Frohman's first success as a producer was with Bronson Howard's play "Shenandoah" (1889). Frohman founded the Empire Theatre Stock Company to acquire his first Broadway theatre, the Empire, in 1892. The following year, he produced his first Broadway play, Clyde Fitch's "Masked Ball". In this piece, Maude Adams first played opposite John Drew, which led to many future successes. Soon Frohman acquired five other New York City theaters, including the Garrick and Criterion Theatres. Working with William Harris and Isaac B. Rich, he became part owner of their theatres in Boston (the Columbia Theatre, Park, Hollis Street, Colonial, Boston and Tremont). In 1895, he produced the New York premiere of "The Importance of Being Earnest", by Oscar Wilde. The same year, he produced "The Shop Girl".