Historic Day for the Emerson Colonial Theatre and Boston Lyric Opera

 Special to the Regional Review

On March 27, the City of Boston presented a Certificate of Recognition to both the Boston Lyric Opera and the Emerson Colonial Theatre as they commemorate the 80th anniversary of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel pre-Broadway run in the same theatre eighty years ago to the day.

The certificate was presented in the iconic lobby of the theater by Kenny Mascary, Interim Chief of Arts and Culture for Boston. Celebratory comments were provided by Lee Pelton, President of The Boston Foundation, who was very engaged in the reopening of the Emerson Colonial Theatre in 2018 as the President of Emerson College at that time.

In another historic twist, Pelton will be playing a small part in the upcoming Carousel production by the BLO as the Starkeeper. 

Catherine Peterson, Executive Director of ArtsBoston, joined the observance, noting that the Colonial Theatre has a storied past, as it was often the venue for shows in their pre-Broadway runs, which included, not only Carousel, but Oklahoma, Porgy and Bess, and Annie Get Your Gun, among others.

Peterson also shared that March 27 was World Theatre Day, and in recognition of the Carousel anniversary and of theatre overall, ArtsBoston would be discounting sales of Carousel tickets at BosTix starting from last Thursday for four days to $19.45, representing the year of its first opening, as well as offering a 20% additional discount for various other local theatrical events, again through March 30.

The recognition award was accepted on behalf of both entities by Bradley Vernatter, General Director of the Boston Lyric Opera, along with Joey Riddle of Ambassador Theatre Group, manager of the theatre, both of whom shared more history of the theatre, which opened in 1900 and is the oldest continuously operating theater in Boston. 

The event closed with Nina Yoshida Nelson, Artistic Director of the BLO and accomplished professional mezzo-soprano, leading the crowd in an enthusiastic rendition of one of Carousel’s signature songs, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” accompanied on the keyboard by David Angus, the BLO Music Director and conductor for the upcoming Carousel.

Carousel will be performed at the Emerson Colonial on April 4, 6, 11 and 13. Tickets are available at www.blo.org.