Jaystarr's Special Photo Thread : THE COLONIAL & PANTAGES- Page 1

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 10:21am

To all you theater lovers.....



The Colonial Theater
106 Boylston Street
Boston, Massachusetts


(1900- )

The oldest Boston theater to survive intact and one of C.H. Blackall's finest creations, the the Colonial Theatre opened on December 20, 1900. Apart from the Tremont Theatre, it was the first playhouse to be erected in the Boston theater district that originated around the turn of the century around the Southern end of Tremont Street. Outwardly relatively modest in appearance, the Colonial's interior is in the Rococo style, featuring lavishly carved detail and paintings in the style of Francois Boucher. An extensive sequence of murals by Blackall and H.B. Pennell are unique within Boston. The Colonial opened with the production of Ben Hur, which featured William Farnum and W.S. Hart in the principal roles. Both actors later became silent film stars. This was also where Flo Ziegfeld launched his follies; playbill examples of which can be found in the library's collection. The Colonial is also notable for its association with Irving Berlin, Sigmund Romberg, Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein.

The Athenæum owns an intact copy of the Colonial's opening night program of Ben Hur. In fact, several of the theater's earliest programs can be found here. Playbills follow the basic quarto booklet format. Intact programs dating from 1912 and on feature colorful cover illustrations with characters in 18th century costume, and additional advertisements; perhaps an indication of the Colonial's growing prosperity.

George Bernard Shaw's acclaimed play Pygmalion was first produced in Vienna in 1913 with the part of Eliza Doolittle expressly written for the British actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell (nee Beatrice Stella Tanner, 1865-1940). Mrs. Campbell performed the part at the Colonial in 1915 (See Jenks, Box 7, folder #42). Enamored of the actress, Shaw maintained a correspondence with her, which was published after his death. American actor, Jerome Kilty created a dramatic dialog of extracts from the correspondence entitled Dear Liar, which was successfully performed in the United States and London between 1959 and 1960. (from bostonathenaeum.org)

****************************************

Exterior of the Colonial Theater








Back of the Colonial Theater

Does these pictures remind you of "CURTAINS" the musical?

















Lobby















Stairs to the Mezzanine & Balcony



Inside the Colonial Theater
(Special thanks to the Colonial Theater for giving me permission to take pictures inside, as long as I dont point the camera on the stage )





Stage Proscenium ( Curtains- the musical, anyone?)

They recreated this proscenium at the Al Hirchfield Theater for Curtains







View from the Stage


The Box Office & Entrance










Goodbye - Colonial Theater


I always wanted to do something like this.. take pictures of beautiful historic theaters, not only in NYC but other major cities . As some of you may have known .. I live in Boston and its my pride to share to you ..one of our nation's legacy..
THE COLONIAL THEATER (known as the famous out of town try out theater for
Porgy & Bess, Oklahoma, High Fidelity, La Cage Aux Folles, Anything Goes, Follies, Annie Get Your Gun, Grand Hotel and so many more) Recently featured as the background for the Musical, "Curtains" at the Al Hirsfield Theater. Colonial Theater is a very special theater to me, sometimes I will go to Colonial just to stare at its magnificent & beautiful architecture .... Pls pardon that some of the pictures are a bit fuzzy bec. I only had 15 minutes (during the intermission of Sweeney Todd) to take these pictures and these pictures probbably dont do justice to the splendor & magnificence of the Colonial Theater. Enjoy !

and when in Boston .. pls do visit the Colonial Theater !

J*

For more info on THE COLONIAL THEATER:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_Theatre


Updated On: 11/2/07 at 10:21 AM

[MusicAndPassion]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 10:26am

Ah, The Colonial! I've seen many shows there.

This is also the theatre that "Curtains" takes place in. I bet when the tour (if/when Curtains tours) comes to Boston it will play at The Colonial.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 10:29am

The Colonial is a stunning theatre. I love seeing shows there. To have that as your local makes you a very lucky boy!

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 11:18am

I love going to the Colonial. It is truly a gem of a theater. They just don't build 'em like that anymore.

It's just one example of the many beautiful old theaters around Boston.

[morosco]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 11:31am

Love, love, LOVE the pictures. Thank you for taking the time to post them.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 12:50pm

Danny Kaye Old Playbill



La Cage Aux Folles Boston Try-Out Playbill


******************
Book about the Colonial Theater :

1. John Platt's Boston’s Colonial Theatre: Celebrating a Century of Theatrical Vision

https://www.colonial100.com/






Updated On: 11/1/07 at 12:50 PM

[sesboa]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 1:06pm

Is this the theater where The Lion King ran about two or three years ago? I think I've been here, but not exactly sure...

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 1:10pm

To my recollection - The Lion King never played at the Colonial Theater.. it played and opened the newly refurbished " The Opera House at Washington St.( I stand corrected?)- that's a very, very pretty theater too !

Hopefully I can do another photo threads on Boston's The Opera House and The Wang Center for the Performing Arts and Atlanta's The Fox Theater (when I go to GA this January to visit a friend) in the future perhaps...if time permits

I actually got this idea when I posted pics of Los Angeles' Pantages Theater months ago.

J*



Updated On: 11/1/07 at 01:10 PM

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 1:23pm

Jay i cant get the info on the book? I want i want!

Updated On: 11/1/07 at 01:23 PM

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 1:28pm

Try this :

https://72.166.46.24/boston/arts/theater/documents/02025032.htm

Lobby hero
Jon Platt books the Colonial
BY CAROLYN CLAY
from Boston Phoenix


John Platt (author) at the Colonial Theater

At a recent gathering of 275 on the Colonial Theatre stage, impresario Jon B. Platt remarked that there hadn’t been so many bodies on those boards since the 1900 opening of Ben Hur. Not only was the statement quite possibly accurate, it was apt, since the occasion of the party was the launch of a large, red-satin-covered coffee-table tome, Boston’s Colonial Theatre: Celebrating a Century of Theatrical Vision, by Tobie S. Stein. And if you can get by the fact that a great deal of the vision being celebrated is Platt’s, and that he commissioned the book, it’s an enjoyable, beautifully illustrated stroll down history and memory lanes.

Stein, who is on the theater faculty of Brooklyn College, has known Platt since she was an Emerson undergrad interning at the Colonial, where he was assistant manager. Of course, that was after he had begun his Colonial career as a second-balcony usher, moving on to become the union steward. He took over the lease of the venerable house, along with that of the Wilbur Theatre, in 1987 and later bought and renovated the Charles Playhouse — making himself, with Wang honcho Josiah Spaulding Jr., co-king of the theater district.

In the early ’90s, Platt (who in 1998 sold his Boston theatrical interests to SFX Entertainment) undertook a $2 million renovation of the Colonial that restored Boston’s oldest continually operating theater to peak glory and apparently promoted every cranny of the place to one in his heart. The lavishly produced Boston’s Colonial Theatre, which must picture every gilded cherub and glittering inch of gold leaf in the house, along with the fascinating array of theater luminaries and landmark productions that have passed through it, is clearly a labor of love.

Says Platt, who cheerfully admits the elegant Marquand-published tome is " a huge money-losing venture " : " I thought this place was so special because, over the years, these performing artists and producers always said the same thing: ‘This is my favorite theater.’ And I thought, ‘They’re just not blowing smoke at me. They don’t have to say this.’ And I began to believe it. I always felt this place was special, but I thought, ‘Let’s find out why it’s so special.’ So Tobie wrote the book, and we made calls to prominent individuals saying, ‘Would you give us a quote for the book?’ And they said, ‘Absolutely.’ "

Indeed, many of David Lamb’s photographs of the theater’s details are festooned with encomiums from the likes of Tommy Tune, Julie Harris, Kander and Ebb, and Kathleen Turner. Also included are group photographs of casts that have passed through the Colonial during the 1980s and ’90s taken by Platt himself. " One does not live on an usher’s or assistant manager’s income, " says the photographer, who in leaner days started shooting the ensembles and selling them the photos.

Stein used various archives, including those of the city’s daily newspapers and the Harvard Theatre Collection, to research her history of the theater, which was designed by noted architect Clarence Blackall. She also interviewed long-time Colonial habitués, including publicist Nance Movsesian and the theater’s manager for 13 years, Don Tirabassi, with the result that the book is less academic than anecdotal. Included are the famous if familiar tales of Rodgers and Hammerstein turning a sow’s ear called Away We Go! into a silk purse called Oklahoma! at the Colonial and Bob Fosse’s dancing on the onyx table in its ladies’ lounge. The book’s real treat, though, are the painstakingly replicated photographs, playbills, etc. — beginning with that 1900 opening of Ben Hur, with its cast of hundreds, including eight horses, and continuing through the Colonial’s heyday as a pre-eminent Broadway tryout house. Says Platt, " What I wanted to do was tell the story in photographs that Tobie was telling in text and do it in an entertaining way. I didn’t want it to be dry, I wanted it to be colorful. Even the black-and-white photographs are done in the five-color varnished process to make them seem vibrant. "

As for his emergence as the hero of Stein’s fourth and final chapter, " A Decade of Innovation, " Platt, now a Tony-winning independent producer, has this to say. " Well, Tobie and I thought about that. I kept saying, ‘Tobie, take out all this flowery stuff, it’s going to look like a vanity publication.’ And she said, ‘No, the fourth chapter is my favorite, and I know that that was true. I was there. And I’m going to back it up with a Variety quote and a New York Times quote. There’s going to be nothing there that isn’t catalogued.’ Well, I’m still uncomfortable with it, but I said okay. And I was there for 25 years. I did renovate it. I’m proud of what I did there, so I guess I don’t have any excuses. "

Boston’s Colonial Theatre: Celebrating a Century of Theatrical Vision is available on-line at www.colonial100.com for $80. It is also available at Boston Organ and Piano, 104 Boylston Street, at the Boston Music Company, 215 Stuart Street, and in the Colonial lobby during performances.



Updated On: 11/1/07 at 01:28 PM

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 4:03pm

Additional photos of Colonial Theater
(from Cinema Treasure.com)

Scroll down
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/15774/


Updated On: 11/1/07 at 04:03 PM

[ashley0139]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 4:14pm

Thanks for the pictures. I saw the show Tuesday night. I love that theatre.

Atlanta's The Fox Theater (when I go to GA this January to visit a friend) in the future perhaps...if time permits

I would LOVE to see those pictures. That theatre is unbelievable.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 4:45pm

Photos taken from HIGH FIDELITY try-out last year : (pics taken from the balcony)

Colonial's Stage with Curtains


The Setting for the musical, "Curtains"

Can you see the resemblance? and we oughta play the song "Show People"



Photos from last year's try out of High Fidelity












Updated On: 11/1/07 at 04:45 PM

[StageFan2]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 5:24pm

Thanks so much for the pics. What a beautiful theatre! What's next jaystarr, I've reached a point where I look forward to your photo threads. I don't have time to do all the things you're doing, so I'm living through you right now, I hope you don't mind. If it gets too crowded - just shoo me off, I'll understand.

[TWSFan4Ever]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 5:51pm

Sort of off-topic, but, from the look of the pictures you took last night, jaystarr, "Sweeney Todd" doesn't use the curtain it did when the revival was on Broadway, does it? Just the curtain that the theatre has?

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 6:14pm

I posted this in the Boston board, but I have some pics of the Colonial from when Piazza was there. I'll post them if anyone wants.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 6:16pm

This production has the slashed curtain from Broadway, it's just hanging further down. I went to the show in Boston last night as well (having made the four hour trip via Amtrack from NYC) and it was well worth it.

[sparkleplenty]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 6:18pm

Thanks for this treat, jaystarr. My first theatre going experiences were to see the shows trying out in Boston when I was atttending high school in Hampton, NH in the late sixties. Love that beautiful theatre and remember well seeing my first show there - On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.

[TWSFan4Ever]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 6:28pm

Thanks, frogs

[alliez92092]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 6:32pm

I love this. The Colonial Theater is stunning. It was where I saw my first real show and will always hold a special place in my heart.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 7:20pm

Thanks everyone

StageFan- I dont mind. I am happy to that I can bring pleasures to people who share the same passion in theater.

frogs_fan85- I must have miss you last night. I did not see you? though I saw MelodyRose during intermission. Where were you? I am glad you had a great time .. Did you like the Colonial Theater?

ElFantasma- yeah- pls do post your pics.. this thread is our tribute to Colonial Theater.

TWS- The red curtain was from High Fidelity. Sweeney Todd used the same one as in Eugene O' Neil Theater (which is some sort of black half curtain with exposed wooden floors.

Again.. thanks for everyone who like this thread

BTW- I am getting a lot of pm's (requests) to re-post the pictures from the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles. I dont want to start another thread, though I might just post those pictures here maybe tomorrow or this weekend, when I get to it.

J*


Updated On: 11/1/07 at 07:20 PM

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 7:28pm

Does anyone know how many seats does the Colonial have? somehow I cannot find that information online ....

J*

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 7:34pm

My seat was in the orchestra, row K, center. I was standing in the lobby for most of the intermission actually. I had a window card in my hand and was wearing a brown jacket with a Sweeney t-shirt underneath. I actually asked someone in the lobby if they were you (as I was approximating from your avatar and other pictures) but he said that he was not you. I stage-doored but didn't see you there, but I did see someone who looked like your husband (Chris, right?)

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 8:04pm

I was taking pictures during the intermission plus I was talking to a friend of mine who work at the Colonial Theater which I managed to do for 15 minutes. I can't believe you miss me? I was at the lobby too flashing my camera

Chris did not come with me.. his parents are here (from the Midwest) visiting us this week. We are going to see Sweeny Todd again thsi Sunday. I did not stage door bec. Chris have to pick me up early .. yes.. I sneak out of the show early I have seen it in Eugene O' Neil Theater plus I will be going back this Sunday.

So how did you find the two understudy? Edwin Cahill as Anthony and David Garry as Sweeney. I thought he was imitating Michael Cerveris.. he sounded like him and for a moment at the beginning .. he looked like him too!

I dont know why you missed me? I was not wearing my glasses last night..as in my avatar...MelodyRose recognized me right away... I'm about 5'9 .. 145 lbs..Are you sure you talked to right asian guy? hmm with all my pictures that I am posting here for the past six months

I am starting to think.. I am only recognizable at the Helen Hayes Theater !


^^ that's me.... Jay



Here's some PLAYBILLS from shows I have seen the last year >

Sweeney Todd



Doubt






Updated On: 11/1/07 at 08:04 PM

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 8:12pm

Nobody came up to you during intermission? I ask because the person I approached was standing close to the doors on the inside of the lobby and was on a cell phone.

I thought David Garry was the only understudy? Ben Magnuson was definitely on last night. I liked David Garry a lot, although he got off to a rough start, which he mentioned at the stage door. He flubbed a bit during "No Place Like London", but otherwise he did fine. I wonder if it was his first time going on as Sweeney because he seemed uncomfortable with some of the blocking during the first act. For lack of a better term I think he started to get into a groove at "The Contest" and progressed from there. Judy Kaye was fantastic. I saw her the week she covered for LuPone last year and she's light years better than she was then. I also really liked Edmund Bagnell who had the frenetic, but still childish nature of Toby down perfectly.