It is located in Praça Guilherme Stephens, city Marinha Grande, in the district of Leiria, in the province of Estremadura, part of the Intermunicipal Community of the Region of Leiria, in the region of Central Portugal
The Stephens Theater was built by the Stephens brothers in the mid-1770s in the industrial complex of the Real Fábrica de Vidros da Marinha Grande.
On October 16th, the factory starts operating and integrates a small village: factory, warehouses, residences, school, hospital and theater.
In 1785 Nicolau Luís da Silva, writer of cordel comedies and theater man, at the request of the Stephens brothers, passed by the Marinha Grande theater where he staged a play by Voltaire, Olímpia.
In the French invasions of 1807/1811, the Royal Glass Factory and its theater were damaged.
João Diogo Stephens rebuilds it and after his death the factory is left in his will to the Portuguese Nation.
On August 21, 1892, the royal family visited the Fábrica da Marinha Grande and the Minister of Public Works and caricaturist Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro were also part of the delegation.
In 1908, the theater in this factory complex was owned by the Company with five views of the room, one closed and four backstage, with a capacity of 310 seats spread over "15 boxes, 75 chairs, 120 audience seats and 100 gallery seats".
On August 26, 1926, the first cinematographic screening was held at the Stephens Theater with Charlot's film The Pilgrim's Progress.
In 1936, renovation works were carried out at the Stephens Theater aimed at its expansion, carried out under the guidance of the factory administrator, Acácio Calazans Duarte, and the reopening was attended by the Rey Colaço Company, Robles Monteiro who staged the play The Reward.
On October 5, 1941, the cinema reopened with the presentation of the film Primavera, and in March 1955, the premiere of the magazine Cantigas e Cristais, by José Ferreira da Silva and António Vasconcelos Ribeiro, was marked by the Grupo Cénico da Sociedade de Beneficência e Recreio 1º de Janeiro.
The closure of the Fábrica Escola Irmãos Stephens in 1994 and the Municipal Council of Marinha Grande and the State enter into a protocol with the aim of transferring the cultural facilities to the former.
In 2003, the municipality decided to move forward with the remodeling of the Stephens Theater and in May 2011 work began that culminated in the requalification of the Stephens Theater - Casa da Cultura.
The Casa da Cultura Teatro Stephens, located at Praça Guilherme Stephens in Marinha Grande, presents concerts and theater during the month of September and the City Council invites everyone to participate in the shows.
On October 16th, the factory starts operating and integrates a small village: factory, warehouses, residences, school, hospital and theater.
In 1785 Nicolau Luís da Silva, writer of cordel comedies and theater man, at the request of the Stephens brothers, passed by the Marinha Grande theater where he staged a play by Voltaire, Olímpia.
In the French invasions of 1807/1811, the Royal Glass Factory and its theater were damaged.
João Diogo Stephens rebuilds it and after his death the factory is left in his will to the Portuguese Nation.
On August 21, 1892, the royal family visited the Fábrica da Marinha Grande and the Minister of Public Works and caricaturist Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro were also part of the delegation.
In 1908, the theater in this factory complex was owned by the Company with five views of the room, one closed and four backstage, with a capacity of 310 seats spread over "15 boxes, 75 chairs, 120 audience seats and 100 gallery seats".
On August 26, 1926, the first cinematographic screening was held at the Stephens Theater with Charlot's film The Pilgrim's Progress.
In 1936, renovation works were carried out at the Stephens Theater aimed at its expansion, carried out under the guidance of the factory administrator, Acácio Calazans Duarte, and the reopening was attended by the Rey Colaço Company, Robles Monteiro who staged the play The Reward.
On October 5, 1941, the cinema reopened with the presentation of the film Primavera, and in March 1955, the premiere of the magazine Cantigas e Cristais, by José Ferreira da Silva and António Vasconcelos Ribeiro, was marked by the Grupo Cénico da Sociedade de Beneficência e Recreio 1º de Janeiro.
The closure of the Fábrica Escola Irmãos Stephens in 1994 and the Municipal Council of Marinha Grande and the State enter into a protocol with the aim of transferring the cultural facilities to the former.
In 2003, the municipality decided to move forward with the remodeling of the Stephens Theater and in May 2011 work began that culminated in the requalification of the Stephens Theater - Casa da Cultura.
The Casa da Cultura Teatro Stephens, located at Praça Guilherme Stephens in Marinha Grande, presents concerts and theater during the month of September and the City Council invites everyone to participate in the shows.
