Dock Street Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Dock Street Theatre
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Dock Street Theatre
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 135 Church Street Charleston, South Carolina |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | ca. 1809 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001684 |
| Added to NRHP | June 19, 1973 |
The Dock Street Theatre is a famous theater located in the historic French Quarter of downtown Charleston, South Carolina. It's a special place with a long history!
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A Look Back at the Dock Street Theatre
The building you see today was first built as a hotel in 1809. Later, in 1935, it was changed into a theater. This theater stands on the very spot where the first building in the Thirteen Colonies (which became the United States) was designed just for plays! Since 1973, it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning it's an important historical site.
The First Theater in America
On February 12, 1736, the original Dock Street Theatre opened its doors. The very first play performed there was The Recruiting Officer by George Farquhar. This theater was built at the corner of Church Street and Dock Street (which is now called Queen Street). It was the first building in America made only for theater shows! Also, the first opera ever performed in America, called Flora, happened right here at the Historic Dock Street Theatre.
Rebuilding After a Big Fire
The first Dock Street Theatre was likely destroyed by a huge fire in 1740. This fire burned down many buildings in Charleston's French Quarter. In 1809, the current building was constructed on the same spot. It was first known as the Planter's Hotel. Later, in 1835, the beautiful iron balcony and stone columns on the Church Street side were added.
Many famous people stayed or worked at the Planter's Hotel. This included the well-known actor Junius Brutus Booth in the 1800s. He was the father of two other famous actors, Edwin Booth and John Wilkes Booth. Before the Civil War, Robert Smalls, an African-American hero who later became a U.S. Congressman, worked as a waiter in the hotel's dining room. He famously stole a steamboat and sailed it past the Confederate-held Fort Sumter to the Union Fleet. The famous Charleston drink, Planter's Punch, was also first served here!
Making It a Theater Again in 1935
After the Civil War, the Planter's Hotel became old and run-down. It was even planned to be torn down! But in 1935, during the Great Depression, a time when many people needed jobs, the property was given to the City of Charleston. With encouragement from Mayor Burnet Maybank and others, the building became a project for the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was a government program that created jobs.
During this time, the current theater was built inside the old hotel's structure. The hotel's grand entrance became the theater's grand entrance. The hotel's dining room is now the box-office lobby where you buy tickets. Douglas Ellington was the main architectural advisor for the project. Local architects Simons & Lapham then oversaw the daily work.
Some of the beautiful wooden details and fireplaces on the second floor came from another old mansion, the Radcliffe-King Mansion (built around 1799). That mansion was torn down to build a gymnasium for the College of Charleston, which was another WPA project. The theater's stage and seating area were designed to look like London playhouses from the 1700s. Local carpenters, who got jobs through this Depression-era effort, used local black cypress wood for the inside of the theater. After this big $350,000 renovation, the Historic Dock Street Theatre had its second grand opening on November 26, 1937. Famous people like author DuBose Heyward, who wrote Porgy, were in the audience.
Modern Updates in 2010
The Historic Dock Street Theatre opened for the third time on March 18, 2010. This was after a three-year, $19 million renovation by the City of Charleston. This huge update brought the historic theater into the 21st century! It now has modern lighting and sound systems, new heating and air conditioning, and updated restrooms and seating. The building was also made safer from earthquakes and fully accessible for people with disabilities. Special sound-proofing was added so that noises from outside don't disturb performances inside.
Today, the City of Charleston owns and manages the Historic Dock Street Theatre. It is home to many of the city's cultural groups, including Spoleto Festival USA. Charleston Stage, a professional theater company, has been performing at the Dock Street Theatre since 1978. They put on over 120 shows each season, and more than 40,000 people come to watch! Plus, over 15,000 students from South Carolina enjoy special school day performances there every year.
More to Explore
- Charleston Theatre
