Boston Theater District
|
Washington Street Theatre District | |
 | |
    | |
| Location | Boston, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°21′14″N 71°3′46″W / 42.35389°N 71.06278°WCoordinates: 42°21′14″N 71°3′46″W / 42.35389°N 71.06278°W |
| Built | 1870 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival, Italianate, Other |
| NRHP Reference # | [1] |
| Added to NRHP | March 19, 1979 |
The Boston Theater District is the center of Boston's theater scene.[2] Many of its theaters are on Washington Street, Tremont Street, Boylston Street, and Huntington Avenue.[3][4][5]
Its shows range from Broadway shows to repertory-company productions.[6] It is small compared to New York City's Theater District, and serves as a staging area for shows on their way to Broadway.[2][4]
History
Plays were banned in Boston by the Puritans until 1792.[5][7] Boston's first theater opened in 1793.[8][9] In 1900, the Boston Theater District had 31 theaters, with 50,000 seats.[7] In the 1940s, the city had over 50 theaters.[2] Since the 1970s, developers have renovated old theaters.[2]
Revitalization
Suffolk University bought the Modern Theater in 2008. It has since reopened and hosts a variety of performances.[10] For their efforts, Suffolk won a Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2011.[11]
Emerson College now utilizes the Paramount Theater as "a first-of-its-kind mixed-use residential, academic, and performance venue." [12]
Theaters
- Boston Opera House
- Charles Playhouse
- Cutler Majestic Theatre
- Colonial Theatre
- Modern Theatre
- Orpheum Theatre
- Paramount Theatre
- Wilbur Theatre
See also
- Boston Theater Critics Association
- Boston Theater Marathon
- Buffalo Theater District
- Cleveland Theater District
- Houston Theater District
- Broadway Theater District (Los Angeles)
- Theater District, Manhattan
References
- ↑ National Park Service (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- 1 2 3 4 Mara Vorhees (2009). Boston 4. Lonely Planet. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
- ↑ Patricia Harris; David Lyon (2004). Insiders Guide Off the Beaten Path: Boston: A Guide to Unique Places. Globe Pequot. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
- 1 2 Travel Boston – City Guide and Maps. MobileReference. 2007. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
- 1 2 Patricia Harris; Anna Mundow; David Lyon; Lisa Oppenheimer (2003). Compass American Guides: Massachusetts, 1st Edition. Random House. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
- ↑ Jerry Morris (2005). The Boston Globe Guide to Boston. Globe Pequot. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
- 1 2 Greg Letterman; Katherine Letterman (2001). Walking Boston. Globe Pequot. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
- ↑ David Lyon; Patricia Harris (2011). DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Boston. Penguin. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
- ↑ Tom Bross; Patricia Harris; David Lyon (2007). Boston. Penguin. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
- ↑ Theater District Revival Continues With The Modern
- ↑ University Wins National Preservation Award Archived October 15, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ The Paramount Center
External links
- Where's the Theater District: An Analysis of Boston's Theater District, by Kristin Hodgkins (1980)
- Boston Athaneum Theater History