The theatre opened on 3rd December, 1955 presenting Wojciech Bogusławski's Krakowiacy i Gorale (Krakow Folk and Highlanders) as its first performance. Within a decade since its opening, the Ludowy became known as an avant-garde theatre and was already counted among the prime and most interesting dramatic stages in Poland: this was possible thanks to Krystyna Skuszanka and Jzzef Szajna and other eminent artists, such as Tadeusz Kantor, Lidia Zamkow, Krystyna Zachwatowicz, Olga Lipinska, and Jerzy Krassowski, collaborating with them.