It was set up by decree of Frederick Augustus I of Saxony on 14 April 1810 as the Rządowa Dyrekcja Teatru (Government Directorate for Theatre), its draft statute having been developed by Wojciecha Bogusławskiego.
In 1822 it changed its name to Dyrekcja Teatrów i Wszelkich Widowisk Dramatycznych i Muzycznych w Królestwie (Directorate of all theatres and dramatic and musical performance in the Kingdom), then in 1833 to the Warsaw Theatre Directorate.
It guided theatrical output and provided theatres with financial stability, enabling shows in Polish to be put on and new theatre buildings to be constructed.
Its companies included ones for operettas, ballets, dramas, comedies, the National Theatre and later opera and farce.
It had 5 buildings: The body's president was supported by a board of governors and by directors, and from 1907 by literary managers.