North Shore Music Theatre
Encyclopedia
North Shore Music Theatre is the largest operating regional theater in New England
. It is located in Beverly, Massachusetts
and is one of the few remaining theatre-in-the-round stages left in the United States
.
. It also housed the Youth Performance Academy that provided an opportunity for child actors to perform in up to six shows each year. The theater produced the regional premieres of Hairspray
, Thoroughly Modern Millie
, The Producers
, Contact
, and many others.
The theatre suffered from a serious fire in 2005 and slipped into debt. With debts totaling more than $10 Million Dollars (2009 USD) the theatre closed in June 2009. More than 4,000 people who had prepaid for tickes for the 2009 season were never refunded for their money. The theatre was later acquired by Citizens Bank
in October for $3.6 million (2009 USD). In 2010 a Rhode Island investor reached an agreement with Citizens Bank to buy the theatre. The North Shore Music Theatre reopened in summer 2010.
NSMT's debts included large mortgages on its property and buildings and debts to vendors, the State of Massachusetts, and subscribers who paid in advance for the 2009 Season. Theater officials were in discussions with its senior creditor and were reviewing the options available for liquidating and maximizing the value of the theatre's assets for its stakeholders, as well as identifying potential buyers of the property who might consider a lease back of the theatre.
In November 2009, William Hanney, a Rhode Island investor and owner of Theatre-By-the-Sea
and Entertainment Cinemas, a chain of 10 movie theaters in New England, looked to purchase the North Shore Music Theatre. Hanney reached an agreement with Citizens Bank to reopen the theatre under new ownership. The theater officially reopened in July 2010.
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. It is located in Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides...
and is one of the few remaining theatre-in-the-round stages left in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
North Shore Music Theatre was organized in 1954 by founders Stephan Slane and Ruby Newman. The theater "opened as a part of a national circuit of summer stock theaters designed to present, rather than produce, touring packages of Broadway successes and star-centered comedies". After route 128 was finished in the 1960s, permanent walls were constructed along with heating and air conditioning, and the capacity of the theater was increased from 1,000 to 1,750 and later 1,800 seats. The theater became the largest non-profit theater in New England, and up to 350,000 people attended the musicals performed each year. It presented a six-musical season every year, as well as an annual production of A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
. It also housed the Youth Performance Academy that provided an opportunity for child actors to perform in up to six shows each year. The theater produced the regional premieres of Hairspray
Hairspray (musical)
Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
, Thoroughly Modern Millie
Thoroughly Modern Millie (musical)
Thoroughly Modern Millie is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan, and a book by Richard Morris and Scanlan. Based on the 1967 film of the same name, Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the story of a small-town girl, Millie Dillmount, who comes to New York City to marry for...
, The Producers
The Producers (musical)
The Producers is a musical adapted by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan from Brooks' 1968 film of the same name, with lyrics written by Brooks and music composed by Brooks and arranged by Glen Kelly and Doug Besterman. As in the film, the story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich...
, Contact
Contact (musical)
Contact: The Musical is a musical "dance play" that was developed by Susan Stroman and John Weidman, with its "book" by Weidman and both choreography and direction by Stroman. It ran both off-Broadway and on Broadway in 1999 - 2000. It consists of three separate one-act dance...
, and many others.
The theatre suffered from a serious fire in 2005 and slipped into debt. With debts totaling more than $10 Million Dollars (2009 USD) the theatre closed in June 2009. More than 4,000 people who had prepaid for tickes for the 2009 season were never refunded for their money. The theatre was later acquired by Citizens Bank
Citizens Bank
Citizens Bank may refer to:Financial institutions:*Citizens Bank of Canada, a virtual bank headquartered in British Columbia*Citizens Bank International Ltd., a bank in Nepal...
in October for $3.6 million (2009 USD). In 2010 a Rhode Island investor reached an agreement with Citizens Bank to buy the theatre. The North Shore Music Theatre reopened in summer 2010.
2009 closure and 2010 reopening
In 2009, North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) officials announced that the financially distressed theatre had failed to raise $2 million in philanthropic commitments to fund a new business model and launch a 2009 season. T Although more than $500,000 in pledges had been made since the theatre announced a turn-around strategy in mid April, not enough money was raised to save the season. The planned productions were cancelled.NSMT's debts included large mortgages on its property and buildings and debts to vendors, the State of Massachusetts, and subscribers who paid in advance for the 2009 Season. Theater officials were in discussions with its senior creditor and were reviewing the options available for liquidating and maximizing the value of the theatre's assets for its stakeholders, as well as identifying potential buyers of the property who might consider a lease back of the theatre.
In November 2009, William Hanney, a Rhode Island investor and owner of Theatre-By-the-Sea
Theatre-By-the-Sea
Theatre-By-the-Sea is an historic theater and playhouse at Card Ponds Road in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.-History:...
and Entertainment Cinemas, a chain of 10 movie theaters in New England, looked to purchase the North Shore Music Theatre. Hanney reached an agreement with Citizens Bank to reopen the theatre under new ownership. The theater officially reopened in July 2010.