A theater on the corner of North Claiborne and Ursulines avenues went through a number of transformations and owners before meeting its demise in 2024.
Harlequin, an “airdome” (open-air) theater, opened in 1913. Owned by brothers Rene and Paul Brunet, it was the first theater to have an electrical seating system. Black and white patrons were separated by picket fences. In 1918-19, the theater was enclosed and a balcony was added for Black patrons.
“As an air-dome it was just kind of a low-end theater. You didn’t know when you were going to get rained on or whatever,” historian Jack Stewart told WWL-TV in 2022. “It kept getting bigger and bigger … until it had a balcony and everything in it.”…