The Colonial Theatre is the oldest continually-operating theater in Boston. Early in the century, Boston was a well-known venue for Broadway producers to try new shows before bringing them to New York. The Colonial Theater offered many of Bostons residents a sneak peak of some of some of the centuries greatest shows.

Opening notes

The theater first opened in 1900 with a production of Ben Hur. This featured a cast and crew of 350 people and eight live horses on stage in full gallop during the chariot race scene. The play was so mechanically and technically extraordinary that it was even featured on the cover of Scientific American, which you may learn when you are here with your rental car Boston.

The theater today

Today when you visit with your Boston car rental, you can still see Broadway productions and pre-Broadway shows. It is often the first theater in the country to house national tours of Broadway shows. They have size on their side, able to host highly technical musicals that some of the other theaters cant produce. Some recent shows here include Avenue Q, Mamma Mia!, The Producers, and Monty Pythons Spamalot.

Grab a bite

When you visit with your Boston rental car, you might want to grab a bite to eat before the show. There are a number of restaurants in the area that cater to the theater crowd. Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is renowned for its stylish dining and a wine list with more than 100 wines by the glass. There is also Teatro Restaurant, a vibrant but casual dining experience in the Theater District. This is a contemporary Italian restaurant that offers small plate dishes.

Nearby hotels

When you are here with your Boston car rental, the preferred hotel for the Colonial Theater is the Hyatt Regency Boston on Avenue de Lafayette. Other nearby hotels include the Courtyard Boston Tremont Hotel, Nine Zero Hotel, Doubletree Hotel Boston, Omni Parker House, Fairmount Copley Plaza Hotel, Park Plaza Hotel, The Four Seasons, the Radisson Hotel, Le Meridian, and the Ritz-Carlton.

Plan your visit

When you visit with your rental car Boston, you can get tickets for events at the Box Office here. Tickets are available online and by phone through Ticketmaster as well, although there is a charge for these services. The Box Office is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during non-performance weeks, and Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. until ? an hour after last curtain time or 6 p.m., whichever is later. They accept cash, MasterCard, Visa, and American Express. Checks and money orders will be accepted at least 10 banking days before the day of the performance. There are also some weeks were student and senior rush tickets will be available for $25 cash only. Check out the website to find out which days this will be available. Valid student ID is required for this purchase.

There are a number of places to park with your car rental Boston as well. There is parking at the Ritz Carlton nearby on Boylston Street, as well as the Radisson Hotel. The Boston Common Garage is open nearby, open 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

When you visit with your Boston car rental, be sure to check out the website for the Colonial Theater to find out what will be playing while you are in town. This theater has always been well-known for being a technically advanced venue where you can see some of the biggest Broadway plays in Boston.