<P> At 825 Walnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the Walnut Street Theatre, or, "The Walnut ." Founded in 1809 by the Circus of Pepin and Breschard, "The Walnut" is the oldest theater in America . The Walnut's first theatrical production, The Rivals, was staged in 1812 . In attendance were President Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette . </P> <P> Provincial theaters frequently lacked heat and minimal theatrical property ("props") and scenery . Apace with the country's westward expansion, some entrepreneurs operated floating theaters on barges or riverboats that would travel from town to town . A large town could afford a long "run"--or period of time during which a touring company would stage consecutive multiple performances--of a production, and in 1841, a single play was shown in New York City for an unprecedented three weeks . </P> <P> William Shakespeare's works were commonly performed . American plays of the period were mostly melodramas, a famous example of which was Uncle Tom's Cabin, adapted by George Aiken, from the novel of the same name by Harriet Beecher Stowe . </P> <P> In 1821, William Henry Brown established the African Grove Theatre in New York City . It was the third attempt to have an African - American theater, but this was the most successful of them all . The company put on not only Shakespeare, but also staged the first play written by an African - American, The Drama of King Shotaway . The theater was shut down in 1823 . African - American theater was relatively dormant, except for the 1858 play The Escape; or, A Leap for Freedom by William Wells Brown, who was an ex-slave . African - American works would not be regarded again until the 1920s Harlem Renaissance . </P>

The country with the oldest tradition of doing theater is the united states