St Charles Theatre

New Orleans, LA

100 St. Charles Ave

, New Orleans, LA 70130 United States

(map)

Status:	Closed/Demolished
Screens:	Single Screen
Style:	Neo-Classical

Function:	Unknown
Seats:	1700
Chain:	Unknown

Architect:	Unknown
Firm:	Unknown

Vintage photograph of the St Charles, in its days as the first New Orleans Orpheum (circa 1910)

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

The St Charles Theatre was one of New Orleans' oldest and most storied theaters, first opened in the early 1830s by James Caldwell as a legitimate playhouse. It was said to seat upwards of 4000 in neo-Renaissance splendor.

It was at the time one of the most extravagant theaters of the South, costing over $300,000 to construct. However, it burned to the ground in 1842, but was rebuilt just a year later. Though smaller and with a simpler facade, it was no less ornate inside, if not moreso, than its predecessor.

The second St Charles hosted some of the biggest stage names of the 19th century, including Jenny Lind and Edwin Booth. Ironically, it was also burned to the ground, like the original St Charles, in 1899.

In 1902, George King Pratt designed a third theater on the site, for the Keith-Orpheum vaudeville circuit, this time called the Orpheum. When a new Orpheum was opened in 1924, not far from the old one, the theater was sold to the Saenger circuit and its old name revived, the St Charles, as a movie house with live stage shows.

In 1932, the St Charles was remodeled under its new management, and switched over to movies-only. It remained a popular first-and-second run movie house until it was closed in 1965 and razed to make way for a parking lot, ending over a century of theater history on the site.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

YOUR COMMENTS

Although I haven't visited New Orleans in over 5 years, the St Charles or the Orpheum as it was known as in 1996 was still standing and served as the home of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

posted by JackCoursey on Nov 8, 2002 at 6:50pm

The theatre Mr. Coursey is referring to is the second (or New) Orpheum Theatre which opened in 1924 (see the entry on this site for this theatre)

posted by Bryan Krefft on Dec 14, 2002 at 7:09am

The last incarnation of the St. Charles Theatre seated 1700 according to the 1945 Film Daily Yearbook.

posted by Bryan Krefft on Jun 25, 2005 at 6:30am

The Philharmonic also used the St. Charles Theater as its rehearsal hall up until the time of its razing. As a boy of 11 in 1964, I sang with the philharmonic and remember rehearsing in the run- down musty theater.

posted by Frank Gagliano on Nov 28, 2006 at 11:33pm

Here is an undated view of the interior.

posted by Lost Memory on Sep 24, 2008 at 2:08pm

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St Charles Theatre

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