Theatre in Saint-Domingue, 1764-1791

The Theatre in Saint-Domingue website and performance database seek to make known the rich and varied culture of public theatre in the former French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) as documented between 1764 (when local print production began) and 1791 (the beginning of the slave revolts that would lead to the Haitian Revolution). Between these dates, local newspapers announced hundreds of upcoming theatrical performances in several towns, notably in Cap-Français (now Cap-Haïtien) and Port-au-Prince. In the absence of any surviving theatre registers or account books, these announcements represent the most complete source of information on public theatre in Saint-Domingue.  The website and database can be consulted in English, French or Haitian Creole (Kreyòl).

The project, led by Prof Julia Prest, was generously funded by the British Academy, the Leverhulme Trust and the University of St Andrews.

Project website

Schematic of a theatre in San Domingue