Holliday Street Theater
The Holliday Street Theater also known as the New Theatre, New Holliday, Old Holliday, The Baltimore Theatre, and Old Drury, was a historical theatrical venue in Federal Period Baltimore, Maryland. It is known for showing the first performance of Francis Scott Key's "The Star-Spangled Banner".[1]
History
The New Theater on Holliday Street was founded by two business partners in 1794 and was opened to the public on September 25, 1795. The theater showcased a variety of acts, including comedy, dance, music ensembles, and opera. It also hosted a production of John Howard Payne's opera Clari in the early 1800s.
As the theater's popularity grew, management decided to demolish the existing wooden building (which was now known as Old Holliday Theater), and replace it with a new brick one. The new venue opened in May 1813 as The Baltimore, though eventually it retained its name as the Holliday Street Theater. Over time, it came to be known informally as Old Drury.[1]
On October 19, 1814, lyrics from Francis Scott Key's poem "Defence of Fort McHenry" set to the tune of "
The theater was shuttered in the late 1840s, and in 1854 was purchased by
References
- ^ ISBN 0-8018-2513-X.
- ^ "Writing National Anthems Was Just a Side Job". Baltimore Literary Heritage Project. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
- ^ "Baltimore County Legacy Web". Baltimore County Public Library. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
39°17′27.25″N 76°36′36″W / 39.2909028°N 76.61000°W
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