The Walnut Street Theatre, the oldest theater in America, has built a lasting impression on the theatrical arts in Philadelphia and around the world. With 214 years of history packed into the building, there are a great number of firsts to do with the Walnut. Between the innovations of technology, notable alumni, and architectural changes, there is quite a bit of charm to the building over on the corner of South Ninth and Walnut Street. The Walnut Street Theatre’s historical and cultural significance has impacted the theater industry in America and has built the foundation for many modern standards in the theatre world as a whole.
Origins
Founded in 1809, the Walnut Street Theatre started as an equestrian circus known as the New Circus. In 1812, the equestrian ring was replaced with a stage and the building was transformed into a legitimate theater. In 1837, the Walnut was the first theater to install gas footlights. The very first performance at the theater was a production of Brisnley Sheridan’s The Rivals (1775). Former president Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette were in attendance.
Actors and Historical Figures
Throughout the rest of the 19th century, other prominent figures would grace the presence of the historic theater, including the most renowned actors of the time. Most prominent American actors of the 19th century performed at the Walnut Street Theatre, including:
In the 20th century, the Walnut’s stage saw even more familiar faces, including:
- Charles S. Gilpin (first African-American actor to lead a play produced by a white company)
- Helen Hayes
- Katharine Hepburn
The now common practice across the country and the world of taking a bow after a performance would not exist in the United States if not for the Walnut Street Theatre. Edmund Kean, a 19th-century English actor brought the curtain call to America at the Walnut Street Theatre. This time-honored tradition of actors coming back to the stage after the show to bow became customary following Kean’s appearances at the Walnut in 1820.
The State Theater of Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives designated the Walnut St Theatre as the state theater of Pennsylvania on June 8th, 1999. This was decided based on the theater’s standing as the oldest theater in America, and its reflection of the culture of American theatre. The national notoriety and historical significance of the theater alone gave the House of Representatives every reason they needed to dub the Walnut as the State Theater of Pennsylvania, but what counted even more was the theater’s commitment to recognizing those who brought its success so far.
The Edwin Forrest Award
The Edwin Forrest Award was established in 1990 by the Walnut Street Theatre to recognize the contributions to American theatre by organizations and individuals. The name of the award comes from the 19th-century actor, Philadelphian, and Walnut alumni, Edwin Forrest himself. His impact on the Walnut allowed the theater to impact the rest of the country.
Architecture
In 2023, the Walnut Street Theatre looks remarkably similar to its appearance in the 19th century. The first major renovation to the theater came in 1811 when the equestrian circus was done away with in favor of the traditional stage and pit. John Haviland, the most impactful architect of the time and the designer of landmarks like the Eastern State Penitentiary and the Franklin Institute, remodeled the entire facade and interior
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Haviland’s exterior design remains to this day, 195 years later. Before the turn of the century, the theater would go on to install gas footlights, then electric, and even a new stage. In 1998, the lighting and sound systems were upgraded and improvements were made to make the theater much more accessible to audiences. There have been changes to the interior and exterior throughout the years, but it largely still resembles its 200-year-old self. Some of its technical elements have not changed at all throughout the years. The theater still uses its original grid, rope, pulley, and sandbag system. The original fire curtain still hangs above the stage, painted with a reproduction of The Liberty Bell’s First Note (1753) by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris. Aside from the painting’s $10,000 restoration in 1975, the painting and curtain remain remarkably unchanged.
The Future of the Walnut
There is no sign of the Walnut Street Theatre slowing down any time soon. The theater’s seasons are packed with plays and musicals that draw audiences from Philadelphia and beyond. The current season includes Elvis: A Musical Revolution, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, GROUCHO: A Life in Revue, and Beautiful – The Carole King Musical. The next season will be announced next September, so there is really no telling where the Walnut will be in just a year’s time.
Education and Outreach
The Walnut Street Theatre School was founded in 1984, starting a legacy of theatre education in Philadelphia. Now, the school hosts over 1,200 students every year in both youth and adult classes. All of the classes are open to people of all abilities, making art readily available to everyone in the city. They serve the city that gave American theatre the chance to grow by giving back to the community in the ways that they can, through education reform in Philadelphia’s public schools. The Walnut’s commitment to sharing the arts with the community is improving the relationship between the venue and the city that it lives in.
The Walnut’s Impact
The Walnut Street Theatre is a home for theatre history, education, and development that completely changed the course of the American performing arts. There would be no theatre as we know it today without the Walnut, and surely not in America. The building is enriched with history, artistry, and creativity. Artists past and present who performed in the Walnut changed theatre performance forever, in Philadelphia and around the world. It takes a lot for something to last 214 years; through renovations, leadership changes, and economic struggles, the passion for preservation and innovation continues at the Walnut Street Theatre.