The Shubert Organization
poster for the Shubert Theatre
in Brooklyn, New York |
|
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.
Contents
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
- Forrest Theatre (Philadelphia)
- Shubert Theatre (Boston)
Former Theatres
Broadway
- Avon Theatre[4][5]
- Adelphi Theatre (1944-1970)
- Bijou Theatre[4]
- Casino Theatre (from 1903)[4]
- Central Theatre (1918-1988)
- Century Theatre[4]
- Century Theatre Roof
- Forrest Theatre (1925-1945)[6]
- 44th Street Theatre (1912-1945)
- 49th Street Theatre[4][7]
- Nora Bayes Theatre (on roof)
- 46th Street Theatre (1935-1945)
- Herald Square Theatre (1900-?)[8]
- Hippodrome Theatre (1906-1915)[8][9]
- Lyric Theatre (1903-?)[8]
- Madison Square Theatre[9]
- Majestic Theatre (Columbus Circle)[4]
- Manhattan Center (1911-1922)
- Maxine Elliott Theatre (1906-1956)[4]
- Morosco Theatre
- National Theatre (?-1956)
- New Century Theatre
- Princess Theatre (29th St) (1902-1907)[8]
- Ritz Theatre (1921-1956)
- Sam H. Harris Theatre[4]
- St. James Theatre (1941-1957)
- Waldorf Theatre[4]
Subway Circuit
- Bronx Opera House, Bronx[4]
- Riviera Theatre, Manhattan [10]
- Shubert Majestic Theatre, Brooklyn[4]
- Teller's Shubert Theatre, Brooklyn[4]
Regional
- Harmanus Bleecker Hall (Albany)[8]
- Colonial Theatre (Boston) (?-1957)[11]
- Columbia Theatre (Boston) (1903-1904)[12]
- Majestic Theatre (Boston) (1903-1956)[13]
- Plymouth Theatre (Boston) (1927-1957)
- Wilbur Theatre (Boston)[14]
- Teck Theatre (Buffalo)[8]
- Blackstone Theatre (Chicago) (1948-1989)
- Erlanger Theatre (Chicago)[14]
- Garrick Theater (Chicago) (1903-?)[8][15]
- Great Northern Theatre (Chicago)[14]
- Shubert Theatre (Chicago) (1945-1991)
- Cox Theatre (Cincinnati)[14]
- Shubert Theatre (Cincinnati)[14][16]
- Colonial Theatre (Cleveland)[8][17]
- Cass Theatre (Detroit) (1926-1962)[18]
- Shubert-Lafayette Theatre (Detroit) (1925-1957)[18][19]
- Shubert Theatre (Los Angeles) (1972-2002)
- Shubert Theatre (New Haven) (1914-1941)[20]
- Locust Theatre (Philadelphia) (?-1956)[21]
- Shubert Theatre (Philadelphia) (1918-1957)[11]
- Walnut Street Theatre (Philadelphia) (1941-1969)
- Alvin Theatre (Pittsburgh)[4]
- Duquense Theatre (Pittsburgh)[8]
- Pitt Theatre (Pittsburgh)[4]
- Baker Theatre (Rochester) (1899-?)[8][22]
- Cook Opera House (Rochester) (1898-1899)[8]
- Garrick Theatre (St. Louis)[8][23]
- Shubert Theatre (St. Louis)[24]
- Bastable Theatre (Syracuse) (1897-?)[8]
- Grand Opera House (Syracuse)[8]
- Town Hall Theatre (Toledo) (1945-1953)[25][26][27]
- Rand Opera House (Troy, New York)[8]
- Majestic Theatre (Utica)[8]
- National Theatre (Washington, D.C.) (1980-2012)[28][29]
London
- Waldorf Theatre (1905-1909)[8]
See also
References
Notes
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Further reading
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External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shubert Organization. |
- Official website
- Shubert Foundation website
- Shubert Archive website
- Shubert Theatre Organization materials, 1977-1997, held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts