With such long working hours and tough working conditions, Chinese immigrants needed a way to relax. They needed an escape from their day to day work, and that is where theatre comes in. Having a theater was a special relief for Chinese immigrants. They could come together to enjoy themselves after a long day’s work while watching Chinese performance art and movies. It was a way for Chinatown’s Chinese residents to stay connected to each other and their culture.
A photo taken nearly a century ago of the Chinese Opera House on 5-7 Doyers Street (Ballela, knickerbockervillage.blogspot.com).
New York City’s first Chinese language theater was The Chinese Opera House (1893-1911) on 5-7 Doyers Street (1). Since then, there have been five main Chinese theaters in Chinatown.
Florence (Sun Sing) Theatre once located on 75-85 East Broadway (nyhistorywalks.wordpress.com).
The first main Chinese theater, built in 1911, was located under the Manhattan Bridge in East Broadway. Once called the Florence Theater, it was originally popular for Yiddish vaudeville and movies. However, in 1942 the theater was renamed the New Canton Theater and became popular for Peking opera, a traditional form of Chinese opera originating from the 18th century that fuses music, mime, dance, and acrobatics into its performance (2).
Traditional Peking opera costume is vibrant in color and may include headdresses and fans (arts.cultural-china.com).
In 1950, the theater was again renamed, becoming the Sun Sing Theatre. Instead of showing opera, the theater showed Cantonese films (some with English subtitles) until it closed in 1993. Many Chinese theaters in the Lower East Side started to become less popular in the 1970s due to gang violence and also the emergence of new technologies that provided other means of entertainment for Chinese residents, such as Chinese cable channels and karaoke bars. The other four main theaters were Pagoda Theater on East Broadway, Governor Theater in Chatham Square, Rosemary Theater on Canal Street, and Music Palace on the Bowery. Music Palace, which was shut down in 1998, was the last of the five to close (1).
Michiyo Fukushima, founder of Michiyo Art Studio, standing next to one of her recent works (Fukushima, MichiyoArt.com).
Today, there are many art studios and schools scattered throughout the streets of Chinatown. One notable dance institution is the Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar Institution, which has a Dragon and Lion Dance Team. Such dances are similar if not identical to those performed during the Chinese New Year Festival. Other schools include Chinese Folk Dance Co. on 390 Broadway, Jian Hui Dance Studio on 118 Paxter Street, and Michiyo Art Studio on 59 East Franklin Street (3).
