Cutler Majestic Theatre

Now part of Emerson College’s campus, this 1,200-seat Beaux Arts theater is the second oldest in the Theatre District, and quite the gilded age grand dame. Built in 1903, it was originally designed for opera performances, and the opulent decor echoed the grandeur of European opera houses. Yet, theatrical roots are honored via Greek revival columns and traditional depictions of theater masks decorating the interior. The noble arched windows’ stained glass creates a colorful façade often missed by street level pedestrians. Opera, dance, and theater productions—both classic and progressive—pack the Cutler Majestic schedule. But, like much of the theater district, the Cutler Majestic was tossed around with various entertainment: from vaudeville to cinema, and altered to fit. Emerson’s intervention in the early 1980s and its subsequent renovations have preserved and revived this architectural and artistic gem, which is a member of the national League of Historic American Theatres and a Boston Historic Landmark.