Page 1 of 3 New Exhibit Revives Spirit of Legendary Old Howard Theatre FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 10, 2019 Boston, MA—On Tuesday, September 24, The West End Museum premieres a new exhibit, “The Old Howard Theatre,” in celebration of Boston’s oldest and best-loved playhouse, which stood in the heart of Boston’s Scollay Square just steps from the old West End. The Howard’s origin, glory days, and ultimate demise are recounted through photographs, artifacts, and graphic panels. The show reception takes place on Thursday, October 17 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Concurrent programs—a film screening, an author talk and an evening of burlesque music—complement the show, which runs through February 15, 2020. The exhibit and reception are free; concurrent programs require admission for non-Museum members. (Media note: Find reception and program details on the following pages, download hi-res show images here .) “Scollay Square and the Old Howard will always be connected to the history of the West End,” said Duane Lucia, the Museum’s executive director and exhibit curator. “By the 1950s, the Old Howard had become synonymous with vice and ‘burly,’ and like the West End, a symbol of a bygone Boston deemed by the powers that be as incompatible with the vision of the ‘New Boston’ and urban renewal.” Once a tabernacle for a doomsday sect, the building became a playhouse in 1845 only to burn down a few months later. Funds from a local brewery financed the construction of a new Gothic-like building, which opened its doors in October 1846. The Old Howard (officially, the Howard Athenaeum) enjoyed a heyday of opera, ballet, and serious drama performances through the late 1860’s when its audience dwindled in favor of other local theaters. To claim new patrons, the theater ushered in an era of vaudeville starting in 1869. By the early 1900s, however, variety and burlesque had become the order of the day at the Howard, featuring such legendary performers as Gypsy Lee Rose, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, and Ann Corio. (On October 10, the Museum honors Corio as part of its Italian Heritage Month Honoree Night .) Other renowned entertainers who graced the Howard’s stage during this period include Abbot and Costello, W.C. Fields, Jackie Gleason, and Jerry Lewis. As the burlesque performances grew more risqué, denouncement by the Watch and Ward Society and vice raids by the Boston Police escalated. Indecency charges forced the theater to close in 1853. Seven years later, the Howard National Theatre and Museum Committee formed with a mission to return the Old Howard to its more “legitimate” age. Before those efforts could get off the ground, the building suffered a small and suspicious fire. Already in the swing of urban renewal, the City quickly swooped in and demolished the building, sealing the Howard’s fate forever. Media Contact: Matt Ellis [email protected] 617.278.6560 Museum Contact: Duane Lucia [email protected] 617.416.0718 About The West End Museum: The West End Museum is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and interpretation of the history and culture of Boston’s West End. The Museum’s permanent exhibit, “The Last Tenement,” highlights the immigrant history of the neighborhood through its decimation under Urban Renewal in the late 1950s. The main gallery features rotating exhibits. The Museum is located near North Station. Its entrance is on Lomasney Way. Hours: Tuesday-Friday 12:00pm-5:00pm; Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm. Admission is free. Boston’s Neighborhood Museum