Colonial Theatre sets a date for its grand reopening

We’ve known for a while that the 117-year-old Colonial Theatre in Boston’s Theater District would reopen in June with a world-premiere musical adaptation of the film Moulin Rouge.

Now the producers behind the production—which they hope will land on Broadway—have picked an exact date: June 27. The show will run from then until August 5 for a total of 36 performances.

The Moulin Rouge! The Musical premiere will not only mark the grand reopening of the Colonial, but will cement operator Ambassador Theatre Group’s intention to use it once again to make Boston a tryout stop for shows hoping to reach the Great White Way down in New York.

Recall that the theater has been closed since October 2015. Emerson College, which has owned it since 2006, had at one point mulled turning the Colonial into a student activity center dominated by a dining hall.

A great cry arose from students, alumni, and others that changed the school’s mind in early 2016. Emerson instead opted to redevelop other property.

In January 2017, the school struck a deal with London-based Ambassador to operate the venue. The new operator originally planned a reopening this month. Now stay tuned for June 27.

• Colonial Theatre to reopen June 27 with ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ [Globe]
• Colonial Theatre to reopen in spring 2018 as tryout stop for Broadway shows [Curbed Boston]
• Boston’s Colonial Theatre to reopen following deal with London drama group [Curbed Boston]
• Emerson College’s Colonial Theatre will not become a dining hall [Curbed Boston]