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[[File:Carter and Ford in a debate, September 23, 1976.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[Jimmy Carter]] and [[Gerald Ford]] debate domestic policy on September 23, 1976, at the Walnut Street Theatre]]
Walnut Street Theatre was built by the [[Circus of Pepin and Breschard]], which toured the United States from 1807 until 1815. Pepin and Breschard constructed numerous venues in cities along the East Coast of the United States, which often featured, along with performances of their circus, classical plays as well as [[hippodrama|horse dramas]].<ref>Havard, Bernard and Sylvester, Mark D. [https://books.google.com/books?id=QWvV5lmU3E0C&pg=PA9&dq=%22gilbert+stuart%22+breschard&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html ''Walnut Street Theatre'']. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2008. p.9</ref> The theatre was founded in 1808, going by the name of The New Circus.<ref name="Story of Theatre">{{cite news |title='Walnut St.' Wrote Story Of Theatre |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/courier-post/127765867/ |newspaper=[[Courier-Post]] |via=Newspapers.com |date=March 1, 1941 |access-date=July 6, 2023}}</ref> In 1811, the two partners commissioned architect [[William Strickland (architect)|William Strickland]] to design and construct a stage and [[orchestra pit]] for theatrical performances and the theatre's name was changed to The Olympic. The official website says that the name Walnut Street Theatre was first used there in 1820, though the name was changed back to The Olympic in 1822 and to The Walnut again in 1828. A travel guidebook from 1849 indicates that in the mid-19th century, this building was called The American Theatre.
In June 1923, the [[Marx Brothers]] premiered their first show, ''[[I'll Say She Is]]'' at the Walnut.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/TODAY-IN-PHILADELPHIA-HISTORY/Marx-Brothers-premiere-first-show-at-Walnut-Street-Theatre.html | title=Marx Brothers premiere first show at Walnut Street Theatre | date=2 August 2013 }}</ref>
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The first theatrical production at the theatre was Sheridan's play ''[[The Rivals]]'' presented on New Year's Day, 1812. [[Edwin Forrest]] and [[John Sleeper Clarke]] purchased the theatre in 1865, and then the theatre became part of [[The Shubert Organization]] in 1941.
On October 15, 1966, Walnut Street Theatre was designated a [[National Historic Landmark]], and in 1969, the theatre was purchased by a [[non-profit organization]] and turned over to the new Walnut Street Theatre Corporation. On September 23, 1976, it was the site of the first [[U.S. presidential election debates|presidential debate]] between [[Gerald R. Ford]] and [[Jimmy Carter]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Drama of Debate Is Set In 167-Year-Old Theater |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/hartford-courant/127765631/ |newspaper=[[Hartford Courant]] |via=Newspapers.com |date=September 24, 1976 |access-date=July 6, 2023}}</ref>
The theatre housed the [[Philadelphia Drama Guild]] until 1981.<ref name="Courier-Post 1983">{{cite news |last=Baxter |first=Robert |title=Walnut's premiere season has a comic flavor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/courier-post/125738874/ |newspaper=[[Courier-Post]] |via=Newspapers.com |date=March 16, 1983 |access-date=June 2, 2023}}</ref> Walnut Street Theatre Company, a non-profit regional producing company, was formed in 1983 by Bernard Havard.<ref name="Courier-Post 1983"/> In 1984, Walnut Street Theatre School was established and over 1,200 students enroll annually, and 1986 saw the introduction of the Independence Studio on 3 series. The company produces five productions per season on the theatre's main stage. In 2008, the theater celebrated its 200th season of live entertainment. In 2010, it was the most subscribed theatre company in the world with 56,000 subscribers.<ref>{{cite news |author=Jones, Kenneth |title=Walnut Street Will Offer Kander & Ebb, Boublil & Schonberg, Amadeus, Hitchcock and Berlin |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/walnut-street-will-offer-kander-ebb-boublil-schonberg-amadeus-hitchcock-and-berlin-com-164698 |website=Playbill.com |date=January 5, 2010 |access-date=April 26, 2022}}</ref>
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