Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Bernard Havard, Artistic Director Mark Sylvester, Managing Director www.wstonline.org Walnut Street Theatre Walnut Street Theatre is the oldest theatre in America. It stands alone as the only theatre operating continuously as a theatre since it opened in 1809. The significance of this fact cannot be overstated. The history of Walnut Street Theatre is, in large measure, the history of theatre in America. Every noteworthy American actor of the 19th century and many from the 20th century (not to mention famous actors from other countries) appeared on stage at Walnut Street Theatre just as it stands today. Some of the Walnut's shining stars include: Edwin Booth, Edwin Forrest, Helen Hayes, Houdini, George M. Cohan, Edward G. Robinson, George C. Scott, Jack Lemmon, Mike Nichols, Claudette Colbert, Jane Fonda, Julie Harris, Katharine Hepburn, Ethel Waters and Jessica Tandy. Walnut Street Theatre is more than just a historic structure with an illustrious past. It is today a vital living part of Philadelphia's art scene -- a place where our community comes together to celebrate and understand who we are, a place to gain new perspectives of ourselves and others through the living art of theatre. Today, Walnut Street Theatre is widely regarded as one of America's most successful regional theatres. Its subscription audience is the largest of any regional theatre company in the world. Walnut Street Theatre employs over 600 people, and with a balanced budget of nearly $10 million annually, Walnut Street Theatre's economic impact is estimated at over $25 million.