Colonial closing, with duration unknown

Emerson says it is continuing to negotiate with prospective tenants and remains committed to performances at the Boylston Street theater, which opened in 1900.

But no shows are scheduled after the touring production of “West Side Story’’ wraps its run at the Colonial on Saturday. And Emerson and Broadway Across America-Boston are offering competing explanations of where the negotiations went awry.

In a written statement, Emerson put the onus on Broadway Across America-Boston for declining to renew its lease when a deal was offered last November. But Broadway Across America-Boston said that offer came too late.

Both sides agree on what happened in January 2010. That’s when Broadway Across America-Boston, anticipating that its Colonial lease would end on Aug. 31, 2011, approached Emerson for a new deal. The college told its longtime tenants that it first wanted to explore other potential producers to lease the theater.

That prompted Broadway Across America-Boston to seek other options and find what it considers a better deal to present two musicals next season at the 1,500-seat Shubert Theatre, part of the Citi Performing Arts Center. The remainder of Broadway Across America-Boston’s nine-production season will be presented at the Boston Opera House.

“Of course, nobody wants to see it go dark,’’ said Rich Jaffe, Broadway Across America-Boston’s vice president, of the Colonial. “But you get to the point where you have to find a venue for your productions.’’

For the Citi Performing Arts Center, the arrangement is a boon. The Shubert is home to Boston Lyric Opera, but the theater is often dark and had no Broadway touring shows this year. The upcoming season will be different. In December, the Shubert will feature two weeks of Broadway Across America-Boston’s presentation of “La Cage Aux Folles,’’ and in February, there will be two weeks of “The Addams Family.’’