茶園的出現(xiàn)，標志著天津近代藝術(shù)大舞臺的發(fā)端。所謂茶園，是具有營業(yè)性質(zhì)的戲曲演出場所，它是將舞臺與觀眾統(tǒng)一在一個建筑體內(nèi)的室內(nèi)劇場。舞臺是三面敞開的伸出式方臺，觀眾圍桌而坐，隨聚隨散，一邊喝茶，一邊看戲。有些商賈還在這里談生意。茶園對入園者，只收茶資，不收看戲錢，因為看戲錢已經(jīng)包括在茶費之內(nèi)，只不過名目為茶資而已。
天津茶園出現(xiàn)于19世紀初期，清道光年間，就有“戲園七處賽京城”的詩句。近代以后，天津的茶園迅速發(fā)展，到光緒年間就有四大名園：慶芳茶園、金聲茶園、協(xié)盛茶園、襲勝茶園。
茶園的興起，促進了天津戲曲活動的繁榮，而戲曲名角在茶園的演出，反過來又激發(fā)了茶園的興盛。此后相繼在商業(yè)發(fā)達的河北大街、侯家后、東北角一帶，興建、改建了一批茶園，如繪芳茶園、天桂茶園、大觀茶園、天升茶園、三德軒等。
庚子事變，使北大關(guān)、侯家后、估衣街一帶遭到焚毀，商業(yè)區(qū)向城南轉(zhuǎn)移，南市逐漸形成，由于它地處老城和租界之間，俗稱“三不管” ,歌樓酒肆，叢錯其間。除了走江湖的“撂地” 、“布棚”進行說、唱、耍、演之外，也建起了一些茶園。如南市榮業(yè)大街的華樂茶園。
此外，天津的外國租界成為天津商貿(mào)、金融、文化等新的繁華區(qū)，茶園也紛紛在租界建立。如天福茶園、福仙茶園、聚興茶園、天會茶園、松鳳閣、富春茶社等。據(jù)記載，當(dāng)時天津的茶園多達113處。而且天津的茶園前后延續(xù)時間，長達30多年之久。

·天仙茶園

戲園的出現(xiàn)，成為從茶園到近代劇場的過渡舞臺。清末民初，隨著現(xiàn)代建筑、房地產(chǎn)、電燈等業(yè)的發(fā)展，隨著租界內(nèi)新商業(yè)區(qū)的進一步繁榮，特別是伴隨著天津戲曲舞臺的興盛，茶園已不適應(yīng)戲曲演出的需要，于是，改建和新建的娛樂演出場所戲園應(yīng)運而生。戲園舞臺，取消了茶座，將原始設(shè)備更換為新的設(shè)施，如花樓、月臺、排椅，樓上的包廂，有的還增設(shè)了燈光布景設(shè)置。著名的戲園有：
下天仙舞臺、天仙舞臺、第一舞臺、升平舞臺、大舞臺、上平安。
另據(jù)舊志和史料記載，當(dāng)時的戲園還有： 天天大舞臺、中原妙舞臺、慶云大舞臺、群英大舞臺、廣和樓戲園、北天仙舞臺、新欣舞臺、中央舞臺、新聲舞臺等。
特別是勸業(yè)場還有“八大天” : 天宮、天樂、天緯、天露、天華景、天會軒、天升、天外天。這“八大天” ,有戲園、茶社、彈子房、球社等，可以看戲，可以聽曲，可以打球，可以休閑。是聚商業(yè)、戲曲、娛樂、休閑于一體的場所。
天津現(xiàn)代戲劇大舞臺變化的劃時代標志，是大戲院的落成開業(yè)。
1927年，春和大戲院落成。投資者為高春和，遂取名春和，坐落在濱江道福厚里，規(guī)模較大，設(shè)備完善，特別是建有對外播放實況的音響設(shè)備，管理制度進行了改革，取消了拋“手巾把” 、賣小吃的舊俗，采取了預(yù)先售票、對號入座措施。楊小樓和“四大名旦”都曾在該戲院演出； 1935年后，先后改名國泰戲院、光華戲院，主要放映電影； 1943年3月，由日本人經(jīng)營，更名大名電影院； 1945年5月，后臺發(fā)生火災(zāi)停業(yè)； 解放后，紡織工會接管修復(fù)，更名勞動劇場，1957年3月，更名工人劇場。
1936年，中國大戲院落成。位于哈爾濱道，是中、法結(jié)合式建筑，混凝土結(jié)構(gòu)，共5層樓，1、2、3樓設(shè)觀眾席，可容納1800多人； 劇場內(nèi)沒有柱子，各個角度的視線都不受影響，聲響效果很好； 前臺與后臺之間，設(shè)有防火的鐵幕。開業(yè)時，天津市長張自忠出席，馬連良剪彩、講話并演出。當(dāng)時，它不僅是天津劇場之冠，而且也是全國少有的一流劇場。1955年，更名中國戲院。
此外，1930年出版的《天津志略》記載： 僅戲院、電影院、評書館、雜耍場等，天津就有56處：計戲院14處，電影院16處，評書館22處，雜耍場5處。以每日演2場，平均每場有500人，則一日間，觀眾就有5萬多人。
還有演出過戲曲的 “游藝場” ,如天外天、天祥商場內(nèi)的小廣寒、日租界的張園、德租界的陶園等6處； 演出過戲曲的俱樂部，如英租界海關(guān)、法租界天同等5處； 主要演出京劇的票房，如開灤、南開等6處； 演出過戲曲的坤書館，如日租界的中華、南市的權(quán)樂等5處。天津戲曲場所數(shù)量之多、規(guī)模之大、設(shè)備之優(yōu)，在當(dāng)時的中國，僅次于上海。

The appearance of tea houses in Tianjin signaled thebeginning of Tianjin modern art. Tea houses werecommercial sites for opera performance which gatheredstages and spectators inside a chamber theater of abuilding. A stage was a protruding square platform withthree open sides. Spectators sat around it drinking whilewatching opera. Business could also be done there. Teahouses just charged tea and not for drama,the expensesof which was in the tea expenses and appeared in thename of tea expenses.
Tea houses in Tianjin showed up in the early1800s. There was already the line of "Seven Tea Housesin Tianjin Surpass Those of the Capital" in Daoguangreign. When time came to the modern era,tea houses inTianjin saw a rapid development. Four famed tea housesexisted in Daoguang reign which were Qingfang TeaHouse,Jinsheng Tea House,Xiesheng Tea House andXisheng Tea House.
The spring-up of tea houses promoted thepopularity of opera in Tianjin. On the other hand,theopera stars` performance at tea houses made them moreprosperous. Many tea houses were built in Hebei Street,Houjiahou,and Dongbeijiao,such as Huifang Tea House(in the north of Beimengdong;Yang Xiaolou performedhere in 1902),Tiangui Tea House (in Xinmalu,laterShiqiaobei of Hebei Street),Daguan Tea House (inGongyin of Beimalu; named Daguan New Theater in1909; later changed to Tianjin Cinema),Tiansheng TeaHouse (at Dongbeijiao,once named Dongsheng TeaAssociation,Tiansheng Theater,and Tiankai cinema).
After the Gengzi Event,a fire destroyed areas ofBeidaguang,Houjiahou and Guyijie. The downtownmoved to the north and Nanshi came into being. It wascalled "Nobody Governs" because it was located inbetween the old city and the concessions. There weremany restaurants and entertainment places. Besides folkart sites,there were new tea houses. Huayue Tea Houseat Rongye Street was renovated from a story-tellinghouse at the end of Qing Dynasty.
Tea houses also developed with the foreignconcessions when they were becoming the new prosperousplaces of trade,finance and culture. Tianjin Summarydescribed that there were Tianfu Tea House in Zizhulin,Fuxian Tea House in Haidadao. There were also Juxing TeaHouse,Tianhui Tea House,Songfengge,and Fuchun TeaHouse. According to Tianjin Volume,China Opera Record,there were 113 tea houses in Tianjin. Some tea houseslasted even more than 30 years.
Opera theaters were the transition from tea housesto modern theaters. At the end of Qing Dynasty and atthe beginning of the Republic of China,tea houses werenot suitable for opera performance with the developmentof modern architecture,light,business in concessionsand the prosperity of Tianjin opera. New or renovatedtheaters came into being with stages and new facilitiesof balconies,platforms,rowed chairs,and lighting. Thefamous theaters were as follows:
Xiatianxian Theater Tianxian Theater,TheFirst Theater,Shengping Arena,The Great Theater,Shangping`an Theater.
According to annals and history,other theaterswere Tiantian Theater,Zhongyuanmiao Theater,Qingyun Theater,Qunying Theater,Guanhelou Theater,Beitianxian Theater,Xinxin Theater,Central Theaterand Xinsheng Theater.
The building of Great Theater marked thebeginning of modern Tianjin Theater. In 1920s and1930s,social life in Tianjin changed a lot with thedevelopment of new-culture revolution and thepopularity of new ideas. Modern theaters appeared inTianjin because of Tianjin`s opening up,its importanceas a financial center,the building of the city,the absorbof local culture,the set-up of Tianjin as a special city,the capital moving to the south and the investment intheaters in the concessions.
In 1927,Chunhe Theater was built. It wasinvested by Gao Chunhe and located in Guhouli ofBinjiang Road. It was spacious with advanced facilities,especially audio machines for broadcasting foroutsiders. It also reformed management by cancellingthe selling of fast food and selling tickets in advancefor checking numbers. Yang Xiaolou and the "Top FourFemale Actresses" all performed here. It changed nameto Guotai Theater and Guanghua Theater for playingfilms in around 1935. In March,1943,it changed nameto Darning Cinema and managed by the Japanese. InMay,1945,the theater stopped business because of fireon back stage. After the liberation,Textile Labor Uniontook over and repaired it. Its name changed to LaborTheater. In March,1957,it was called Worker`s Theater.
In 1936,Great Theater was built at Ha`erbin Street.It was a Chinese-French style building in cement of5 floors. The first,second and third floor were 1800seats for audience. It had no pillars,so it did not hindersight or voice. There was an iron curtain of fire proofbetween the front and back stages. Zhang Zizhong(Tianjin Mayor) and Ma Lianliang attended the openingceremony and made speeches. It was the best theater inTianjin and one of the best in China. In 1955,it changedname to China`s Theater.
Tianjin Annals published in 1930 wrote that therewere 57 entertainment places in Tianjin: 14 theaters,16cinemas,22 Ping story-telling places,and 5 sideshowplaces. If every place performed twice one day and 500persons watched each performance,there would be50,000 audience in one day.
There were also other places for opera performancesuch as the 6 entertainment places named Tianwaitian,Guanghangong at Tianxiang marketplace,ZhangGarden in the Japanese concession,Tao Garden inthe Germany concession,to name a few.; 5 clubs foropera performance such as the Customs of the Britainconcession and Tiantong in the French concession,etc.;6 ticket shops for Peking opera such as Kailuan andNankai; 5 Kun Story-telling places such as Zhonghuain the Japanese concession and Quanyue at Nanshi. Thenumber,size and facilities of theaters in Tianjin wereonly next to Shanghai in China.

·1939年被水淹的中國大戲院