Built in 1839, the Charles Playhouse was originally a speakeasy, later a jazz club and finally a theater. With its backstreet location and underground ambience, it has always been home to offbeat and unusual performances. Nowadays, that means the ever-popular, indefinable Blue Man Group (www.blueman.com) and the long-running improv comedy show Shear Madness (www.shearmadness.com).
Charles Playhouse
South End & Chinatown
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.63 MILES
Home of the Boston Red Sox since 1912, Fenway Park is the oldest operating baseball park in the country. As such, the park has many quirks that make for a…
3.07 MILES
America's oldest college, Harvard University is one of the country's most prestigious universities. It was originally founded in Harvard Yard in 1636 by…
1.25 MILES
The educational playground that is the Museum of Science has more than 600 interactive exhibits. Favorites include the world’s largest lightning-bolt…
1.08 MILES
Teeming with sea creatures of all sizes, shapes and colors, this giant fishbowl is the centerpiece of downtown Boston's waterfront. There are countless…
3.31 MILES
Tucked into Franklin Park, the zoo features a half-dozen different habitats, as well as special exhibits devoted to birds and butterflies. The highlight…
1.28 MILES
Longfellow’s poem 'Paul Revere’s Ride' has immortalized this graceful church. It was here, on the night of April 18, 1775, that the sexton hung two…
1.2 MILES
Boston has become a focal point for contemporary art in the 21st century, with the Institute of Contemporary Art leading the way. The building is a work…
0.59 MILES
Founded in 1852, the esteemed Boston Public Library lends credence to Boston’s reputation as the 'Athens of America.' The old McKim building is notable…
Nearby South End & Chinatown attractions
0.2 MILES
The Central Burying Ground is one of the city's oldest cemeteries, but it was a less prestigious resting place, used for Catholics, outsiders and British…
0.3 MILES
The first public building erected in Back Bay in 1861, this graceful church features extraordinary Tiffany windows and 16 bells in its steeple. The church…
0.31 MILES
Dating to 1912, Parkman Bandstand is now used for concerts, rallies and other events.
0.31 MILES
Paying tribute to the five victims of the Boston Massacre, this 25ft memorial replicates Paul Revere’s famous engraving of the tragic event.
0.33 MILES
After years of fruitful cooperation, Barbara Krakow and Andrew Witkin finally renamed their venerable gallery – previously the Barbara Krakow Gallery – to…
0.34 MILES
The official entrance to Chinatown is the decorative gate (paifong), a gift from the city of Taipei. It is symbolic – not only as an entryway for guests…
0.35 MILES
America's oldest public park, Boston Common has a long and storied history, serving as a campground for British troops during the Revolutionary War and as…
8. Statue of George Washington
0.37 MILES
At the main (Arlington St) entrance to the Public Garden, visitors are met by a statue of George Washington mounted nobly on his horse.