Bijou Theatre

The Bijou Theatre was a historic theatre in Boston, Massachusetts, located on the second floor of the building at 545 Washington Street, near what is now Boston's Theatre District. It operated under the Bijou name from 1882 until 1943 and was one of the city's notable late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century entertainment venues. The building had originally been constructed in 1836 as the Lion Theatre. It subsequently operated under several names, including the Melodeon, Melodeon Varieties, the New Melodeon, the Mechanics Institute, and the Gaiety, before being acquired and remodeled for a new theatre venture. The Bijou formally opened on December 11, 1882, with Iolanthe, the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera by Arthur Sullivan and W. S. Gilbert. The redesign was associated with architect George Wetherell and was praised in contemporary commentary for its delicate or refined appearance. Its proprietors and business partners included George H. Tyler, Edward Hastings, T.N. Hastings, Frederick Vokes, B.F. Keith, and George R. Batcheller at different stages of its history. Ownership and operating arrangements changed several times as the theatre became part of the dense cluster of venues along Washington Street. The theatre was technologically significant because it was among the earliest American theatres to be illuminated primarily by electricity. Thomas Edison reportedly personally installed and supervised the electrical system. Around the turn of the twentieth century, the venue was also known for an elaborate staircase incorporating heavy glass and an illuminated waterfall, an attraction that contributed to its reputation as a visually distinctive entertainment space. The venue's name and programming changed with the theatrical market. In 1901 it became the Bijou Opera House. In 1927 it was converted into a motion-picture venue and adopted the name Bijou Dream. It was later known as the Intown Theatre and was also associated with the B.F. Keith, RKO, and other theatre identities. The building's unusual second-floor position meant that it did not have a conventional direct exit to the street. Patrons instead exited through lobbies connected with neighboring theatres, including the B.F. Keith Theatre and the Keith Memorial Theatre. That configuration became a serious regulatory liability after the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire in Boston in 1942, which killed 492 people and led to stricter enforcement of fire-safety requirements. Because the Bijou did not meet the newly enforced standards for exits, it closed on December 31, 1943. The theatre was subsequently stripped down to its orchestra and stage floors, which became a roof over commercial premises, and the remaining structure was eventually demolished in stages. The theatre was razed in 1951, while portions of the street façade survived for decades. Most of the remaining building was demolished in 2008. The site has been associated with preservation and redevelopment discussions, including plans involving Emerson College and the neighboring Paramount Theatre. The former Bijou site and façade have also been considered in connection with Boston landmark protection.

The property associated with the Bijou Theatre began as a theatre building erected in 1836. Its earliest recorded identity was the Lion Theatre, which was renamed the Melodeon in 1839. During the nineteenth century it also carried names including Melodeon Varieties, the New Melodeon, the Mechanics Institute, and the Gaiety. These successive identities reflected the changing uses and commercial operators of a building situated in Boston's increasingly important Washington Street entertainment district. The Gaiety was acquired by George H. Tyler, who also operated the Park Theatre, and by Frederick Vokes. Vokes participated in renovating the venue and sought to establish the Bijou name. He later relinquished his interest, while Tyler brought in Edward Hastings and T.N. Hastings as replacement partners. The Bijou Theatre opened officially on December 11, 1882, presenting Iolanthe, the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera. Architect George Wetherell designed the new interior, which contemporary descriptions characterized as elegant and delicate rather than monumental. The theatre became known for both entertainment and technology. It was one of the first theatres in the United States to use electricity as its primary form of illumination, with Thomas Edison said to have personally installed and overseen the system. Its interior included a striking glass staircase beneath which an illuminated waterfall flowed, an attraction that helped distinguish the venue in a competitive theatre market. In 1886, ownership was associated with B.F. Keith and George R. Batcheller. Keith opened another theatre beside it in 1894, creating a closely connected complex of venues. The Bijou was renamed the Bijou Opera House in 1901. As motion pictures became increasingly important, the building was adapted for cinema use in 1927 and became known as Bijou Dream. Later identities included Intown Theatre and names linked to the B.F. Keith and RKO theatre operations. Despite these changes, the site remained part of a larger Washington Street theatre cluster rather than operating as an isolated venue. Its second-floor location created a structural and safety problem. Unlike a conventional street-level theatre, the Bijou did not have a traditional independent exit directly to the outside. Its routes led through the lobbies of neighboring theatres, including the B.F. Keith Theatre and the Keith Memorial Theatre. After Boston's Cocoanut Grove fire in November 1942 killed 492 people, municipal authorities enforced fire regulations more strictly. The Bijou's exit arrangements were judged inadequate under the new enforcement environment, and the venue closed on December 31, 1943. The theatre was later dismantled down to the orchestra and stage floors, which served as a roof over stores below. It was generally described as razed in 1951, although portions of the original façade survived. Most of the remaining associated building was demolished in 2008. Subsequent preservation and redevelopment discussions have involved the former Bijou and Paramount Theatre properties, including plans connected with Emerson College. The surviving façade and site have been considered for Boston landmark recognition, but the theatre itself is no longer an operating institution.

1. 2008Later demolition of remaining structure

   Most of the remaining building associated with the former theatre was demolished.

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2. 1951Razing

   The former theatre was razed, although portions of its façade remained.

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3. 1943Closure

   The Bijou closed on December 31 because its exit configuration did not satisfy heightened fire-safety enforcement.

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4. 1927Conversion to cinema

   The venue became a motion-picture house known as Bijou Dream.

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5. 1901Adopts Bijou Opera House name

   The venue was renamed the Bijou Opera House.

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6. 1894Neighboring Keith theatre opens

   B.F. Keith opened a theatre next to the Bijou, strengthening the site's theatre complex.

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7. 1886Keith and Batcheller ownership

   B.F. Keith and George R. Batcheller became associated with ownership of the theatre.

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8. 1882Bijou Theatre opens

   The Bijou opened on December 11 with Iolanthe.

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9. 1878Renamed the Gaiety

   The building began operating under the Gaiety name.

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10. 1839Renamed the Melodeon

    The venue adopted the Melodeon name.

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11. 1836Original theatre building constructed

    The building at 545 Washington Street was constructed and initially operated as the Lion Theatre.

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A centrally located Boston entertainment venue distinguished by ornate design, early electric illumination, changing theatrical and cinematic programming, and its integration into the Washington Street theatre district.

• Live theatre and comic operaPerforming arts1882

  The Bijou's original late-nineteenth-century role was as a live performance venue. Its opening production, Iolanthe, established an association with comic opera and musical theatre, while the theatre's broader programming reflected the commercial entertainment culture of Boston's Washington Street district.

• Variety and vaudeville entertainmentLive entertainment

  Under changing operators and names, the venue participated in the variety-entertainment and vaudeville economy that characterized many urban American theatres in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

• Motion picturesCinema1927

  After its 1927 conversion, the venue operated as a movie house. The Bijou Dream and later Intown identities marked its transition from primarily live theatre toward film exhibition.

• 1943Closure following fire-safety enforcementOther

  The 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire prompted Boston to enforce theatre and assembly-building safety requirements more strictly.

  What changed. The Bijou closed because its second-floor design lacked adequate independent exits.

  Aftermath. The theatre never reopened and was later dismantled and razed.

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• 1927Conversion from theatre to cinemaGeneration change

  Motion pictures had become a major form of commercial urban entertainment.

  What changed. The Bijou was converted into a movie house and became known as Bijou Dream.

  Aftermath. The venue subsequently used names including Intown Theatre and RKO Bijou Theatre before closing.

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• 1901Rebranding as Bijou Opera HouseStrategy

  The venue had operated under several names and was part of a competitive theatre district.

  What changed. Operators changed the public name from Bijou Theatre to Bijou Opera House.

  Aftermath. The venue later adopted further identities as its programming and ownership changed.

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• 2008Remaining Bijou building fabric is largely demolished

  Most of the remaining structure associated with the former Bijou site was demolished during later redevelopment activity.

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• 1951Bijou Theatre structure razed

  The former theatre was demolished to the orchestra and stage levels, leaving portions of the building façade in place.

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• 1943Bijou Theatre closes after Boston fire-safety enforcement

  The venue closed on December 31 after stricter post-Cocoanut Grove fire regulations exposed the inadequacy of its exit arrangements.

  Regulation
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• 1927Bijou converted into a motion-picture venue

  The theatre entered the cinema era and became known as Bijou Dream.

  Other
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• 1901Bijou Theatre becomes Bijou Opera House

  The venue adopted the Bijou Opera House name as its programming and commercial identity evolved.

  Other
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• 1882Bijou Theatre opens with Iolanthe

  The newly named Bijou Theatre opened on December 11 with Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera Iolanthe.

  Product launch
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1. Bijou Theatre (Boston)
2. Boston Bijou Theatre Company records guide
3. Bijou Theatre, 545 Washington Street
4. Adams House Annex/Bijou Theater