Architects, writers, actors, physicists, and set designers participate in the literary discussion about the ideal theater. They were searching for a design of the audience space that provided optimal visual and acoustic conditions for all visitors. The extensive literature on theater construction, which goes far beyond purely architectural questions and addresses issues ranging from stage technology, set design, and practical execution to acoustics and optics, is subjected to systematic evaluation. Some of the larger theater buildings from this era are presented in a new light. In this respect, the work not only contributes to the history of architectural theory but also to the history of German theater construction in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.