The Shubert Organization

The Shubert Organization
Organization
Industry Theatre
Founded 1900
Founder Sam S., Jacob J. and Lee Shubert
Key people
 The Shuberts
Owner Shubert Foundation
Website The Shubert Organization

The Shubert Organization is a theatrical producing organization and a major owner of theatres based in Manhattan, New York City. It was founded by the three Shubert brothers in the late 19th century. They steadily expanded, owning many theaters in New York and across the country. Since then it has gone through changes of ownership, but is still a major theater chain.

History

The Shubert Organization was founded by the Shubert brothers, Sam S. Shubert, Lee Shubert, and Jacob J. Shubert of Syracuse, New York – colloquially and collectively known as "The Shuberts" – in the late 19th century in upstate New York, entering into New York City productions in 1900. The organization produced a large number of shows and began acquiring theaters. Sam Shubert died in 1905; by 1916 the two remaining brothers had become powerful theater moguls with a nationwide presence.

In 1907, the Shuberts tried to enter vaudeville with the United States Amusement Co. In the spring of 1920 they made another attempt, establishing the Shubert Advanced Vaudeville with Lee Shubert as President and playing two shows per day in Boston, Dayton, Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Philadelphia and in September 1921 opening in New York.

In April 1922, the Shuberts teamed with Isidore Herk and E. Thomas Beatty to form the Affiliated Theatres Corporation, which would book shows for the chain. Faced with fierce competition from the B.F. Keith circuit, the Shuberts closed their vaudeville operation in February 1923.[1]

By 1929, the Shubert Theatre chain included Broadway's most important venues, the Winter Garden, the Sam S. Shubert, and the Imperial Theaters, and owned, managed, operated, or booked nearly a thousand theaters nationwide. The company continued to produce stage productions in New York until the 1940s, returning to producing Broadway productions in the 1970s after a hiatus.

The company was reorganized in 1973, and as of 2008 owned or operated seventeen Broadway theaters in New York City, two off-Broadway theaters — the Little Shubert and New World Stages — and the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia.[2] It leases Boston's Shubert Theatre to the Citi Performing Arts Center.[3] Shubert Ticketing, which includes Telecharge, handles tickets for 70 theaters.

Several former Shubert-owned theaters across the United States that are still referred to by the Shubert name. One of the most famous is the New Haven Shubert, the second theater ever built by the Shubert Organization. Until the 1970s, major Broadway producers often premiered shows there before opening in New York. It was immortalized in many mid-20th century films, such as All About Eve.

Another important regional theater was the Shubert in Chicago, Illinois located within the Majestic Building at 22 West Monroe Street. Originally known as the Majestic Theatre, the Shubert Organization purchased it in 1945 and rechristened it the "Sam Shubert Theatre". The Shuberts sold the theatre to the Nederlander Organization in 1991 who sold the naming rights to LaSalle Bank in 2005. After three years as the LaSalle Bank Theatre, it became the Bank of America Theatre in 2008 after that institution purchased LaSalle Bank.

Theatres

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Regional

Former Theatres

Broadway

Subway Circuit

Regional

London

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Slide, Anthony (2012). The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville. University Press of Mississippi. pp. 465–466. ISBN 978-1-61703-250-9. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  2. ↑ "Our Theatres". Shubert Organization. Retrieved 2013-08-23.
  3. ↑ "Wang Center Expected To Take Over Theater". Bangor Daily News (Google News). Associated Press. 16 February 1996. Retrieved 2013-08-23.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Who Owns the Theatres?". The New York Times (NYTimes.com). 20 November 1927. Retrieved 2013-08-23.
  5. ↑ "Klaw Theatre". Playbill Vault. Retrieved 2013-09-03.
  6. ↑ "Forrest Theatre". Playbill Vault. Retrieved 2013-09-03.
  7. ↑ "49th Street Theatre". Playbill Vault. Retrieved 2013-09-03.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Hirsch, Foster (20 November 1998). The boys from Syracuse: the Shuberts' theatrical empire. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press. ISBN 0809321564.
  9. 1 2 Fletcher, Regan (2002). "1900-1910". The Passing Show 22 (2): 3–6.
  10. ↑ Jean. "Riviera Theatre". Cinema Treasures.
  11. 1 2 "Shuberts Sell Theatre". The New York Times (NYTimes.com). 5 December 1957. Retrieved 2013-08-26.
  12. ↑ "Columbia Theatre in Boston, MA - Cinema Treasures". Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  13. ↑ "History of the Cutler Majestic Theatre". CutlerMajestic.org. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Ranzal, Edward (18 February 1956). "Shubert Consents to Break Up Chain". The New York Times (NYTimes.com). Retrieved 2013-08-26.
  15. ↑ "Garrick Theatre in Chicago, IL - Cinema Treasures". Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  16. ↑ Zolotow, Sam (19 November 1962). "Death of John Shubert Provokes Speculation on Theater Empire". The New York Times (NYTimes.com). Retrieved 2013-08-30.
  17. ↑ Fearing, Heidi. "Colonial Theatre". Cleveland Historical. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  18. 1 2 Austin, Dan. "Cass Theatre". HistoricDetroit.org. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  19. ↑ Kakutani, Michiko (14 September 1980). "The Great Theater Duel and How It Affects Broadway". The New York Times (NYTimes.com). Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  20. ↑ "New Haven Theatre Sold". The New York Times (NYTimes.com). 2 August 1941. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
  21. ↑ "Locust Theatre Let". The New York Times (NYTimes.com). 25 August 1957. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
  22. ↑ McKelvey, Blake. "The Theater in Rochester During Its First Nine Decades". Rochester History XVI (3).
  23. ↑ "Garrick Theatre in St. Louis, MO - Cinema Treasures". Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  24. ↑ "Loew's Mid City Theatre in St. Louis, MO - Cinema Treasures". Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  25. ↑ "Capitol Theater Soon To House Legitimate Plays". The Toledo Blade (Google News). 18 April 1945. Retrieved 2013-08-23.
  26. ↑ Woodbury, Mike (7 June 1945). "Capitol Gets a New Name". The Toledo Blade (Google News). Retrieved 2013-08-23.
  27. ↑ "Burlesque is Back on Town Hall Stage". The Toledo Blade (Google News). 4 September 1953. Retrieved 2013-08-23.
  28. ↑ "Shubert Wins Management Case". The New York Times (NYTimes.com). 14 June 1980. Retrieved 2013-08-23.
  29. ↑ Harris, Paul (20 September 2012). "New bookers for D.C. National". Variety. Retrieved 2013-08-23.

Further reading

External links

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