmann, prior to its Broadway run.[11][12][13][14]

Shows

The Colonial has long been a home to both touring productions of Broadway shows, and to previews of shows prior to their Broadway debuts. Notable shows which previewed at the Colonial before opening on Broadway include:[8]

References

  1. ^ Tepper, Jennifer Ashley (January 10, 2016). "10 Important Colonial Theatre Events Every Theatre Nerd Must Know". Playbill. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  2. ^ Clay, Carolyn (December 6, 2001). "Lobby hero: Jon Platt books the Colonial". Boston Phoenix. Archived from the original on November 20, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  3. ^ Reidy, Chris (August 22, 2003). "Emerson College, Colonial Theatre Link". The Boston Globe. p. D2. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013.
  4. ^ "Emerson College to add dorm to Colonial Building". Boston Business Journal. February 4, 2006.
  5. ^ Robertson, Campbell (January 25, 2008). "Live Nation Finds a Buyer for Its Theater Business". The New York Times. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  6. ^ Collins-Hughes, Laura (September 30, 2011). "Deal near to reopen the Colonial: Citi Center has plan with Broadway group". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013.
  7. ^ Gay, Malcolm (October 8, 2015). "Emerson College may turn Colonial into student center". The Boston Globe.
  8. ^ a b Viagas, Robert; Clement, Olivia (March 3, 2016). "Emerson College Withdraws Plan to Convert Boston's Colonial Theatre". Playbill. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  9. ^ Gay, Malcolm (September 12, 2016). "Emerson considers reopening Colonial Theatre". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  10. ^ Siegel, Ed (June 13, 2016). "Commentary: The Walsh Administration's Success Story With The Huntington And The Colonial". The ARTery. WBUR-FM.
  11. ^ Kilgannon, Maddie (July 30, 2018). "Emerson Colonial Theatre can, can, can at 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical' reopening gala performance". Boston Globe. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  12. ^ Gay, Malcolm (January 9, 2017). "Emerson College strikes deal to reopen Colonial Theatre". Boston Globe. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  13. ^ Garcia, Maria (November 1, 2017). "Colonial Theatre To Reopen In June With Pre-Broadway World Premiere Of 'Moulin Rouge!'". The ARTery. WBUR-FM.
  14. ^ Paulson, Michael (November 1, 2017). "'Moulin Rouge! The Musical' to Open in Boston With Broadway Hopes". The New York Times.

42°21′08″N 71°03′56″W / 42.352296°N 71.065428°W / 42.352296; -71.065428