The Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theater, is a 3 600 seat venue. Since the Wang Theaters opening in 1925 it is one of the five largest stages in the country. It was originally called The Metropolitan or "The Met," and was developed by Max Shoolman and designed by Clarence Blackall, a leading American theater architect. At the time, The Metropolitan was hailed as a magnificent movie cathedral, reminiscent of the splendor of a Louis XIV palace and was considered historically the most important Boston landmark of the Roaring Twenties. In 1980, the theatre converted to a not-for-profit organization known as The Metropolitan Center and renovations to the stage and backstage attracted Broadway shows Sweeney Todd with Angela Lansbury, Peter Pan with Sandy Duncan and My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison. Get your chance to visit this historical landmark known as the Wang Theater with your Boston car rentals.

A little history

The Wang Theatre was originally known as the Metropolitan Theatre when it opened in 1925. It was developed by Max Shoolman and designed by architect Clarence Blackall, with the assistance of Detroit theatre architect C. Howard Crane. It seats more than 3,600 people. In 1962 it became the home of the Boston Ballet and was renamed the Music Hall. During the 1960s and 1970s, audiences could see the Stuttgart Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Bolshoi Ballet and Kirov Ballet as well as popular movies and performing artists. With time though, they could no longer attract the large touring companies because of the size of their stage as well as their outdated production facilities.

In sign of the times

Converted to a non-profit center in 1980 and renamed the Metropolitan Center, they were able to attract theatrical performances again. In 1983, Dr. An Wang made a very large donation and the Wang Center was born. From 1989 - 1992, $9.8 million was raised to restore the Theatre. Boston based architecture firm Finegold Alexander + Associates Inc restored the theatre with Conrad Schmitt Studios performing the elegant decoration, gilded moldings, murals, scagliola and marbleized surfaces. Since then, the Wang Theater has risen and become a major Boston attraction. In fact, the lobby was used in the movie The Witches of Eastwick as part of the house in which Jack Nicholson's character lived. You too can walk through the lobby when you travel with your Boston car rentals.

The man behind the name

A large gift in 1983 made in the name of Dr. An Wang, founder of Wang Laboratories, ushered in the era of The Wang Center for the Performing Arts and the Wang Theatre. Dr. An Wang (February 7, 1920 March 24, 1990) was a Chinese American computer engineer and inventor, and co-founder of computer company Wang Laboratories. An Wang also made a substantial contribution for the restoration of a Boston landmark, which was then called the Metropolitan Theatre. The "Met" was renamed in 1983 as The Wang Theatre, and the Metropolitan Center became known as the Wang Center for the Performing Arts.

Keeping the culture

Citi Performing Arts Center is one of the nation's foremost nonprofit performing arts institutions. As guardian of the Wang Theatre and the Shubert Theatre, Citi Performing Arts Center honors all aspects of performing arts. Through its numerous community outreach educational efforts, collaborations and partnerships with the Boston Ballet, Boston Lyric Opera, Celebrity Series of Boston and Commonwealth Shakespeare, Citi Performing Arts Center strives to educate and inspire greater appreciation for the performing arts as an essential component to the fabric of our society. Visit this important part of Bostons theatre society with your Boston car rentals today!