Teatro Casa Grande has been part of Rio's cultural life for over 50 years. During this period, it helped and accompanied the development of Leblon, presented some of the most important artistic shows staged in Rio and became a symbol of democratic resistance, hosting historic debates and meetings that contributed to the re-democratization of the country and the consolidation of political and social freedoms.

In 1966, through a newspaper advertisement, Max Haus found a warehouse in distant Leblon that was being rented by the Church. At that time, Afrânio de Melo Franco was a dirt street with no public lighting. At the end of the street, Praia do Pinto.

Deal closed with a priest, the Café Teatro Casa Grande, on private land for which the Church would receive rent until, almost a decade later, the state declared itself the owner and claimed payment for use.

An immediate success. After a brief period, around two years later, Max and his partner Moysés Ajhaenblat decided to build a theater there. With bank loans and loans from friends, the Casa Grande Theater, which had difficulties initially establishing itself in a neighborhood that was still far from the reference of sophistication that it would gain in the following decades.

With debts increasing, the theater was about to close its doors when it was saved by an occasional meeting with playwright and director Oduvaldo Vianna Filho, known as Vianinha. Upon learning of the difficulties, Vianinha sought out Paulo Pontes and Bibi Ferreira, who were rehearsing a new show.

Came the Brazilian, Profession Hope, uA huge success that guaranteed the survival of Casa Grande and began a history of great theatrical and artistic shows, which continues to this day.

In these almost six decades, Casa Grande housed, among others,  The Sound of Music”, Hairspray, A Gaiola das Loucas, Hamlet, Fiddler on the Roof, Tim Maia – the Musical, Cabaret, God, Bibi, a Musical, My Mother is a Piece, Cão Sem Plumas, The Mystery of Irma Vap, Cia Deborah Colker and what has already become traditional at the House, the annual presentation of the classic Ballet The Nutcracker.

Big names such as Nara Leão, Maria Bethânia, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento, Elis Regina, Chico Buarque, Gal Costa, Martinho da Vila, Vinícius de Moraes, Paulinho da Viola, Ivan Lins, Novos Baianos, Baden Powell, Família Caymmi, among others, also attended the theater.

All this amid two sad episodes: the attempted closure during the military dictatorship, in the mid-70s, and the fire that completely destroyed the theater in the 90s.

During the military regime, Casa Grande was the place where people could meet and became an important meeting center for fundamental debates for the democracy that would arrive years later. A stance that led to the regime's attempt to close the theater, which failed because the artistic class joined intellectuals in a great resistance movement and Casa Grade remained open. Saved once again.

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