NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE

North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) is a 1,500-seat professional theater-in-the-round in Beverly, Massachusetts, and one of the few remaining theaters-in-the-round in the United States. The circular configuration places every audience member close to the central stage. The venue is located near Route 128 on Boston's North Shore.

NSMT produces a full season of professional musicals, concerts, celebrity appearances, and children's shows. The theater-in-the-round staging creates an immersive experience distinct from traditional proscenium theaters. Notable productions include the world premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical Memphis in 2003, as well as regional premieres of Hairspray, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Ragtime.

NSMT was founded in 1955 by theater producer Steven Slane, bandleader Ruby Newman, and attorney C. Henry Glovsky, initially operating as a tent theater with 1,000 seats. After Route 128's completion in the 1960s, permanent walls, climate control, and expanded seating (to 1,750-1,800) were added. A fire caused by a fog machine damaged the theater in 2005 but it was refurbished that same fall. The theater closed in June 2009 due to $10 million in debt, then reopened in summer 2010 under new ownership with Producing Artistic Director Evans Haile, at a reduced 1,500-seat capacity.