Italian immigration to Costa Rica (Sixth Part) The Italian contribution to the National Theatre

Abstract

A theatre, since the dawn of civilization, has played the role of the center of cultural activities. The Costa Rica of the nineteenth century, barely confusingly independentd in 1821, then integrated into the Federation without much conviction and with a colonial heritage of poverty, could not afford to build a true theater. However, attempts had been made. In 1837, Don Vicente Villaseñor had erected in the Main Square of San José (where the Central Park is now located) a shed of shows with capacity for 70 people; spectators had to carry their own seat. A few years later, in 1846, a theatre (with stage) of wood and shingle roof was inaugurated for 200 people and foreign works began to be performed. From 1832 Costa Rica had been articulated early on the world market with coffee exports and had begun some economic take-off; in this area of incipient development and with all the support of the then President Dr. José María Castro Madriz, the idea of creating a National Theatre emerged in 1847, a failed attempt at economic and political incidents.