The Helena Modrzejewska National Old Theatre in Kraków (Polish: Narodowy Stary Teatr im.

Heleny Modrzejewskiej) is one of the oldest public stages in Poland and a national institution of culture, first opened in 1781.

The theatre was created by Feliks Oraczewski, a member of the Polish Parliament (Sejm), and the actor Mateusz Witkowski.

On 17 October 1781 the Kraków city authorities gave Witkowski permission to perform comedy under the condition that he pay fifty Polish zloty a month to the municipal treasury.

[1][2] In 1798, Jacek Kluszewski, the starosta of Brzeg, took over the theatre and converted two of his own buildings the corner of Szczepański Square and Jagiellonian Street into its permanent home.