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Built in 1900, The Colonial Theatre is the oldest continuously operating theatre in Boston.
The Colonial was designed by Clarence Blackall and is ideal for both musical and dramatic productions. On December 20, 1900 the opening night of Ben Hur, The Boston Globe proclaimed, "Nothing so beautiful, pictorial and mechanical, has ever been seen before on a Boston stage."
During the teens and twenties the Ziegfield Follies played the Colonial eight times, and Irving Berlin's Music Box Revue appeared at least twice. Anything Goes and Red, Hot, and Blue both debuted at the Colonial, featuring theatre legend Ethel Merman.
Throughout its history, the Colonial has hosted many world premieres and pre-Broadway productions, including: Porgy and Bess, Oklahoma! and The Merchant of Yonkers (the inspiration for Hello Dolly!)
The Colonial remains one of the pre-eminent theatres in the United States, and is a jewel of American Theatre.
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