Kreta Ayer People’s Theatre is synonymous with Chinese theatrical arts and operas performed in ‘dialects’, particularly in Cantonese.
Officially opened on 24 March 1969, it started out as an open-air stage and was expanded twice in 1971 and 1974 respectively. In 1978, the Theatre underwent major redevelopment.
Besides staging Chinese operas, the theatre also screened films in conjunction with Cathay Organisation, and organised music concerts with Rediffusion in the 1970s.
In the past, the theatre also distributed red packets to low-income elderly living in Kreta Ayer during the annual Lunar New Year celebrations, using profits made from the theatre’s ticket sales.
Buildings and sites featured on Roots.SG are part of our efforts to raise awareness of our heritage; a listing on Roots.SG does not imply any form of preservation or conservation status, unless it is mentioned in the article. The information in this article is valid as of July 2016 and is not intended to be an exhaustive history of the site/building.
