Charles Playhouse
Encyclopedia
The Charles Playhouse is an Off-Broadway
theater located at 74 Warrenton St. in Boston
, Massachusetts
near Beacon Hill.
Blue Man Group
and Shear Madness
currently play there.
In 1958 The Charles Playhouse became one of the pioneering regional theaters in America. The company, founded a year earlier in a loft on Charles Street at the foot of Beacon Hill, moved to the theater on Warrenton Street with a revival of O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh. The founding Artistic Director was Michael Murray who led the company until 1968. Managing Director was Frank Sugrue. The acting company included many stars-to-be such as Al Pacino, Olympia Dukakis, Jill Clayburgh, Jane Alexander, Ned Beatty, and John Cazale. The company staged Boston premieres of plays by Brecht, Beckett, Osborne and Ionesco a well as classics by Shakespeare, Shaw, Ibsen, Pirandello and others.
In 1958 The Charles Playhouse became one of the pioneering American regional theaters. The company, founded originally in a loft on Charles Street at the foot of Beacon Hill, moved to the theater on Warrenton Street with a production of O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh. The founding Artistic Director was Michael Murray, who led the company until 1968. Managing Director was Frank Sugrue. The acting company included many stars-to-be, including Al Pacino, Olympia Dukakis, Jill Clayburgh, Jane Alexander, Ned Beatty and John Cazale. The company staged the Boston premieres of plays by Brecht, Beckett, Osborne and Ionesco as well as classics by Shaekspeare, Shaw, Ibsen, Pirandello and others.
The Charles Playhouse was originally designed in 1839 as the Fifth Universalist Church by architect Asher Benjamin
.
In 1864, it became the second home of Congregation Ohabei Shalom
, the first synagogue
in Boston, Massachusetts.
It was later transformed into a speakeasy
called the "The Lido Venice".
Charles Playhouse was at 54 Charles Street in Boston, then moved to the current Warrenton Street location.
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
theater located at 74 Warrenton St. in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
near Beacon Hill.
Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group is an organization founded by Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton. The organization produces theatrical shows and concerts featuring popular music, comedy and multimedia; recorded music and scores for film and television; television appearances for shows such as The Tonight...
and Shear Madness
Shear Madness
Shear Madness is one of the longest-running nonmusical plays in the world, owned by Marilyn Abrams and Bruce Jordan.-Creation:David Eastwood and Bruce Jordan acquired rights for a murder mystery originally titled "Scherenschnitt," written by German playwright Paul Pörtner , and made it into "Shear...
currently play there.
In 1958 The Charles Playhouse became one of the pioneering regional theaters in America. The company, founded a year earlier in a loft on Charles Street at the foot of Beacon Hill, moved to the theater on Warrenton Street with a revival of O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh. The founding Artistic Director was Michael Murray who led the company until 1968. Managing Director was Frank Sugrue. The acting company included many stars-to-be such as Al Pacino, Olympia Dukakis, Jill Clayburgh, Jane Alexander, Ned Beatty, and John Cazale. The company staged Boston premieres of plays by Brecht, Beckett, Osborne and Ionesco a well as classics by Shakespeare, Shaw, Ibsen, Pirandello and others.
In 1958 The Charles Playhouse became one of the pioneering American regional theaters. The company, founded originally in a loft on Charles Street at the foot of Beacon Hill, moved to the theater on Warrenton Street with a production of O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh. The founding Artistic Director was Michael Murray, who led the company until 1968. Managing Director was Frank Sugrue. The acting company included many stars-to-be, including Al Pacino, Olympia Dukakis, Jill Clayburgh, Jane Alexander, Ned Beatty and John Cazale. The company staged the Boston premieres of plays by Brecht, Beckett, Osborne and Ionesco as well as classics by Shaekspeare, Shaw, Ibsen, Pirandello and others.
The Charles Playhouse was originally designed in 1839 as the Fifth Universalist Church by architect Asher Benjamin
Asher Benjamin
Asher Benjamin was an American architect and author whose work transitioned between Federal style architecture and the later Greek Revival. His seven handbooks on design deeply influenced the look of cities and towns throughout New England until the Civil War...
.
In 1864, it became the second home of Congregation Ohabei Shalom
Ohabei Shalom
Temple Ohabei Shalom is a large, Reform synagogue in Brookline, Massachusetts under the spiritual leadership of Rabbi Sonia Saltzman , Cantor Randall Schloss and Rabbi Emerita, Emily Gopen Lipof....
, the first synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
in Boston, Massachusetts.
It was later transformed into a speakeasy
Speakeasy
A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. Such establishments came into prominence in the United States during the period known as Prohibition...
called the "The Lido Venice".
Charles Playhouse was at 54 Charles Street in Boston, then moved to the current Warrenton Street location.