During the era of Japanese rule, Hsinchuang's old town contained numerous venues for performances of Taiwanese Opera and hand puppet theater. These in turn supported nine hand puppet theater troupes that used beiguan style musicians backstage.
日治時期，新莊老街又擁有「布袋戲巢」、「戲窟」、「戲館巷」的稱號，因當時街內曾同時出現 9 個北管後場的布袋戲班。