From the beginning, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences considered it its task to oversee the Hungarian-speaking theatres. From the 1830’s the Academy tried to provide original dramas and translations, and the task of the “Standing Committee on Theatre” was to review the dramas and repertoire presented in permanent Hungarian-speaking theatres. Pest County also set up a permanent delegation, which exercised a supervisory role similar to that of the Academy. The directory board of the Magyar Theatre of Pest, that opened in 1837, and the body called the Acting Committee were also responsible for artistic and operational matters. These committees, looking at their model from the 18th century, hindered the institutionalization of the Hungarian-speaking theatre in various ways, albeit the Academy primarily sought to provide professional assistance to a developing social institution. This paper presents the connection between the Academy and the Hungarian-speaking theater from the point of view of institutional history.