On Wednesday, The Historic Carver Theater, located in the musically rich Treme neighborhood of New Orleans, will reopen its doors.
Dino Marshall, managing director of the Historic Carver Theater, said the reopening was timed perfectly because they can attract publicity from the second weekend of Jazz Fest.
“This is probably the oldest and most legendary theater for New Orleans music and culture,” Marshall said.
After 35 years and $8 million in renovations, the theater will take part in International Jazz Day to celebrate the 16 years of the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic. The day will be filled with a collection of music and film.
The theater, named after scientist George Washington Carver, was established in September of 1950. It stands as one of the first theaters to focus on African-American entertainment and it supported desegregation.
In 1980, the Historic Carver Theater was shut down and became a medical clinic in 1984. In 1991, ophthalmologist Eugene Oppman purchased the property and continued to run it as a medical clinic until Hurricane Katrina flooded the building in August of 2005.
After returning to New Orleans, Oppman decided to reopen the property as a theater. The process of gathering the necessary funding delayed the renovations, but now the theater is complete and ready to become a part of the New Orleans culture.
Treme is home to a mixture of Creole and African-American culture. It also boasts a proud jazz heritage from artists such as Lucien Barbarin and Alphonse Picou. Marshall said the theater is another vital piece of the neighborhood’s history.
“The Carver is a historic part of music. It’s a place where Irma Thomas was discovered, and Jackie Wilson came to sing,” Marshall said.
At 10:30 a.m., a ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at the theater. Musical documentary “Rockin’ the Opera House: Dr. John” will be shown at 5 p.m. and again at 7 p.m.
A discussion panel precedes the film’s first showing, including musician Dr. John and playwright Vernel Bagneris, who will talk about their memories of the Historic Carver Theater and its role in Treme. Musician Big Chief Donald Harris, leader of the Congo Square Nation, will finish the night as he performs his signature style of New Orleans jazz meets New York jazz.
Tickets for the showing of “Rockin’ the Opera House: Dr. John” with the discussion panel are $21, and the second screening of only the film is $10. More information on the day’s events and prices can be found at carvertheater.org.
Pull Quote: “This is probably the oldest and most legendary theater for New Orleans music and culture.”

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