Emerson College Expressions: Cutler Majesty Theater by Yvonne Hudson

Expression SPECIAL ISSUE

THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF EMERSON COLLEGE

SUMMER 2003

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Message from the President

A Long Run Begins

Reviving a Class Act

Message from the Vice President for Administration and Finance

Restoring a National Treasure

A Tribute to the Cutlers

The Tufte Performance and Production Center

Majestic Calendar

Credits

Porgy and Bess Gala

Frank Monkiewicz

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

essage from the President

Dear alumni and friends of Emerson College:

Emerson College is all about expression, just as the name of this magazine suggests and as our official seal clearly states. Whether on a soapbox, a stage, a printing press, the airwaves or the Internet, we have been in the “expression business” since we were founded back in 1880. Twenty-three years later, another institution devoted to expression, the Majestic Theatre, debuted at 219 Tremont Street. It was a Beaux Arts-style opera house and was widely reported to be the most beautiful performing arts venue in the city’s blossoming theater district. I daresay that no one back in 1903 imagined that the Majestic would one day be part of Emerson, even though the school’s third president, actor Henry Lawrence Southwick, played the Majestic. But that is exactly what happened eight decades later. In 1983, we purchased the abandoned building, which had been run for years as a movie house and was reportedly slated for demolition. We made substantial renovations and reopened the building in 1989. Since then, just as we envisioned, the Majestic has supported Emerson’s performing arts programs and provided a venue for community arts groups. Buying the Majestic also set in motion forces we did not foresee. It led, inexorably it now seems, to the creation of our new “Campus on the Common,” appropriately located adjacent to the Theatre District. Relocating and upgrading our facilities has not only enhanced Emerson’s visibility and reputation, it has, as The New York Times recently noted, “injected vitality into the neighborhood” and triggered “major commercial development.”

Several years ago, we developed a plan to restore the theater to its original splendor and seating capacity and to link that project with the construction of a new performance and production center. The plan was developed by Vice President for Administration and Finance Robert Silverman, in consultation with the Board of Trustees, Dean Grafton Nunes of our School of the Arts and faculty members in the performing arts. It is a truly visionary plan that fuses Rob’s respect for history, his commitment to technology and his creativity in optimizing the use of space. Visions are exciting, but without support they come to naught. No one knows this better than the chairman of our Board of Trustees, Ted BenardCutler, and his colleague, Marillyn Zacharis, who chairs the Board’s Development Committee. Together with his wife, Joan, Ted provided the financial leadership needed to launch the Majestic restoration. Marillyn has led the way in supporting the performance and production center (PPC). In recognition of their leadership, the Trustees have named the Majestic in honor of the Cutlers and the PPC in memory of Marillyn’s parents, Norman I. and Mary E. Tufte. Today, as the Cutler Majestic Theatre opens for its centennial season, and as the Tufte Performance and Production Center welcomes its first students, we thank Ted, Joan and Marillyn for their extraordinary commitment. We also thank: the George B. Henderson Foundation, which provided funds for the stained glass window restoration; Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, who has supported our efforts at every step along the way; and Helen Rose and the “Friends of the Majestic,” who have supported the theater over the years. This special issue of Expression is dedicated exclusively to the Cutler Majestic Theatre. I want to thank Associate Vice President for Public Affairs David Rosen, guest editor Yvonne Hudson and designer Charles Dunham for assembling such a comprehensive and elegant publication. When Expression returns to its regular format in the fall, it will include full coverage of the opening of the Tufte Center. These are exciting days at Emerson. Stay tuned!

David Rosen

Jacqueline W. Liebergott President, Emerson College 4

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“

This space would be at once visually stunning and acoustically superior, a sanctuary for great performances in one of America’s great cities.

”

A Long Run Begins

Eben Dyer Jordan

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

Theater is Born

by Yvonne Hudson

The Majestic lobby, 1903 (right).

Photo from The Brick Builder, July 1908

Special Collections UC Berkeley

Photo below of the Majestic in 1903 shows drop curtain painted by renowned muralist William de Leftwich Dodge, whose work also adorns the lobby. See p. 19 for a closer look at the murals.

When architect John Galen Howard first surveyed the site for Boston’s new opera house a century ago, the area south of Boston Common had emerged as the city’s newest theater district. Washington Street had long been a vital neighborhood for performance spaces, and the 100-year-old Hollis Street Meeting House had housed a theater for decades. In December 1900, the superb Colonial Theatre opened on Boylston Street

Overleaf: The Gershwin Brothers—George and Ira—wrote a witty music about American politics entitled “Of Thee I Sing.” Its preBroadway try-out ran at the Majestic, Dec. 721, 1931. The show’s book by Morry Ryskind and George S. Kaufmann and lyrics by Ira Gershwin was honored when the show was

the first musical to win a Pulitzer Prize. George Gershwin’s memorable score, however, included the melodies of enduring classics such as “Love is Sweeping the Country” and “Of Thee I Sing.” The cast featured William Gaxton, Victor Moore, Lois Moran, and George Murphy. Photo credit: Boston Public Library

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

for Berkeley’s Naval Architecture near the Tremont Theatre, which Building and Northgate Hall. The had been built in 1889. Boston had Majestic Theatre, on which he would moved into a new era of respectability for the avocation of theater going. work with Boston designer James M. Woods, would be his only project in By 1901, arts financier Eben Boston. Dyer Jordan had secured a building The benefactor behind the permit for a 10,333-square-foot lot Majestic project was Eben Dyer at number 219 on Tremont Street, Jordan. His father had founded Joroften a muddy thoroughfare, rutdan Marsh—the prominent Boston ted by horse-drawn carriages. Even department store that later became more treacherous to pedestrians part of the Macy’s chain. In 1903, was Boylston Street, the intersectthe younger Jordan was CEO of his ing avenue that stretched along family’s business and was ready to the Common. Streetcars ran on sponsor a new theater for Boston. Boylston. Even circus elephants This space would be at once and carts paraded there on occavisually stunning and acoustision. Pedestrians often encountered cally superior, a sanctuary for great streetcar tracks, and women in long performances in one of America’s skirts risked twisting an ankle when great cities. Historians don’t know stepping over them. Nevertheless, whether Jordan was a religious man, the ornate theaters of the era were but his devotion to the arts was in becoming “an ideal place to serve itself a spiritual and personal mission. as an environment for fashionable A trained singer, the retailer might women to display their most luxurihave become a professional performous gowns,” observed one Boston er himself had his social and business Globe writer. After all, the Colonial’s circumstances not dictated that he opening production of Ben Hur had attend to more traditional pursuits. featured live horses and chariots and During buying trips abroad for his its proscenium and decoration were father’s company, Jordan had expepraised above that of any other Bosrienced European culture and style. ton performance venue. With the opening of the Majestic, the Almost immediately after the 45-year-old Jordan could relish proColonial’s debut, Jordan comductions of magnificent vocal works missioned his architect to design closer to home. a “Beaux Arts” opera house in the That he picked Boston as the tradition of Europe’s grandest halls site for his next project was not a on the narrow Tremont Street site. coincidence. For years prior to the The 39-year-old Howard, a graduate Majestic project, Jordan had conof M.I.T. and L’Ecole des Beauxtributed significantly to the arts in Arts de Paris and a former protégé Boston. As a member of the Board of the renowned Henry Hobson of the New England Conservatory of Richardson, was ready for the chalMusic, he had supported the school’s lenge. Howard had also worked for move from Franklin Square to a betrenowned architects McKim, Mead ter location near Symphony Hall. and White in New York City before launching his own successful projects. Having recently relocated to California as supervising architect at the Berkeley campus of the University of California, he was the institution’s master planner and would win kudos

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Building permit obtained for a 10,333-square-foot lot at 219 Tremont Street, Boston.

1903 Boston’s newest theater opens. The Storks playbill (above).

1904 Richard III, a presentation of “Emerson College of Oratory” for the benefit of the Teachers’ Mutual Benefit Association, stars Henry Lawrence Southwick (below). A faculty member and equal partner in the school renowned for recruiting students during his cross-county Shakespearean recitals, Southwick served as Emerson’s third president (1908-32).

Emerson College Archives

1915

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in 2003. A. Brooks Russell ’72 & G ’76, who was a member of the Emerson staff for 25 years, served as the Emerson Majestic’s first manager. He retired in 1993. “The Majestic was always a magical place,” says Russell. “There wasn’t a night I wasn’t backstage on closing night of an event. And the students have loved working in this grand old lady from the time Emerson purchased her.” Lance Olson has served as the theater’s manager since 1993. He speaks with passion about the theater’s mission and illustrious history, often referring to the Cutler Majestic as a “dream factory” where more than 40 different “titles” have been presented in recent seasons.—YH

Eddie Cantor stars in Midnight Rounders. Theda Bara (below) makes her first Boston appearance in The Blue Flame.

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An enclosed projector booth is added in the mezzanine. Shubert All Star Vaudeville runs for 35 weeks.

1923 The Moscow Art Theatre plays Boston for the first time, performing an eightweek repertory.

1925 Herbert, Leonard, Julius and Arthur Marx, the quartet thereafter known as the Marx Brothers, star in I’ll Say She Is!

1929 George Jessel appears in The War Song.

1931 Of Thee I Sing plays Boston (see p. 8).

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For a list of future events in the Cutler Majestic, see p. 46.

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role in breaking the syndicate’s monopoly on theater in Boston. At the same time, the Shuberts bought out Jordan’s remaining interests in the Majestic and began booking first-class acts again. Wilbur managed the Shuberts’ Boston operations, which included the Colonial Theatre, until his assertiveness and competitive nature led to a falling out with the Shuberts. The Shuberts retained great control over theater in Boston through their own syndicate for decades, including management of the Majestic, which continued to host theater and films. In 1956, a federal anti-trust action forced them to sell the Majestic and five other theaters (except for the theater bearing their name). Sack Cinemas purchased the building and ran it as a movie house, the Saxon, until it was closed in 1977. Since 1983, Emerson College has owned and operated the Majestic, renamed the Cutler Majestic upon its 100th anniversary

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Soon after the Majestic opened in 1903, owner Eben Dyer Jordan leased the operations of his new theater to Albert L. Wilbur (who was also president of the company that constructed the Majestic) and Edward D. Stair. They were the Majestic’s first managers and had produced the theater’s opening show, The Storks. By 1904, the managers deemed the stage too small for large operatic productions and converted the Majestic to a “dollar house,” placing it on the popular circuit. Wilbur and Stair’s company, the U.S. Amusement Corporation, though comprised of some 200 theaters, was a segment of a larger syndicate, which essentially controlled most of the country’s legitimate theaters. Wilbur (whose own theater still exists on Tremont Street) joined the Shubert brothers to form Wilbur Shubert Corporation in 1906, playing a

Rows of lights lined the proscenium arch and footlights beamed at the stage’s edge. Stars twinkled on the latticework of what appeared to be the roof of an enormous gazebo with a turquoise sky peeking through thick grapevines dripping with purple fruit. Those who played the Majestic had a view of the audience that was unsurpassed when they were on stage. The audience was lined up before them, from side to side. There was so much light that audience members could see one another almost as clearly as they could view the players. The backstage warning to actors tempted to peek through the curtain had never been truer: if you can see the audience, the audience can see you. These design features also contributed to the warm rapport between actors and audiences. Plays by Henrik Ibsen, J.M. Barrie, and Sophocles were among those performed in the Majestic’s first decade. In its first year alone, the Majestic was host to some 15 productions. In its second year,

Citizen Kane screened.

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Managing the Majestic

Patrons entering the auditorium found themselves ensconced in a sort of inside-out Faberge egg—round and acoustically impeccable, decorated in gold leaf with high relief figures, draped in more luxurious velvet. Not one pillar, pole, nor beam. Virtually no corners into which last-minute ticket buyers could be pushed away from the best of sights or sounds. Even the views and sightlines from the second balcony were praised. Steeply stacked tiers—“so that every row is practically a little balcony in itself,” as the Globe wrote—allowed patrons to be alternately enthralled by either the dramatics of the theater’s lushly ornamented ceiling or the action on stage. Howard’s innovations made this a singular theater for the city and for the greater performing arts world. Besides being the first Boston house engineered without obstructions, the Majestic was the city’s first performance space to “freely exploit the possibilities of electricity,” as described in a 1980s Boston Landmarks Commission report summarizing the building’s potential for landmark status. The discreet use of recessed light was noted, “not a chandelier was to be seen,” said the Globe. Lights sparkled along every row of decoration on walls, ceiling, and facades. Strings of dome-covered lights, resembling giant pearl necklaces, were interwoven on ribbons of autumnal harvest crops, stretched above the audience.

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The efficient use of the seemingly modest city lot was impressive, and the handsome terra-cotta façade presented a pleasing integration of varied styles that resisted overstatement. Upon arrival, “well-bred and cheerful faced men and women,” as described by the Globe, were amazed at the intimate, well-appointed lobby (despite the tracking of mud so thick it “later had to be shoveled with a coal shovel.”) However, the twostory lobby’s sensual murals by renowned painter William de Leftwich Dodge [see p. 19], ornate Italian mosaic floor, scagliola (faux marble created from specially finished plaster), and velvet draperies barely foreshadowed what ticket-buyers would see in the house.

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Howard’s precision exceeded Jordan’s expectations, according to the Boston newspapers and trade publications assigned to cover what The Boston Globe described as “the most beautiful playhouse Boston has seen yet,” or, as the Boston Herald observed, “a place where the people of Boston will gladly gather in search of clean, elevated entertainment.” “It is greatly to Mr. Howard’s credit,” reported the American Architect and Building News, “that no European building has been copied or adapted for this theater. Not only is the plan of the interior original in every way, but the vast amount of ornamental details has been carefully designed and modeled under the personal supervision of the architect.”

1913

The Majestic made its debut on February 16, 1903. It was unlike any other opening night in Boston theater history. And it was a theater manager’s dream. Every seat in the house—then reported to be 1,700— was sold. One newspaper numbered the audience at nearly 2,000. Another writer claimed that “manager C.H. Smith decided to stop the sale of any sort of tickets for he knew full-well the massive stone and cement wall of his theater was not elastic,” as “hundreds and hundreds” were turned away. The “musical fantasy” The Storks was on stage, but the building stole the show.

The Birth of a Nation, the first full-length motion picture, starts the second leg of its Boston run with eight weeks at the Majestic.

1942 Gloria Swanson appears in Three Curtains.

Shubert Archive

Oscar Strauss’ 1909 Broadway hit, The Chocolate Soldier, based on George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man, opened at the Majestic on October 17, 1910, and enjoyed return engagements in 1912 and 1930.

Jordan turned over the management of the theater to two gentlemen who had produced the Majestic’s first production [see “Managing the Majestic,” p. 10]. By the winter of 1907, La Gioconda, Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, Faust, Aida, La Traviata, Carmen, Lucia Di Lammermoor, and Lohengren would be performed on the Majestic stage by the touring San Carlo Opera Company. Yet, despite its superb acoustics and European-styled, steep tiers, the theater’s management thought the Majestic too diminutive for effective staging of grand operas. The Shuberts changed its status to that of “a dollar house,” and continued to book more popular and fewer classical programs. Jordan went on to finance the Boston Opera House on Huntington Avenue. In 1917, he suffered a paralytic stroke and died. A year earlier, the first full-length motion picture, Birth of a Nation, was shown in the Majestic, foreshadowing the role films would play in the theater’s future. 12

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The Productive Years The Majestic hosted more than 430 live productions and films during its first three decades, according to the Emerson College Archives. The Marx Brothers introduced their comic personas in March 1925 when their I’ll Say She Is played the Majestic. It was one of many comedies, classics, operas, and vaudeville acts broken in on Tremont Street. Live performances included some 19 Shakespeare plays, 16 grand operas, and numerous musicals, revues, and operettas. Those who played the Majestic included Gracie Allen, George Burns, W. C. Fields, Uta Hagen, George Jessel, Gertrude Lawrence, Beatrice Lillie, Shakespearean actor Robert B. Mantell, Ibsen leading lady Allah Nazimova, and operetta heartthrob Donald Brian. William Gaxton led the original casts of two distinctly American hits to graduate from Boston try-outs to Broadway fame: Rodgers and Hart’s beloved A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (with choreography by

Busby Berkeley) in October 1928, and the Gershwin brothers’ Of Thee I Sing (the first musical to win a Pulitzer Prize) in December 1931. “Legitimate” theater and vaudeville acts such as “Thurston the Famous Magician” back in 1918 had certainly been popular, but the Majestic had also enjoyed the addition of a film projector, installed in the mezzanine in 1921. The theater would soon be home to a new film form: talkies. “Between 1915 and 1935, thousands of vaudeville palaces were built, designed to host living performances,” says the Majestic’s current manager, Lance Olson. “Then the talkies came along and made those theaters obsolete. It’s fortunate that the depression hit as well, because owners adapted and reused those palaces, rather than tearing them down and building new ones with improved technology.”

hanging Times, Revamped Venues

Early in 1941, the Majestic hosted a 15-week run of Walt Disney’s animated masterpiece Fantasia and, later, Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane. Then, once again, global turmoil would influence what could be produced. The Majestic had closed after a six-production run of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas at the end of November 1941, and would not reopen until several weeks after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor the next month. Over the next two years, live theater and movies would be interspersed until films would become the main event at the Majestic. Gone With the Wind and other hits like The Song of Bernadette enjoyed several very long runs at the Majestic, while most films were on its screen for one week. Post-War Decline The Majestic closed for over eight months during 1951 and 1952, and was open for only 22 weeks—exclusively for films—during 1952 and 1953. For a Boston distracted by the Korean War and preparing for the return of G.I.s, maintaining a facility like the Majestic, which then had about 1,000 seats, could not be a priority. Across the country, large theaters originally designed for live performances were being converted to movie houses. The Majestic was no exception, and its balcony was closed in 1956. The Majestic was renamed the Saxon Theatre and was operated as a movie venue for the next three decades by Sack Cinemas. The film menu ranged from 1950s and 1960s musicals like Oklahoma and Gigi (with reserved seats and program books for every performance) to 1970s favorites such as Young Frankenstein and All the President’s Men, eventually interspersed with a number of B-grade films. Jordan’s noble opera house was falling into disrepair along with most of Boston’s once-proud theater district. Ironically, the Saxon management, in executing simple solutions

1943 Casablanca plays the Majestic.

to continue daily use of the building, effectively preserved much of it. The theater management had enclosed the theater lobby ornamentation with a suspended ceiling and plywood paneling. The high relief decoration in the house was never altered, though it suffered over time. When the Saxon went dark and its windows were boarded up in 1977, the Tremont Street landmark seemed entombed. Five years later, it was in danger of demolition when Emerson College purchased the building to secure a venue for its student productions and other college events. Rescued, the grand dame was ready for her next act. M

1948 The Red Shoes with Moira Shearer isshown for 18 weeks.

1950 The Country Girl stars Uta Hagen.

1956 Theater becomes a movie house. The balcony is closed. Façade and lobby alterations begin.

1957 Around the Word in 80 Days begins a record-breaking, 101-week run.

1974 Jimi Hendrix documentary plays for three weeks during the theater’s only run-in with rock-n-roll.

1980 Saxon listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of Boston’s “Piano Row” District.

The Bostonian Society

Bostonian Society

In 1930, the lights of Boston’s Theater District included the Majestic marquee. As it approached its third decade, the theater welcomed productions of light operas such as Babes in Toyland, The Merry Widow, and The Chocolate Soldier, and works inspired by not-so-distant history, such as All Quiet on the Western Front and Abraham Lincoln.

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Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

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Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

he Emerson Years

Lawrence Eagle Tribune

Boston’s Majestic Theatre needed tender loving care in 1983 when Emerson College purchased what was know as the Saxon Theatre, a fully depreciated investment with a large deferred maintenance backlog. Emerson, in need of a venue for theater education, embraced the challenge of not only rescuing the theater, but of returning the venue to its roots as a showplace for opera, dance, and the spoken word.

Overleaf: The Cutler Majestic lobby, May 2003. Above: A work in progress, the interior of the Majestic in 1989. Right: Cleanup days, 1989.

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

1983

by Yvonne Hudson The Emerson administrators and restoration consultants who first walked into the Saxon lobby were among those who viewed the toll of neglect. In the lobby, carpeting hid the original mosaic floor and marble steps, plywood paneling still covered the walls and murals, and aluminum siding protected some of the remaining stained glass. Unfortunately, heating and cooling ducts and vents haphazardly interrupted Howard’s design, and there was significant water damage in the auditorium. No one had used the balcony for over 25 years, although former theater manager Brooks Russell admits that he would sometimes take a seat up there to catch a sell-out performance by Boston Lyric Opera. The balcony would take low priority as Emerson set out to first reestablish use of the building. Faculty, staff, administrators, and some performing arts alumni began to pitch in, offering elbow grease and resolve. Undaunted by an enormous stack of junk stored on stage behind the movie screen and seemingly endless numbers of broken theater chairs piled in virtually every nook and cranny, volunteers gathered on a number of Saturdays during 1985 to remove debris from the Saxon so that work could begin. They found artifacts documenting the building’s history–keys, ticket stubs, coat claim checks, wine bottles, playbills and productions signage. In 1989, volunteers returned to help prepare the theater for its reopening. Looking to the future, Emerson aimed to renovate the Majestic as funds became available to provide a venue for student performances and to support local nonprofit arts organizations. When plans for developing a new Emerson campus began to focus on downtown rather than possible suburban locations, the Majestic took on a significant new role at the College. Not only would it become a visible symbol of Emerson in the Boston community, it would anchor

a downtown campus, appropriately located in the Theatre District. Thus, Emerson’s new “Campus on the Common” was established, with the Majestic being the first acquisition toward the College’s permanent Boston home. “Phase I” goals for restoration were set and most were realized by spring 1989. The priorities included replacing the building’s infrastructure. Plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical systems were addressed. Architectural details, such as the façade’s terra-cotta surface, were refurbished. The project included repairs to ornamental plaster and other details throughout the building. The stage floor was rebuilt with poured concrete and a sprung wood dance floor. A counterweight scenery flying system was installed, augmenting the hemp and sandbag system found primarily in Broadway and first-class touring houses. Students would learn to use both the Broadway-style and regional theater standard systems, giving them unusual flexibility as they entered the job market. The building was brought up to code, renovated to comply with fire, landmark and disability access requirements. Recognizing the building’s place in Boston and theater history, the Boston Landmarks Commission designated it an historic landmark in 1986. The initial restoration began in August 1988. Nine months later, on April 26, 1989, students took to the Majestic stage for the first time in George M!, a musical directed by Leonidas Nickole, professor of performing arts.

Emerson College purchases theater. Building reviewed for landmark designation by Boston Landmarks Commission.

1988 Saxon marquee removed. Emerson begins first leg of a restoration that will be completely realized in 14 years. Building permit obtained for Phase I.

1989 The Emerson Majestic Theatre reopens with an Emerson Musical Society performance of George M! on April 26. Opera returns to the theater for the first time since 1955 when Boston Lyric Opera presents Tosca. Emerson Stage’s Hamlet revives Shakespeare in the Majestic 51 years since a production of Timon of Athens in 1938.

Karen Couture

Emerson students reopened the Majestic on April 26, 1989 after Phase I restoration with the musical George M!

Regional Arts Venue

dream. Even for professionals, it’s rare The Majestic quickly emerged as an to play a pre-Broadway house. So, it’s important venue for many Bostonarea not-for-profit arts producers and especially magical for students.” The fact that the Cutler Mapresenters. They have included Opjestic operates as a “road house” for era Boston (formerly Boston Acadvisiting troupes provides students emy of Music), Boston Lyric Opera, with experience pertinent to the fast Handel and Haydn Society, Boston load-ins and load-outs required by Early Music Festival, New England the types of touring companies they Conservatory Opera Theater, World may join upon graduation. Music, the former Dance Umbrella, “Our technical students benefit Eifman Ballet St. Petersburg, José greatly from the space,” says Shea. Mateo’s Ballet Theatre, Ramon de “They are the stage hands and hang los Reyes Spanish Dance Theatre, and focus lights.” The theater’s FleetBoston Celebrity Series, Boston extensive rigging provides additional Gay Men’s Chorus, and the annual hands-on knowledge of the inner Vincent Club show. systems of a large, state-of-the-art Perhaps, most significantly, the Cutler Majestic stage welcomes more theater. The academic mission of the opera than any other theater in New Majestic, was enumerated in 1989 by England, bringing the house full circle to Eben Jordan Dyer’s original Harry Morgan, Shea’s predecessor as department chair. It is “to compleintent. ment and provide the necessary laboratory facility for our performing arts students…” Shea estimates some 100 stuhe Tools of the Trade dents perform on the Majestic stage The Majestic continues to inspire and each year, while a total of 250 may be guide Emerson students on their way involved in productions. As alumni, to careers in performance, design and they take their Majestic experience with them on the job in broadcasting, technical theater. theater, music, and communications “Students are thrilled to work in positions. the Majestic,” says Maureen Shea, chair and professor of performing arts. “It has such an amazing intimacy for such a large theater. It’s like being in a

1991 Emerson celebrates the theater’s 90th anniversary on Valentine’s Day with restoration fundraiser, “Majestic Moments.” The Nutcracker is danced on the Majestic stage for the first time by Ballet Theatre of Boston.

2001 Jacqueline Liebergott, president of Emerson, announces a leadership gift from Ted and Joan BenardCutler toward the full restoration of the Majestic Theatre. Ground is broken for the Tufte Performance and Production Center, which will operate in tandem with the Majestic.

2002 Theater closes to facilitate restoration work.

2003 Restoration work is completed and the Majestic is renamed in honor of the Cutlers. Doors open on May 17 for the annual student EVVY Awards ceremony. Official reopening set for an October 30 production of the Gershwin brothers’ Porgy and Bess. A full season of productions is set (see p. 49).

Eric Levenson

Leonard Bernstein’s Candide was presented by Emerson Stage in April 1999.

The productions of EmerAppropriately, the annual student son Stage have a long tradition at EVVYS awards, the last Emerson the Majestic, with over 50 theater organization to produce in the theproductions since 1989. Works have ater before the Phase II restoration, ranged from Shakespeare’s Hamlet would also be the first to play the to Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, restored Cutler Majestic. Part I: Millennium as well as spring musicals, ranging from Pajama Game to Cabaret. Between 1989 and 2002, the efforts of hundreds of Emerson Preview for the students, both on- and off-stage, have Emerson Family been showcased at the Majestic. The theater has also provided On May 17, 2003, the Cutler Majesa stunning and nostalgic venue tic enjoyed a prelude to the theater’s for visiting artists such as Whoopi grand post-restoration reopening Goldberg, John Ritter, Julie Taymor, during the 22nd EVVY Awards Denis Leary, and Jane Alexander, program. Befitting the theater’s 21stSpalding Gray and Leslie Nielsen. century purpose, Emerson students, All told, 300 productions—music, families, alumni, and presenters from theater, dance, opera, comedy, benthe communications and arts commuefits, and more—have occupied the nities were the first to get a pre-openMajestic in the past several decades, ing peek at what the building’s first rivaling, the variety and volume of external audiences will experience programs the theater saw before its this year. stint as a movie house. Capturing the mission of EmAn enormous laboratory, the erson and the symbolism inherent in theater provides working knowledge the landmark theater, the EVVYs of a facility much like the houses in continue a tradition of entertainment, which technicians, actors, directors, history, and appreciation. The EVVY and designers may work in New proceedings annually pay tribute to York and on tour. Communication students who are learning and living systems have been upgraded to supthe reality of today’s communicaport live broadcasts as well as taping. tions trade. The 2003 program also honored the reality of a restored state-of-the-art performance facility and historical landmark. While also lauding the Emerson leadership

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

whose foresight has sustained the venue over two decades, the evening was filled with nostalgia. It was just over 100 years since the first opening night of the Majestic and a year since Emerson students had been able to perform on its stage. Indeed a renewed light in Boston’s theater district —as represented by its updated marquee and restored façade lighting—the Cutler Majestic shines as it did on opening night in 1903. It is now a century since patrons first marveled at the theater’s electric lights, and on this night participants on both sides of the proscenium were literally illuminated from within and without. The faux polished marble in the lobby shone. As audience members entered the two-story lobby, they greeted themselves in a mirror that was painted over when the College acquired the theater, according to Brooks Russell, who was theater manager at that time. Guests can’t resist looking up at the Dodge murals, restored by Emerson in 1993 [see opposite page]. It is impossible to see where one was repaired after a Saxon Theatre ventilation duct had pierced it. The gold cherubs grinned as the lobby lights are flashed, signaling the time to have one’s ticket torn and to settle into seats that look just like the originals—sans wire hat racks. Some audience members walked past their assigned rows to the front of the orchestra. Turning their backs to the stage, they looked upward, taking in the astounding colors and detail of the restored ceiling, balconies and boxes. Every surface restored, there was light everywhere, more light than this house has ever seen. Each string of pearls shone, and the proscenium was traced in light. Every box was outlined in light as if to say “look who is sitting over here.” Even the theatrical lighting seems integral, though not in keeping

with the Majestic’s original decor. Lighting positions are now somewhat disguised; necessary poles and stands thoughtfully affixed to the Majestic’s walls have been painted to blend with the salmon and green backgrounds of the theater’s earthy colors—colors that haven’t glowed so vibrantly for decades. No curtain—not tonight. While the 1903 audience would have seen a romantically painted drop curtain depicting an idyllic garden scene, EVVY audience members enjoy a delightfully choreographed and highly technical evening in which history and preservation are also stars. A big difference in 2003 is the integration of technology. For the EVVYS broadcast, student technicians literally called the shots as quick-stepping camera personnel followed both award winners and presenters throughout the auditorium and on stage. Participants in a wide range of communications projects, including films, television, radio, and design had been nominated for the EVVYs, Emerson’s award to recognize both accomplishments and potential. When the house lights dimmed—only slightly it seemed— dancers, the first to appear on the newly laid “boards” of the Majestic, moved to Gloria Estefan’s “Rhythm of the Night,” a contrast to the drawing room comedies, vaudeville and operettas of a century earlier. Nevertheless, despite the strong broadcast presence in the house, the century since the theater first opened seemed to dissolve, so overwhelming was the grandeur of the room. “I’m honored to be here in this great building,” says a humbled Douglas Herzog ’81, president of USA Network, who received the Alumni Award of distinction. Applause. “What a great tribute to the great changes here at Emerson College and to the leadership of President Liebergott,” Herzog observed.

Applause. When Robert A. Silverman, vice president for administration and finance, was recognized for his leadership on this complex and longanticipated project, he received the first standing ovation in the restored Cutler Majestic. Applause. Something the Majestic’s walls haven’t heard for quite a while. The future beckons. The Cutler

Majestic Theatre and the adjacent Norman I. and Mary E. Tufte Performance and Production Center are about to embark on a long collaboration dedicated to imagination and innovation. M

Murals Welcome Audience Members When Emerson purchased the theater in 1983, the six idyllic canvas paintings above the Majestic lobby were covered with 80 years worth of dust, dirt and grime. During the Saxon Theatre years, a suspended ceiling covered them and one was damaged by ductwork. The murals were created in 1903 by William de Leftwich Dodge, a New Yorker whose existing public work also graces the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the State House in Albany, New York. The murals represent the art of the theater with the two largest paintings depicting Egyptian and Greek festivals.

A theater restoration fund established in memory of Frank Napal ’69, G’70, was used in part to restore the murals to their original beauty with much of the funding supporting the theater’s restoration to operating condition. Damage to the mural was repaired and the works were cleaned by an inch-by-inch restoration that took two and a half months of meticulous work. A dedication ceremony of the newly restored Dodge murals took place in October 1993. The murals have welcomed Majestic audiences ever since.—YH A lunette of the William de Leftwich Dodge mural, rededicated in 1993 after restoration. Frank Monkiewicz

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

Current view of the house from the stage Photo by Bruce Martin

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

essage from the Vice President for Administration and Finance

To the Emerson and Greater Boston arts communities: When people ask me why Emerson decided to restore the Majestic to its original grandeur rather than simply renovate it, which would have been much less expensive, I often respond, “because we could.” Of course there’s much more to the story than that, but I’m getting ahead of myself. When the Majestic Theatre opened in 1903, the Boston Globe described it as “the most beautiful playhouse Boston has seen yet.” By all contemporaneous accounts it was. Architect John Galen Howard, one of 400 or so Americans trained at L’Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, had also attended MIT, and his design for Boston’s newest opera house was noteworthy both for its ornate style and its technologically advanced design. For half a century patrons of the Majestic enjoyed first-rate performances of opera, drama, musical theater, dance and concert music, but in the decades that followed, vaudeville and motion pictures became the order of the day. When Emerson acquired the building in 1983, it was an abandoned movie house, symbolic of the neglect that befell the entire Theater District. The good news was that the structural integrity of the Majestic remained intact, thanks to its superior original design and construction, which prevented significant water damage from occurring. While the previous owners had painted, decorated and renovated with little regard for historic integrity, they did not destroy the underlying beauty and craftsmanship of the original interior.

Unlike many other venues that had been permanently damaged or altered, the Majestic was a prime candidate for restoration. The work would be done in phases, beginning in 1987 with a cleanup and repair program that lasted nearly two years. Restoration work on the façade of the building was done in 1993. In 2000, Emerson committed itself to undertaking a sweeping program to restore the Majestic to its original splendor, while upgrading its technical systems. The College made this commitment not just because restoration could be done, but because it should be done. The College had the wisdom to see it as an investment, not just in preserving the past, but in assuring the future success of Emerson’s performing arts programs, the viability of the Theater District, in which Emerson had chosen to reside, and the vitality of the Greater Boston arts community, of which Emerson is a part. It has been my privilege to oversee the restoration program and, in the process, to work with some of the most talented and dedicated architects, artisans, construction personnel and technical consultants in the country, as well as Emerson’s own outstanding staff in construction management, government and community relations and other areas. I especially wish to thank the architectural firm of Elkus/Manfredi and Lee Kennedy Company, the general contractor. Robert Silverman Vice President for Administration and Finance Emerson College

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Restoring A National Treasure

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003 Frank Monkiewicz

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“

The goal of the project was to balance all decorative elements and to honor the building’s use as a theater. Jeff Greene

” 27

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003 Rick Friedman

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

Theater for the Next Century

By Yvonne Hudson

Bruce Martin

“I was standing on a scaffold, looking up at the ceiling and thinking that no one else would ever be this close to it, maybe not for another 100 years,” said Rebecca Nabors. Along with Nicholas Vurgelis and Tamazine Taggart, two other members of the Emerson Class of 2003, Nabors assisted in the Majestic restoration. They worked under the tutelage of experts from EverGreene Painting Studios, Inc., the New York Citybased firm retained by Emerson to recreate the building’s decorative finishes for the next century. On his first exploratory visit to the Majestic in the early 1990s, Jeff Greene, EverGreene founder and the manager for decorative restoration in the theater, recalls surveying “a unique space with that lattice sky and echoing arches going up into the balcony” and “a facility in reasonably good condition.” “Closer examination revealed even greater variety than we ever expected,” Greene adds. “We could sense the freedom with which the creators of the Majestic decorated.”

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Robert A. Silverman, Emerson looking project next door,” says RobCollege’s vice president for adert Koup, the firm’s vice president ministration and finance, observes: and manager for both projects. “Remarkably, the Majestic was very While much of Elkus/ well preserved, perhaps by pure luck. Manfredi’s work for the College Despite water damage and conditions over the past 10 years has involved wrought by abandonment, so much “adaptive reuse”— the industry term of the Majestic was intact.” describing the preservation of signifiSilverman says the original cant existing buildings while adaptdesign contributed to a more advaning them to new use — the Majestic tageous situation for those restoring project was different. It required the building. “The Majestic has a careful restoration of existing original huge attic—actually a double roof,” finishes and seamless integration of says Silverman. audience amenities and state-of-the“In creating systems that were art theater technology while maindeemed cutting edge in 1903,” says taining the building’s original use. Silverman, “the designers addressed “This has been an absolutely concerns for ventilation that resulted unique experience,” Koup observes. in their version of air conditioning. “I love a complicated project,” Exhaust fans pumped hot air out he says, standing inside the Majesthrough the ceiling medallions.” tic a century after the theater first Thus, the ceiling didn’t overheat opened. As he takes in the results of while its design further protected the Phase II of the Majestic restoration building over the years. in 2003, Koup remains impressed by However, the architects for both the ingenuity of the original architect the Cutler Majestic restoration and John Galen Howard. Koup views the Emerson’s new Tufte Performance theater’s massive, cantilevered baland Production Center, Elkus/ conies as if seeing them for the first Manfredi Architects Ltd. of Boston, time although he has been working in would take on an even more intricate the space for months. challenge: to integrate a restored Other experts working on the century-old theater with a brand Majestic’s multi-faceted team of new state-of-the-art educational arts consultants were equally fascinated center. by what the Majestic’s original archiHoward F. Elkus, principal tects accomplished. of Elkus/Manfredi Architects Ltd, Steven Friedlander, project observes that the Majestic was a somanager for Auerbach•Pollock• phisticated, well-designed structure Friedlander, the comprehensive theto begin with. “We have been thrilled ater systems consulting firm working to collaborate with President Lieberwith the architects, remembers the gott and Vice President Silverman in Majestic from his student days at giving form to their bold vision for Boston University. Emerson’s future,” he adds. Since 1983, Emerson College has invested $14.8 million in the At left and in overleaf, restorer restoration of the Majestic. The cost Jeanne Holliman of EverGreene of the most recent renovation was Painting Studios, Inc. hand paints $10 million. decorative woodwork inside the Cutler Majestic Theatre. The same professional teams— some of the country’s leading experts in architecture, restoration, and theatrical systems—were involved in both projects—one, “a kind of look back,” the other, “a very forward

Rick Friedman

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ainting the House

Koup described working with “kid gloves,” constantly asking “what’s the right thing to do” when making decisions that would integrate the theater’s Beaux-Arts sensibilities with today’s standards for a performance venue. For example, the Majestic’s original drop curtain depicted a view from a garden pavilion to a landscape beyond [see p. 8]. The early 20thcentury audience was to experience some sense of the outdoors as the ceiling and ornamentation suggested a garden setting where spotlights and speakers would have seemed out of place. So the Majestic’s team of worldrenowned restorative and systems experts set out to dissect the details of the theater, documenting the original paint, fabric, brass and other fixtures still intact in order to make informed decisions about appropriately designing replacements or reproductions in keeping with the original interior decoration.

The goal of the project was to balance all decorative elements and to honor the building’s use as a theater. “We aimed to be faithful to the original based on the historical facts,” says Greene. EverGreene Studios’ preliminary analysis determined that the Majestic’s relief features were restorable, while finishes and original colors could be replicated. To revisit the original Majestic, the EverGreene staff relied on the first black and white photo taken in the theater as well as the descriptive newspaper and trade publication clippings that reported on the theater in 1903. The team searched for evidence of the building’s original paint colors. Then, the most appropriate methods by which to execute the project “look” of the Majestic’s original decoration were determined. In some instances that required deciding how to replicate some details in new ways. A dissection of paint layers was followed by more painstaking microscopic investigation of layers of color as well as dirt. While common tech-

niques in gilding and glazing were documented in the original work, more recent and intricate analysis revealed more secrets of original materials and paint. This information was used to plot restorative paint, gilding, fabrics, and faux finishes in the theater. EverGreene staff relied on years of collective knowledge to determine how each process would be re-executed for the restoration. Artisans frequently worked on high scaffolding built throughout the house and in the lobby for use by the Cutler Majestic’s varied consultants. Decorative finishes throughout the building include metallic leaf, applied with colored glazes on the grand domes in both the lobby and auditorium, as well as painting— sometimes with specialty processes— intricate plaster relief on such details as angels, cherubs, flowers, and fruit [see “In the Lobby,” p. 39]. EverGreene also consulted on fabrics, such as the box valances, draperies, and wall coverings, working with designers at Elkus/Manfredi, whom Greene credits with “really sweating the details.”

One such decision involved the new carpeting which features a rich gold and green garden design on a red background. While it is in keeping with the interior motif, the carpet is not a reproduction because no original carpeting survived. Another choice involved replicating the valances over the auditorium boxes. The originals were probably embroidered and featured appliqué, but artists recreated the design on the new valances with paint. Choices of finishes and the use of other fabrics were made to reflect both restored and additional elements. At first glance, the Majestic’s scheme of millwork and fabric appears completely integrated, but there is a thoughtful method

This restoration in progress shows the contrast between the former and the new finishes on the ceiling. David Rosen

“I did a study involving renovating the theater systems,” he says, recalling a vacant, neglected facility. “I think back to that time and can only applaud Emerson College for the foresight and determination that it took to get the building to the point it is at today.” Auerbach•Pollock•Friedlander designs and plans performing arts and media facilities, and has worked in that capacity with Elkus/Manfredi and Emerson leadership on both the Majestic and Tufte projects. Friedlander agrees that “upgrading historic theaters to accommodate modern technology is always a challenge. Each project is unique and we treat each theater that way.” For the Majestic, the New York firm’s team advised on lighting, sound, stage house rigging, and fly access, as well as the configuration of pit platforming and the stage floor. They also collaborated with the architects on revisions to the seating layout and designed and commissioned reproductions of the original Majestic seats [see p. 36].

Majestic Transformation The photos that follow illustrate the transformation of deteriorated spaces inside the Majestic Theatre. The pictures in the top row were taken prior to the restoration. The pictures below show the same locations photographed after work was completed. The locations are, l-r: a stained glass window alcove enroute to the mezzanine, a space behind the seating area of the balcony that is now used as a lounge, the theater’s dome, a view of the stage from the back of the orchestra level and a view of the house from the stage. Photos: top row by David Rosen and Majestic files; bottom row by David Rosen and Frank Monkiewicz

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The Architecture of the Majestic

• • • • • • • • • •

John Galen Howard, the architect Elkus/Manfredi Architects Ltd., who designed the Majestic Theatre, the firm that led the restoration was one of only 400 American effort, set out to restore the architects trained at L’Ecole des Majestic’s visual splendor. But the Beaux Arts in the late 1800s. Boston architects and a team of Before moving to Paris, he had expert consultants also employed attended MIT. So, not surprisingly, Yankee ingenuity and upgraded his design for the Majestic was the theater to modern standards of noteworthy both for its functional comfort, safety, and functionality. qualities, such as superb acoustics The improvements included: and sightlines, as well as its classical look, Rococo decoration • Increased seating capacity from and pure visual fun. Emerson has 976 to 1,186 restored Howard’s vision, which • More comfortable seats and included: improved legroom • Expanded accessibility for Ornate metallic leaf with audience and artists intricately colored glazes • Wider aisles Plaster grape arbors, • Safety rails pomegranates, and leafy vines • Expanded washrooms in more Classical pilasters, capitals, and locations cartouches • Additional lobby areas with food Over 5,000 replica lighting and drink amenities fixtures • Improved heating and air Marble, scagliola, marezzo, tile, conditioning and brass • New, professionally appointed Seating and carpeting inspired dressing rooms by 1903 originals • 21st-century stage systems Stained glass windows attributed • Tickets on sale any time by phone to Tiffany and Company or Internet Murals by William de Leftwich Dodge Terra-cotta classical façade Marquee and canopy reflecting 1903 originals 32

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ird’s-eye views

The now-open balcony offers one of the best perspectives of the restored Cutler Majestic Theatre’s interior. It is both the highest point in the house and, historically, the least visited. From the back of the balcony, an almost fish-eye view encompasses the entire megaphone-shaped room, its intricately ornamented ceiling, and all seating levels. Up here, stunning details that may not be discerned from the orchestra floor are seen from inches away. Three round cobalt-blue windows, three feet in diameter, resemble specks of sky when seen from the stage. Here

the windows may be appreciated at eye level when standing behind the theater’s very last row. And while it’s even more apparent that there’s not a bad seat in this house, few patrons sat in the Majestic’s balcony before it closed in 1956. In the early days, ticket-buyers eschewed the upper tiers. “As was the tradition 100 years ago, the balcony did not have access to the main lobby,” says Friedlander. “This was done to separate the patrons in the ‘cheap seats’ from those in the better seats.” Today’s balcony is a far cry from the dark, dust-coated area project team members visited before renovation began. To accommodate 21st-century audiences, Friedlander’s consultants worked closely with Elkus/Manfredi Architects to revise the circulation layout in the balcony and orchestra, creating new access paths or stairs to improve traffic flow and safety. “We worked on creating safe circulation to the upper seats while not compromising the excellent sightlines to the stage,” Auerbach•Pollock• Friendlander’s project manager Don Guyton says.

Upstairs, safety railings and new stairway angles were added at the bottom of the balcony, improving the experience of patrons in that high perch. Sample railings were tested to determine that a thin, slanted design would least interfere with patrons’ views. On the orchestra level, a new aisle cuts through the middle of the house where an accessible row for disabled patrons was added. Behind that aisle, the floor was raised to create improved sightlines and the feeling of the more intimate “stalls” found on the first floors of European theaters. “There’s a sense of this rapport as one tries to return the space to the feeling of the original, to establish a certain authenticity so that it feels right as a theater space,” says Greene, adding that an infinite variety of styles and inspirations converge in theaters. “Courthouses may be restrained,” says Greene. “Churches are built to the glory of God. But theaters may be any motif—even celestial or art deco. The exuberance of the decoration in theaters is so wonderful and over the top.”

Greene points out that of some 10,000 historic theaters that may have existed throughout the U.S. perhaps only 1,000 have been restored to continue service to their original purpose. “The art is when all the elements come together. It’s a little bit like magic or alchemy when it all comes together and works,” Greene notes. Theater Manager Olson puts it like this: “You need both a beautiful building and a technologically-advanced facility. The Majestic can be seen as a 21st-century theater inside a 19th-century landmark.” Outside, the restored stained glass windows are now backlit at night. The ornate 1903 terra-cotta decorations look brand new. The original façade lighting and marquee were replicated. The lights are on at 219 Tremont Street, beckoning a new century of patrons to “the most beautiful playhouse Boston has seen yet,” as the Boston Globe described the Majestic one hundred years ago. M

he House is Now Open

All levels of the building are now connected by the architects’ creation of hallways and stairways where none had previously existed. Where the original builders reflected the class distinctions of their era, today’s architecture and design teams rebuilt the main stairs, connecting the stairwell to the top level. In addition, those who make their way to the Majestic’s uppermost tier will for the first time have the convenience of a cozy, well-appointed bar, with seating neatly tucked under the incline of the balcony above. The five food and drink service areas throughout the building include a downstairs lounge that features an original fireplace and a mezzanine lounge over the lobby.

Frank Monkiewicz

Current view of the stage from the last row of the balcony.

to it. Box rails and ledges are once again covered in lush, peach velvet, and draperies and other soft goods were recreated. Millwork played a minimal role in the 1903 Majestic. So, where new doors, framing, and cabinetry were required for the orchestra’s new back and sidewalls, woodwork was chosen to complement the original wood trim on the seats. On additional balcony facings, paint mimics the fabric and wood colors from downstairs, retaining the look while also stating “This is a new addition.” The auditorium’s wall covering was researched from “a tiny bit” of the original silk damask found on inner walls of a service area that was reconfigured in the renovation. “It was from those remnants and historic photographs that we developed the new damask wall covering,” said Greene. Fire-retardant wall board with a look-alike covering suited the project for the 21st century, but the effect is the same in 2003 as it was a century ago: a subtly elegant backdrop for the room’s rich and colorful ornamentation. Now, an enormous red curtain is trimmed in long gold fringe consistent with the original show curtain.

hat Is ‘Beaux Arts’? sculptures lean over their guests. The golden latticing on the ceiling is garnished with grape clusters, and if you look carefully, you can ‘see’ the sky peering through the open spaces. The Cutler Majestic is one of the few remaining examples of the Beaux Arts style in the United States. It is revered for its grandeur, impeccable craftsmanship, and attention to detail. The Majestic is more than a building. It is an expression of personality, a fusion of art forms, and most of all, it is a wonder to behold.

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Bruce Martin

Why do people stop and stare in amazement when they walk into the Cutler Majestic? The answer lies in the ornate, “Beaux-Arts” design that captivates the eye and stirs the heart. You don’t have to be an architect to see how classical and decorative themes are intermingled throughout the theater. The exterior has a sturdy classical look with its Roman ionic columns, but the interior columns are swirled with rich, red marble and crowned with gold-leafed masks, leaves and cherubs. While classicism would call for geometric patterns and organized lines, thick garlands of fruits and flowers appear. On walls where one might expect to see one-dimensional murals, full-figured

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nhancements to the Majestic Experience and the technical galleries rebuilt. Grid access was simplified via an elevator that the Majestic shares with the new Tufte Center (see. p. 43). The two facilities are now seamlessly connected backstage. Artists will now grace the Majestic stage after preparing in spacious and fully appointed dressing rooms in the Tufte Center. A green room in Tufte will also welcome guest artists in the Majestic. Gone are the days of dressing in trailers in the alley. The entire theater has been equipped for television. Cableways link nine camera locations with a production “B-truck” complete with ample “shore power,” or to Emerson’s master broadcast control in the Tufte Center. An uplink will allow for live broadcasts.

air conditioning system designed to keep the balconies as comfortable as the main floor. New and expanded restrooms were carved out of utility space, more than doubling former capacity. Patrons will find four computerized box office windows where there formerly were two. Now, the house is enclosed with a richly appointed back wall and soundproof doors. In 1903 draperies muffled street noises and cold drafts. Entrances were modified to allow for wheelchairs and simplify audience access. The enhancements are painted to blend with the decor and are invisible to guests. Behind the new stage curtain, the stage, dressing rooms, and orchestra pit are fully accessible for performers and technicians using wheelchairs. The new stage floor surface meets the demanding standards of international ballet companies. Traps allow for special effects and new pit infill platforms extend the stage over the orchestra pit, further adding to the Majestic’s already recognized intimacy. Overhead, line sets (rigging from which lighting and scenery may be hung) were added

Even the building’s already superb acoustics were enhanced. Digital audio reinforcement uses nearly invisible speakers strategically placed throughout the Majestic to ensure that the sound of the performers’ voices is natural and clear. A new FM listening system enhances the concert experience for the hearing impaired. Damping and insulation reduce air conditioning noise to a whisper. Sound locks and gaskets reduce the intrusion of street noise. Steven Friedlander, system project manager of Auerbach• Pollock•Friedlander says, “This renovation restores the grandeur of the space and enhances the technical capabilities to a level that matches those of recently renovated theaters in New York and around the country.”—YH

Frank Monkiewicz

The Cutler Majestic renovations make this landmark more comfortable for audiences on both sides of the curtain: students, ticket buyers, guest artists, technicians, and staff. In addition to meeting all current safety codes, the improvements provide modern conveniences and leave room for advanced technologies in the future. The upgrades offer the latest in lighting, sound, scenery, and video systems that are ideal for modern touring and local productions. Hidden improvements include a new

The best seats for the house

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Grand Rapids’ venerable Irwin Seating Company, international experts in theatrical seating since 1907, applied their craft to both restore the originals and create the theater’s new wood framed, green upholstered chairs. Seating specifications were designed by Auerbach•Pollock•Friedlander, the Cutler Majestic’s theatrical systems consultants. Theater Manager Lance Olson explains that similar reproductions by Irwin can be seen in the restored New Amsterdam Theater in New York City.

The wood gleams on the new Cutler Majestic seats, more sturdily hinged then their predecessors for row accessibility and increased durability. Throughout the theater, patrons will enjoy wider aisles and more legroom. In addition, the new raised section of the orchestra level and the front center section of the mezzanine feature “VIP sections” with slightly wider and more generously padded seats for those long nights at the opera.—YH Frank Monkiewicz

Hidden in the disheveled, unlit and unused balcony were pieces of original 1903 Majestic Theatre seats. From this material 56 original seats have been recreated, and they now occupy two entire rows of the balcony. The reproductions that surround the original seats are so authentic looking that one can barely discern the difference.

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indows on Tremont Street

David Rosen

The integration of the Cutler Mabuildings and projects for other pubjestic’s stained glass windows is so lic settings in the early 20th century, effective that their beauty might be such as Boston’s State House. overlooked in favor of their design. It was at the height of this era In fact, the original designers sought that the theater’s windows were creto accomplish a seamless look while ated and installed. However, Hovey anticipating the various angles from Studios’ analysis revealed that the which the windows might be viewed, process used to create the glass itself says Tom Barber, project manager of was complicated. And Hovey had to Lyn Hovey Studios of Boston. While not only repair seven windows, but the analysis and planning for restorreplace two missing windows with ing the windows spanned three years, authentic replicas. Lyn Hovey’s firm spent nearly an “These were high opalescent additional year executing the project, windows, from a period when layerfrom summer 2002 to spring 2003. ing opalescent glass was a fairly In 1903, Barber explains, exnew American phenomenon,” notes perimentation in the art of stained Barber. glass was at its peak. While the The windows are constructed studios of Louis Comfort Tiffany and of three layers of opalescent glass. William LaFarge set a high standard, To get five square feet of usuable others imitated their innovation and material, Barber had to order 60 imaginative use of glass for effects sheets from a specialty glassmaker in yet unseen in windows in America. Illinois. For each new window, the “They used techniques that were process involved cutting the glass unusual in those times,” said Barber from sections that most emulated of the Majestic windows’ designthe ribbon-like effect of the original ers. “Some high experimentation was ‘drapery’ glass in surviving windows. going on.” “Drapery glass,” an effect inventBut within the context of ed by Tiffany and LaFarge, employs American stained glass design, the folding molten glass onto itself so Majestic windows are not uncommon. that color effects could be maximized The same type is found in municipal without painting the glass. Barber recognized that the designers considered the building’s purpose when creating windows for the Majestic. “When you first enter and look at the marblelization on the columns, you’ll see the same use of that look in the second level windows,” he says, observing that original colors of paint might have indeed influenced the glass color schemes. “On the first level, the decorative leading and the effect of the drapery glass is on the exterior. In a church, the most decorative side is displayed on the inside, in the sanctuary. You may be in a church in the daytime, but you’re in a theater at night.” Barber sees the Majestic windows as “a unique convergence of all these considerations.” As the Majestic’s windows retain their brilliance from the street or interior—at any time of day—the designers met their 38

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goal of achieving a unique luminosity to impress from any angle. In recent years, Barber notes, “windows were broken, pieces falling out. The second level windows were in really bad condition.” In order to recreate the original effect, he had to first repair seven existing windows, which required replacement of missing and broken glass. He then had to replicate a missing transom and window on the second level, as well as one of the cobalt windows in the balcony. In such restoration, windows are removed in large sections or in their entirety. Getting old, dirty windows out in one piece is not easy, says Barber. The windows are brought to the studio where the staff maps each section and logs every piece. A rubbing of each window assists in keeping an accurate record of the original condition of the window and the layout of each piece of glass. The lead is “unzipped” from between glass sections so that all the original glass

pieces may be catalogued, cleaned, and, eventually, replaced. The damage from acid rain and auto exhaust fumes can’t be reversed, and “it permanently dulls the surface,” says Barber. But years of dirt buildup can be removed and the glass is made as pristine as possible. To recreate just one of the lobby windows, Barber estimates he spent about 80 hours in the studio. Reinstalling the windows required rebuilding the sashes and installing them from the inside. New and recreated windows were assembled at the studio and each was refitted as a complete unit from the outside. The mezzanine level windows had to completed and reinstalled before the restroom partitions and fixtures could be installed. The timing for this work was choreographed by Pam Brooks, job manager for Lee Kennedy Company, Inc., the general contractor for the Majestic and Tufte Center projects. –YH

Douglas Smith

In the Lobby The world of a play is created through scenic devices such as realistically painted drops and set pieces. Thus it seems fitting that the painted decoration in the Cutler Majestic foyer also creates some grand illusions. There, a technique dating to 14th-century Italy, provides the magic of scagliola, the “marble” throughout much of the 1,400 square foot lobby. Scagliola employs inlaying color pigment into plaster. More durable than wood, plaster is often used with faux finishes. The plaster is polished to create a permanent, high-gloss finish. (Pages throughout

this publication feature photos of the red “marble” seen throughout the Cutler Majestic lobby.) While the original design of the Majestic included some real marble, artisans of New York’s Artificial Marble Company first created the original veined red walls and pillars of the theater’s lobby in 1903. Original scagliola work was revealed when Emerson began cleaning up the Majestic in the late 1980s, but the Manhattanbased EverGreene Painting Studios, Inc. has restored the original magnificence of the lobby’s sleekly polished surfaces for future generations. Also in the 2003 lobby, original brass work and murals [see p. 19] are complemented by new ticket windows, doors, and case

work. In addition, new “latecomer” monitors allow audience members to watch productions on screen in the lobby until ushers may seat them at appropriate points in the performance. The original Italian mosaic floor is still underfoot, but gone are the draperies “in silk velour of peacock-blue richly embroidered in gold,” as described by The American Architect and Building News a century ago. However, today’s patrons, ever aware that theater is a reflection of humanity, still enjoy a last glimpse of themselves in the lobby’s grand mirrors as their tickets are torn. —YH

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

Tribute to the Cutlers

‘Thank You, Ted and Joan’

“Ted and Joan have played a defining role not only in the restoration of the Majestic, but also in enabling Emerson to build a new ‘Campus on the Common,’ said President Jacqueline Liebergott. “Their generosity extends as well to numerous other cultural, educational and medical institutions.” At Emerson, she added, “the Cutlers have brought to campus an infectious enthusiasm that has energized students, faculty, staff, and alumni and enhanced Emerson’s visibility and stature in Greater Boston and well beyond. In word and in deed, they personify the ideals of the College, and we are proud to attach their name to the Majestic Theatre, which is the jewel in our crown.” The evening’s highlights included the unveiling of the new Cutler Majestic Theatre marquee and the presentation of a portrait of Ted and Joan, by artist Warren Prosperi, that will hang in the lobby of the theater. Mr. Cutler, a 1951 Emerson graduate and an internationally-known travel executive, has served on the College’s Board of Trustees since 1997 and chaired it since 2001. He and Mrs. Cutler live in Boston. Reflecting on the Majestic restoration project, Mr. Cutler said: “By itself, the Majestic is a landmark Boston theater and a national treasure. But when you combine it with the new Tufte Performance and Production Center, the two adjoining buildings create a centerpiece for Emerson College, a focal point for our programs in performing arts and communication. No other college in the country has facilities like these. This is what excites us the most about the restoration project. You have to give Jackie and Rob [President Jacqueline Liebergott and Vice President Robert Silverman] all the credit in the world.” Mrs. Cutler added, “Quite frankly I was amazed when I saw what had been done inside the theater. I remember it as a movie theater. It was beautiful before the restoration started, but now it’s absolutely magnificent.” “Actually, the Majestic was magnificent all along,” Mr. Cutler chimes in, “you just couldn’t tell because it was all covered up. What we did was peel away the layers and return it to its original glory.”

Bruce Martin

Allan Dines

Several hundred Emerson officials, family members, friends and colleagues of Ted and Joan Benard-Cutler gathered at the Cutler Majestic Theatre on May 13 to preview the newly-restored landmark venue and to acknowledge the couple’s civic and philanthropic leadership.

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

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T he T ufte Performance and ProductionC enter

Together, the Majestic and the Tufte Center support our academic mission. I do not know of any other college that has

Peter Schweitzer

anything comparable.

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

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Jacqueline Liebergott

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

Elkus/Manfedi Architects

Below, Computer drawing of the new Kermit and Elinore Greene Theater in the Tufte Performance and Production Center.

The restoration and reopening of the century-old Cutler Majestic Theatre dovetails with the construction of the first new building in Emerson College’s 123-year history—the Norman I. and Mary E. Tufte Performance and Production Center. “The two buildings are as different as night and day in style and architecture,” says Emerson President Jacqueline Liebergott, “but they are connected physically and programmatically. Together, the Majestic and the Tufte Center support our academic mission. What makes them unique is the melding of the old and the new, the fusion of elegance and technology. I do not know of any other college that has anything comparable.” Grafton Nunes, dean of the School of the Arts, adds, “At the Majestic our students gain experience in a world-class proscenium theater of breathtaking beauty and acoustical brilliance. This brings out the best in their talent, imagination and craft. The theaters in the Tufte Center are

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

flexible and intimate laboratories for advanced work in multiple theatrical styles. They are powerful tools that can help students push the limits of how they can move their audiences.” The 80,000-square-foot Tufte Center was designed by Elkus/ Manfredi Architects Ltd. to house two theaters, two television studios, make-up and costume work areas, dressing rooms, an art gallery, offices, and classrooms. The Center’s television studios are equipped with the latest digital equipment and are configured to support instruction as well as production and broadcasting. The state-of-the-art theaters are designed to provide actors and technicians with experience working on stages of varied configurations. Theatre 1, which spans four levels, has a “thrust stage” and seats 210 peple. The Kermit and Elinore Greene Theater, built in “end proscenium” style, has 130 seats. Complementing the “Broadway” feeling and box seats of the Majestic, the Tufte theaters will host diverse projects ranging from musicals and dance programs to more untraditional productions. While the 11-story, modern steel and glass structure adjoins the Cutler Majestic at 219 Tremont Street, its entrance is at 10 Boylston Place, the picturesque, red brick walkway that runs alongside the Walker Building at 120 Boylston Street. Robert Koup, vice president and project manager for Elkus/Manfredi, described the lot as “an irregularly shaped site given its identity by the irregularly shaped geometry that defined the project.” Tucked behind the Cutler Majestic, the Tufte Center is tightly surrounded by existing buildings. “This is perhaps the most creative use of surplus space I have ever seen,” says Koup of what many considered an unusable piece of land. In designing the building, the architects, in tandem with the general contractor, Lee Kennedy

Left, Emerson College Trustee Marillyn Zacharis and Board Chair Ted BenardCutler participate in groundbreaking ceremonies for the Norman I. and Mary E. Tufte Performance and Production Center on October 12, 2001. Construction was completed in the summer of 2003. The Center is named in honor of Zacharis’ parents.

Co., Inc., viewed the entire building as “performance space.” As a result, the functionality and purpose of the structure is obvious throughout. Technical support for lighting and other aspects of the theaters and studios was provided by Auerbach•Pollock•Friedlander of New York, which also consulted on the Majestic restoration.

n the Theater District

with its enhanced space and technology and its downtown location, more than offset the loss. The Tufte Center, she adds, will create a more visible presence for Emerson performance and production activities and will attract larger audiences and more guest professionals to the campus. Chats with artists such as Brian Dennehy, Fiona Shaw and Peter Sellars—to name a few recent visitors—will now take place in the neighborhood in which they are performing. Harry Morgan, professor of performing arts, oversaw the initial restoration of the Emerson Majestic Theatre and represented the Department of Performing Arts in the planning of the new Tufte Center. Now, he foresees new programming developing in the enhanced facilities. “We hope that we can generate some original productions, intended to be videotaped in some collaborative effort with the Television Department,” said Morgan. “Perhaps these would be created for video only, not for live audiences.” The diverse performance spaces will allow theater students to simultaneously rehearse and perform throughout the Majestic-Tufte complex. The live broadcast and taping of performances will provide broadcast and film students with valuable production experience. —Y.H.

The impact of the combined Cutler Majestic and Tufte Center project will be felt by future generations of Emerson students whose campus experience will further emulate the professional settings in which they will work after graduation, says Maureen Shea, chair and professor of performing arts. She anticipates the Tufte Center, along with the Majestic, will increase both community and campus involvement at the College. “We’re truly positioned where theaters should be in terms of the Emerson campus,” said Shea of the Center’s location in the Theatre District next to the Cutler Majestic. “We’re at the heart of the campus and this gives us a chance to be a real cultural center for the college.” She acknowledges the nostalgia and warm memories that alumni, students and faculty have for the Coverage of the opening of the Performing Arts Department’s Tufte Performance and Production former Brimmer Street facilities, but Center will appear in the fall 2003 issue says the benefits of the Tufte Center, of Expression.

Elkus/Manfedi Architects

Overleaf, The Emerson Stage production of The Birds, December 1993.

he Tufte Center: Emerson’s New Kid on the Block

David Rosen

A student tests digital editing equipment in the Vin and Cara Di Bona Control Room of the Di Bona Family Television Studio in the Tufte Performance and Production Center.

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

M C ajestic

alendar

For information or to charge tickets visit www.Telecharge.com, 1-800233-3123.

Emerson Stage Presents Jeffrey Hatcher Adaptation of The Fabulous Invalid; Show Business Fable Celebrates the Centennial of the Cutler Majestic Theatre What if a popular theatrical couple died on stage during the grand opening performance of a new theater in 1903? To explore the dramatic possibilities in celebration of the centennial of the Cutler Majestic Theatre, the Emerson College School of Arts and Emerson Stage have commissioned a new version of The Fabulous Invalid, inspired by the George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart comedy. The show will run November 14–22 at the Cutler Majestic Theatre. The adapter is one of America’s most prolific playwrights, Jeffrey Hatcher, who has written the new book for Never Gonna Dance, a new version of Jerome Kern’s Swing Time to open on Broadway in fall 2003. Emerson Stage Producing Director Melia Bensussen, who won a 1999 Obie for her direction of Hatcher’s The Turn of the Screw, will stage The Fabulous Invalid. In Hatcher’s adaptation, the married thespians—“a sort of Lunt and Fontanne of their time, ” says Bensussen—are offered a concession for their dedication to their art and each other: they may stay and haunt the theater. In the century that follows, these dramatic spirits experience the highs and lows of the theater as they debate whether or not to stay married in eternity Bensussen, assistant professor of performing arts, notes that Kaufman and Hart wrote for

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

theaters like the Majestic, and, indeed, bits of the Majestic’s history are woven into Hatcher’s adaptation. Always funny and often moving, this version of The Fabulous Invalid is a powerful affirmation of the art of the theater, and its ability to move people both in front of and behind its curtains. And Emerson’s version is set in the Majestic. “It’s appropriate for Emerson to feature this new play about an old theater in a newly renovated and beloved theater,” observes the director. “This production celebrates the language and beauty of the art form itself in the Majestic, a building that celebrates theater itself.” Bensussen will direct a cast of some 20 students in the show, which will feature guest stars in the leading roles. Boston luminaries will make surprise appearances in cameos throughout the run. —Y.H. For a calendar of upcoming Emerson Stage Productions visit the Department of Performing Arts website at http://www.emerson.edu/ performing_arts or call 617-824-8369 for tickets.

Group Sales or Subscriber Line: MajesTix, 617-824-8000 The Cutler Majestic Theatre will host a wide range of entertainment for audiences of all ages during the 200304 season. In addition to the events listed here, Emerson Stage presents a season of theatre in the Majestic and Tufte Center. Ticket prices and curtain times vary. Visit the Cutler Majestic Theatre’s Web site for full details: www.maj.org. September 19-21 Vespers The Handel and Haydn Society has commissioned the first fully staged production of Monteverdi’s love song to the Virgin Mary, written in 1610. Alongside the chorus and orchestra, celebrated Chinese opera director Chen Shi-Zheng and a troupe of Asian dancers bring an Eastern view to this intensely personal expression of religious devotion. September 23-28 Mozart’s Don Giovanni US debut by Teatro Lirico d’Europa. October 2-4 Noche Flamenca Filled with passion and sensuality, Noche Flamenca’s exhilarating performance captures the heart and soul of traditional flamenco in this World Music presentation. October 17-19 Rennie Harris’ Facing Mekka In the Boston premiere of his astonishing new work, the brilliant and critically acclaimed pioneer of hip-hop choreography Rennie Harris journeys to the roots of hip-hop and joyfully celebrates dance as a universal language. Presented by World Music.

October 28-November 2 The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess Gala Benefit Thursday, October 30, Ritz-Carlton Hotel (Arlington Street)Tickets: $500. Proceeds benefit the restoration project. (see inside back cover for details) November 14 – 22 The Fabulous Invalid Emerson Stage presents Jeffery Hatcher’s new version of the George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart comedy in honor of the restored Cutler Majestic’s centennial (see story, opposite page). November 28-30 Leonard Bernstein’s Candide The musical based on the Voltaire classic is performed by Opera Boston. December 9 - 28 Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol Adapted by Oskar Eustis and Amanda Dehnert Trinity Repertory Company’s thrilling holiday production of A Christmas Carol comes to Boston. January 16-18 Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo FleetBoston Celebrity Series presents the irrepressible troupe that dances the fine line between high art and high camp. January 22-25 Opera TBA by New England Conservatory Opera Theater. January 29-February 1 Flamenco Festival 2004 A World Music production

February 12 and 14 John Adams’ Nixon in China Opera Boston presents this Pulitzer Prize winning opera, exploring the President’s historic 1972 journey to Beijing during the Boston premiere of one of the most influential American operas of the 20th century. February 20-21 Maureen Fleming’s Decay of the Angel A Boston Premiere presented by CRASHarts. March 5-6 Doug Varone and Dancers World Music presents the troupe’s Boston debut. March 7 Kronos Quartet’s Sunrings A presentation of CRASHarts. March 20-21 Something Wilde Robert Moran’s Night Passage, a sophisticated and emotional musical theater work, tells the stories of the hundreds of Englishmen who boarded the ferry to Calais, France, escaping an expected government crackdown on homosexuals on the night of Oscar Wilde’s arrest. The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus performs a program rounded out by music of great classical and popular British composers and a guest star narrator sharing the wit of Oscar Wilde.

April 30-May 2 Verdi’s Luisa Miller Opera Boston showcases a tragic masterpiece of love, intrigue, and murder. May 6-9 Momix CRASHarts presents this innovative troupe. May 15 23rd Annual EVVY Awards Emerson College’s film, TV, journalism, audio, radio, advertising, and PR awards taped live at the Cutler Majestic Theatre. Presenters include industry celebrities, insiders, and distinguished Emerson alumni. Tickets on sale April 16, 2004. June 4 -5 Snappy Dance Theater FleetBoston Celebrity Series brings Snappy Dance Theater’s intriguing mix of athleticism, imagination and humor to the Majestic. June 10, 11 and 13 British Invasion: The Songs of Elton John and Queen The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus returns for its annual pride concerts to rock the house with a Technicolor tribute to Elton John, Freddie Mercury and Queen and other great gay icons of British pop music.

March 22-24 Verdi’s La Traviata A new touring production by Teatro Lirico d’Europa, seen for the first time in Boston. March 25-27 Verdi’s Rigoletto Teatro Lirico d’Europa April 1-4 Opera TBA by New England Conservatory Opera Theater

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003

“

A dream is just a vision if it’s only

in your head,

Having just a vision’s no solution, everything depends on execution,

it together.

Sources include: The American Architect and Building News, March 7, 1903

The Boston Globe, February 1903, March 1988, April 1989, February 1993

The art of making art is putting

Sources: The editors for this publication relied heavily on playbills, Emerson College publications, historical compilations of documented performance dates and artists at the Majestic, all part of a wealth of materials housed in the Emerson College Archives.

”

The Boston Herald, February 1903, April 1989 Boston Preservation Alliance Letter, May 1989

Stephen Sondheim,

“Putting it Together,” Sunday in the

“Saxon Theatre: Report of the Boston Landmarks Commission on the Potential Designation of the Saxon Theatre as a Landmark Under Chapter 772 of the Acts of 1975,” 1983 “Emerson Majestic Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts: Historical Decorative Analysis/Investigation and Documentation” by Conrad Schmitt Studios, New Berlin Wisconsin, 1989

“Highlights of the Majestic Theatre” by Robert Machesney, courtesy of Emerson College Archives

Proscenium, January 1999 Boston’s Colonial Theatre: Celebrating a Century of Theatrical Vision by Tobie S. Stein (Colonial 2000, Ltd., 2000)

Emerson Beacon, Winter 1989

Celebrate the reopening of Boston’s restored and enhanced landmark venue, the Cutler Majestic Theatre at a gala benefit performance of George and Ira Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. Considered the premiere American opera, Porgy and Bess entwines pride, prejudice, pathos and passion. An outstanding international company has been touring this acclaimed production, authorized by the Gershwin family, for over a decade.

“John Galen Howard and the Berkeley Campus: Beaux-Arts Architecture in the Athens of the West” by Loren W. Partridge (Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association, 1978)

Design Consultant Charles Dunham Editorial Assistants Lynette Asson Tara Pierson Bruce R. Steele

Cover Photos Frank Monkiewicz (front) David Rosen (back) Other photography provided by: The Boston Public Library The Bostonian Society Emerson College Archives Lyn Hovey Studios The Shubert Archive

Office Of Public Affairs public_affairs@emerson.edu (617) 824-8540 fax (617) 824-8916 Office Of Alumni Relations alumni@emerson.edu (800) 255-4259 (617) 824-8535 fax (617) 824-7807

ess

American Opera House

Porgy and Bess, on the Cutler Majestic stage: October 28-November 2

Special Majestic Issue

Guest Writer/editor Yvonne Hudson

ershwins’

the Restoration of a leading

Emerson Alumni Newsletter, October 21, 1993

Expression is published three times a year (fall, winter and spring) for alumni and friends of Emerson College by the Office of Public Affairs (David Rosen, Associate Vice President) in conjunction with the Department of Institutional Advancement (Jeanne Brodeur ’72, Vice President) and the Office of Alumni Relations (Barbara Rutberg ’68, Director).

A Grand Reopening Gala Honors

Special thanks to Robert Fleming, assistant director of the Emerson College Library for access services and archives, and Lance Olson, manager of the Cutler Majestic Theatre.

Expression Photographers Allan Dines Eric Levenson Rick Friedman Bruce Martin Frank Monkiewicz David Rosen

T G P

orgy and

Expression, 2001-2003

Park with George

Executive Editor David Rosen

Emerson College and Peter Klein present

The choice of the Gershwin masterpiece for Majestic’s 100th anniversary production underscores a shared history among the Gershwin family, the Majestic and Boston’s Theatre District. The original production of Porgy and Bess rehearsed for its preBroadway premiere at the Majestic in 1935 and opened to critical acclaim at the nearby Colonial Theatre.

• • • •

Tuesday, 7:30 pm Wednesday 7 pm Thursday-Sunday 7:30 pm Saturday and Sunday 2 pm

Regular tickets: $45-$65.

Gala Benefit Thursday, October 30 Cocktails and dinner at 5 pm, Ritz-Carlton Hotel (Arlington Street) Tickets: $500. Proceeds benefit the restoration project. For reservations: Contact Jaimee Rizzo, (617) 824-8565 rsvpevents@emerson.edu

Visit www.telecharge.com or call 1-800-233-3123. Group Sales or Subscriber Line: call MajesTix, (617) 824-8000.

Broadway in Boston is partnering with Emerson College in marketing Porgy and Bess.

his special edition

of Expression magazine celebrates the centennial of the Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College. It is devoted exclusively to the history and restoration of this landmark venue and the important role it plays in the life of the College and the city it is proud to call home.

Expression Cutler Majestic Issue 2003