Page 32 - July 2019 Conference Program Volume 42 No. 01

Forrest Theatre
Photo credit: Whitney Cox. Courtesy of Shubert Archives
Philadelphia, PA

Photography by Whitney Cox. Courtesy of Shubert
Archives.
The Forrest is a quintessential “road house”, used
primarily by touring theatre and dance companies. It
was built in 1927 to compete with rival A.L. Erlanger’s
planned new playhouse at Market and 21st Streets.
The Shuberts intended the new playhouse--named
after Edwin Forrest, the great Philadelphia born tragic
actor of the nineteenth century--to surpass Erlanger’s
new theatre in terms of size and splendor.

The Forrest is one of architect Herbert J. Krapp’s final
theatre designs and also one of his more elaborate.
Built at a cost of over $2,000,000, it boasted many
modern conveniences including wider seats in the
orchestra, a smoking room for both men and ladies in the lower lounge and state of the art ventilation and
electrical systems. The interior was sumptuously decorated with gilt Adam detailing and silk brocade. The
dressing rooms are housed in a separate building and connected by an underground tunnel to the Forrest’s
stage.
Many musicals, dramas and comedies have been launched from the Forrest Theatre. Yiddish Theatre, one man
shows, dance programs, Gilbert & Sullivan productions and the Philadelphia Orchestra have all graced this
stage.
In 2017, an extensive redecoration to the Auditorium and Mezzanine Lounge was completed as well as
improvements to the air conditioning and heating systems. An earlier renovation in 1997 included barrier
removals and accessiblity improvements including the addition of a handicapped accessible bathroom. The
Grand Foyer was redone in the early 1990’s by famous theatrical scenic designer Oliver Smith.

It never gets old...

At the League of Historic American Theatres, we know
that historic theatres never really get old. They just get
more important. That’s why we think it’s important to
have a conference just for historic theatres...

Locations and dates for
the 2020 Regional and
National Conferences
will be available soon.

WWW.LHAT.ORG for
more information.

National Partners
Ambassador Theatre Group ~ Disney Theatrical ~ DLR Group|Westlake Reed Leskosky
National Trust Insurance Services ~ The Nederlander Organization ~ The Shubert Organization

LHAT.ORG

League of Historic American Theatres
Serving Historic Theatres for 43 years.

PAGE 30 | INLEAGUE League of Historic American Theatres