The Shubert family was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district, in New York City, as the hub of the theater industry in the United States. They dominated the legitimate theater and vaudeville in the first half of the 20th century, promoting entertainment attuned to the popular taste.[citation needed]
The family's American history began with Duvvid Schubart (transliterated to "Shubert") and his wife Katrina (Gitel) Helwitz, who left their native town Vladislavov, Russian Empire (now Kudirkos Naumiestis, Lithuania) arriving in New York City from Hamburg, via England, on June 12, 1881[1] on the s/s Spain with their eight children. Two of them subsequently died. Later they settled in Syracuse, New York.[2][3]
The three Shubert sons (Lee Shubert, Sam S. Shubert, and Jacob J. Shubert) had to forgo much in the way of formal education and go to work when they were very young. Introduced to the world of the theatre, the three brothers broke the monopoly on the theatre-management industry (represented by the Theatrical Syndicate under Abe Erlanger) and Mark Klaw in the foundation of rival agency the Shubert Organization,[2][3] replacing it with their own.
Among the organization's Manhattan holdings are the renowned Winter Garden Theatre (at 1634 Broadway), the Sam S. Shubert (at 221 West 44th Street), and the Imperial Theatres. By 1924, they had 86 theatres in the United States. By 1953, they had produced 600 shows under their credits and had booked 1,000 shows into their numerous theatres.[2] By the 1920s, they owned, operated, managed or booked over 1,000 theatres nationwide.[4]
In 1942, they owned, leased or managed 20 of New York City's approximately 40 legitimate theatres and controlled some 15 in other cities.[5] As of 2009, the Shubert Organization owns seventeen Broadway theatres in New York City, as well as the Shubert Theatre in Boston, the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia, and manages the National Theatre in Washington, D.C.[4] The organization also owns and operates the 5-stage Off-Broadway facility, New World Stages.
Jerry Stagg identifies Lee Shubert as the key creative partner, showing how he built the most successful theatrical empire in history. Stagg characterizes the trio as vulgar and uneducated, but acknowledges that they made a personal monopoly amassing millions of profits in the process. They opened new theater districts in many major American cities, employing thousands over the years. Entertainment and popular taste was the goal, rather than the dramatic arts. By 1924, they controlled 75 percent of all American theaters, producing 25 percent of all plays. Their actors in response created Actor's Equity as a labor union to counterbalance their power. When the Great Depression caused the bankruptcy of their corporate empire in 1933, they could have retired wealthy. Instead they kept the theater alive pouring their own money into the gamble. Almost alone they kept the legitimate theater alive in America. The federal government called them a monopoly, and in 1950 they were taken to court by the federal government. In 1955, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling ruled that they were subject to antitrust laws, so they sold 12 theaters in six cities and gave up the booking business, the heart of their enterprise.[6]
Notable productions
Musical comedies
Chinese Honeymoon (1902)
Winsome Winnie (1903)
The Babes and the Baron (1905)
The Dancing Duchess (1914)
Revues
Pioneer Days (1906) featuring Indians, cavalry, baby elephants, and chorus girls, directed by Lee Shubert
The Passing Show (1912–24), annual musical revue, rivaling Florenz Ziegfeld's Follies.
Operettas
The Blue Paradise (1915), and other Sigmund Romberg musicals
Lee Shubert (1871–1953), theatre owner/operator, producer. Married to Marcella Swanson (1900-1973). No children.
Fannie Shubert (1868-1928). From her first marriage to Isaac Isaacs she had three sons: Jesse Isaacs (1893-1904), Larry Shubert (1894-1965) and Milton Isaacs Shubert (1901-1967). Her second husband was William Weissager.
Sarah Shubert (1870–1934). Married to Edward Davidow. No children.
Sam S. Shubert (1874–1905), producer, writer, director, theatre owner/operator; died in a Pennsylvania train accident
Jacob J. Shubert (1876–1963), producer, director, theatre owner/operator. From his first marriage to Catherine Dealy he had a son John Jason Shubert (1908-1962).
Dora (Debora) Shubert (1880–1951). From her marriage to Milton Wolf (1881-1955) she had a daughter Sylvia Wolf Golde (1910–1981)
Westover, Jonas. The Shuberts and Their Passing Shows: The Untold Tale of Ziegfeld's Rivals (Oxford University Press, 2017)
Vickery, Anthony. "Did the Shuberts Save Broadway? The Corporate Producers." in The Palgrave Handbook of Musical Theatre Producers ed. by Laura MacDonald and William Everett, (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017) pp. 69–82.
"Shubert Brothers" in Encyclopedia of World Biography (Gale, 1998) online
shubert, family, this, article, require, copy, editing, grammar, style, cohesion, tone, spelling, assist, editing, december, 2022, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, responsible, establishment, broadway, district, york, city, theater, industry, unit. This article may require copy editing for grammar style cohesion tone or spelling You can assist by editing it December 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Shubert family was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district in New York City as the hub of the theater industry in the United States They dominated the legitimate theater and vaudeville in the first half of the 20th century promoting entertainment attuned to the popular taste citation needed Contents 1 History 2 Notable productions 2 1 Musical comedies 2 2 Revues 2 3 Operettas 3 Family 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory EditThe family s American history began with Duvvid Schubart transliterated to Shubert and his wife Katrina Gitel Helwitz who left their native town Vladislavov Russian Empire now Kudirkos Naumiestis Lithuania arriving in New York City from Hamburg via England on June 12 1881 1 on the s s Spain with their eight children Two of them subsequently died Later they settled in Syracuse New York 2 3 The three Shubert sons Lee Shubert Sam S Shubert and Jacob J Shubert had to forgo much in the way of formal education and go to work when they were very young Introduced to the world of the theatre the three brothers broke the monopoly on the theatre management industry represented by the Theatrical Syndicate under Abe Erlanger and Mark Klaw in the foundation of rival agency the Shubert Organization 2 3 replacing it with their own Among the organization s Manhattan holdings are the renowned Winter Garden Theatre at 1634 Broadway the Sam S Shubert at 221 West 44th Street and the Imperial Theatres By 1924 they had 86 theatres in the United States By 1953 they had produced 600 shows under their credits and had booked 1 000 shows into their numerous theatres 2 By the 1920s they owned operated managed or booked over 1 000 theatres nationwide 4 In 1942 they owned leased or managed 20 of New York City s approximately 40 legitimate theatres and controlled some 15 in other cities 5 As of 2009 the Shubert Organization owns seventeen Broadway theatres in New York City as well as the Shubert Theatre in Boston the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia and manages the National Theatre in Washington D C 4 The organization also owns and operates the 5 stage Off Broadway facility New World Stages Jerry Stagg identifies Lee Shubert as the key creative partner showing how he built the most successful theatrical empire in history Stagg characterizes the trio as vulgar and uneducated but acknowledges that they made a personal monopoly amassing millions of profits in the process They opened new theater districts in many major American cities employing thousands over the years Entertainment and popular taste was the goal rather than the dramatic arts By 1924 they controlled 75 percent of all American theaters producing 25 percent of all plays Their actors in response created Actor s Equity as a labor union to counterbalance their power When the Great Depression caused the bankruptcy of their corporate empire in 1933 they could have retired wealthy Instead they kept the theater alive pouring their own money into the gamble Almost alone they kept the legitimate theater alive in America The federal government called them a monopoly and in 1950 they were taken to court by the federal government In 1955 a U S Supreme Court ruling ruled that they were subject to antitrust laws so they sold 12 theaters in six cities and gave up the booking business the heart of their enterprise 6 Notable productions EditMusical comedies Edit Chinese Honeymoon 1902 Winsome Winnie 1903 The Babes and the Baron 1905 The Dancing Duchess 1914 Revues Edit Pioneer Days 1906 featuring Indians cavalry baby elephants and chorus girls directed by Lee Shubert The Passing Show 1912 24 annual musical revue rivaling Florenz Ziegfeld s Follies Operettas Edit The Blue Paradise 1915 and other Sigmund Romberg musicalsFamily EditThe Shubert 1 children Lee Shubert 1871 1953 theatre owner operator producer Married to Marcella Swanson 1900 1973 No children Fannie Shubert 1868 1928 From her first marriage to Isaac Isaacs she had three sons Jesse Isaacs 1893 1904 Larry Shubert 1894 1965 and Milton Isaacs Shubert 1901 1967 Her second husband was William Weissager Sarah Shubert 1870 1934 Married to Edward Davidow No children Sam S Shubert 1874 1905 producer writer director theatre owner operator died in a Pennsylvania train accident Jacob J Shubert 1876 1963 producer director theatre owner operator From his first marriage to Catherine Dealy he had a son John Jason Shubert 1908 1962 Dora Debora Shubert 1880 1951 From her marriage to Milton Wolf 1881 1955 she had a daughter Sylvia Wolf Golde 1910 1981 See also EditThe Shubert OrganizationReferences Edit a b 1881 passenger list of the Schubert family Ancestry com Ancestry com a b c Shubert Brothers pbs org accessed August 29 2009 a b Kenrick John Who s Who in Musicals Sa Sm musicals101 com accessed August 29 2009 a b The Shubert Organization shubertorganization com accessed August 29 2009 Times Wire Services The Curtain Falls for J J Shubert St Petersburg Times December 27 1963 Jerry Stagg The Brothers Schubert 1968 Further reading EditChach Maryann Shuberts present one hundred years of great American theater Harry N Abrams 2001 Hirsch Foster The Boys from Syracuse The Shuberts Theatrical Empire Cooper Square Press 2000 Liebling A J Profile 1939 The Boys from Syracuse The New Yorker 1 McNamara Brooks The Shuberts of Broadway a history drawn from the collections of the Shubert Archive Oxford University Press 1990 Poggi Jack Theatre in America The Impact of Economic Forces 1870 1967 1968 Sanjek Russell American popular music and its business From 1900 to 1984 3 vol Oxford UP 1988 Stagg Jerry Brothers Shubert Ballantine Books 1968 ISBN 978 0 345 21789 9 Westover Jonas The Shuberts and Their Passing Shows The Untold Tale of Ziegfeld s Rivals Oxford University Press 2017 Vickery Anthony Did the Shuberts Save Broadway The Corporate Producers in The Palgrave Handbook of Musical Theatre Producers ed by Laura MacDonald and William Everett Palgrave Macmillan 2017 pp 69 82 Shubert Brothers in Encyclopedia of World Biography Gale 1998 onlineExternal links EditLee Shubert at the Internet Broadway Database Official website Shubert Foundation biography Official website Shubert Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shubert family amp oldid 1131579440, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
