The James Earl Jones Theatre
…ned from performing to management in the 1890s after being in a vaudeville comedy team called Cort and Murphy. Two years before Cort’s death in 1927, the Shuberts took over the theatre. Debuts and Celebrities The Cort’s opening production was Peg O’ My Heart (1912) with Laurette Taylor. It ran for 603 performances, which was a promising start for the new playhouse. John Cort’s first production at the theatre was the operetta The Princess Pat in 19…