Then and Now - Boston Opera House - Boston, MA

The Boston Opera House is a historic theater located in the Boston Theater District in Boston, Massachusetts. It was originally known as the B.F. Keith’s Memorial Theatre and opened on October 29, 1928 with the film “Oh Kay” starring Colleen Moore. It has undergone several renovations since then.

It was designed by the noted theater architect Thomas W. Lamb, as a venue for vaudeville and motion pictures, but switched to movies only format when it became part of the RKO Pictures chain. It was sold to Sack Theatres in 1965, and renamed the Savoy Theatre. Much of the ornamental facade was covered up around this time.

Sack Theatre sold the building in 1978 to the Opera Company of Boston, and the theater was renamed again to the Opera House. It closed in 1990. Clear Channel Entertainment renovated, restored and reopened the theater in July 2004. Today, the Boston Opera House is a popular venue for a variety of performances, and it is one of the finest theaters in the country. It is also a historic landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.