Theatre de la Rue Saint Pierre
Encyclopedia
Theatre de la Rue Saint Pierre, was the first (French speaking) theatre in New Orleans in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

. It opened in 1792. It was described as a small building of native lumber near the center of the city. It was located on the Uptown side of St. Peter Street between Royal & Bourbon Streets, in what is now called the French Quarter
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...

.

In 1792, a troupe under Carondelet begun to perform in the city; they were probably refugee actors from Saint Domingue. The troupe performed regularly until 1800, and was properly organized in 1794.

In 22 March 1796, the opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

 Silvain by André Grétry, the first opera performed in New Orleans, was performed here. In 1797, there were fourteen actors employed at the theatre's troupe.

In 1798, the stockholders of the theatre asked for and were granted a gambling permission to finance the theatre. In 1800, an etiquette argument about reserved seats in the theatre lead to the closure of the theatre, officially because the gambling concession was to have been abused, but it was opened again in 1802. In 1803, the theatre was closed due to the bad condition of the building. In 1804, the building had been repaired and the theatre was permitted to open again. However in face of competition from newer larger theaters, the Theatre St. Pierre again went out of business, the building being auctioned off in 1810.
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