Page 90 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Boston

88  BOST ON AREA B Y AREA

w Wang Theatre
270 Tremont St. Map 4 E2. Tel (617)
482-9393.  Boylston, New England
Medical Center. Open phone for
details. 7 ∑ citicenter.org
Opened in 1925 as the
Metropolitan Theatre and later
named the Music Hall, New
England’s most ornate variety
theater was inspired by the
Paris Opera House, and was
originally intended to be
a movie theater. Like the
nearby Colonial Theatre, the
Metropolitan was de signed
by Clarence Blackall. When
it was first built the auditorium
had over 4,000 seats, which
made it one of the largest
in the world. It was so big
that at its opening, which
over 20,000 people attended,
one Hollywood magnate
described it as a theater
of “mountainous splendour,
a movie palace of fabulous
grandeur and stupendous
stage presentations.” Another
observer described it as a
“cathedral of the movies.”
The theater was restored
The vast Grand Lobby of the Wang Theatre and renamed in 1983. The
five-story Grand Lobby and
q Shubert Theatre opened its doors in 1910, and seven-story auditorium are
during its heyday many famous designed in a magnificent
265 Tremont St. Map 4 E2. Tel (617)
482-9393.  Boylston, New England stars walked the boards here. and ornate Renaissance
Medical Center. Open phone for Among them were Sarah Revival style: gold-plated
details. 7 ∑ citicenter.org Bernhardt, W.C. Fields, Cary chandeliers, bronze detailing,
Grant, Mae West, Humphrey stained glass, florid ceiling
The 1,650-seat Shubert Theatre Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, murals, rose jasper
rivals the Colonial Theatre (see Henry Ford, and pillars, and marble-
p86) for its long history of staging Rex Harrison. framed
major pre-Broadway musical The Shubert doorways.
pro ductions. Designed by the Theatre is listed There are also
architects Charles Bond and on the National three sumptuous
Thomas James, the theater first Register of Historic lobbies, which
Places, and features a Ornate, gilt decoration visitors must pass
white, Neo-Classical at the Wang through before
façade with a pair of finally arriving at
Ionic columns flanking a the awesome Grand Lobby.
monumental, Palladian-style Today, the theater hosts
window that sits over the a wide variety of events,
entrance. The entrance also including Broadway road
boasts an or nate, wrought-iron shows, touring national and
canopy. international dance and opera
The theater closed for some productions, celebrity concert
years but in 1997 it reopened to appearances, and motion-
premiere the pre-Broadway hit picture revivals. It is also a
Rent. Local companies also stage popular performance venue
performances here. for local dance and theater
A plaque to the side of the companies. Both the Wang and
Palladian-style window over the entrance main entrance recounts Shubert theaters are operated
to the Shubert Theatre the history of the theater. by Citi Performing Arts Center.

088-089_EW_Boston.indd 88 09/01/17 12:14 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.7)
Date 1st October 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm