Earlville Opera House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Earlville Opera House
|
|
Earlville Opera House, May 2009
|
|
 Location in New York
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 12-20 E. Main St., Earlville, New York |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1890 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001169 |
| Added to NRHP | January 22, 1973 |
The Earlville Opera House is a special old theater in Earlville, New York. It is located in Chenango County, New York. This historic building was built in 1890. It takes up most of a larger building called the Douglass Block.
The Opera House has three floors. The theater and its balcony are on the second and third floors. Shops are on the first floor. From the 1890s to the 1920s, this place was very popular. It was a center for community events and arts. It hosted many different shows. These included Vaudeville acts, which were variety shows. There were also "three-penny operas" and traveling medicine shows. Later, it showed silent movies and then "talkies" in the 1950s.
However, things changed when cars became common. People started going to drive-in movies. Television also became popular. These new things made it hard for the small theater to compete. So, the Opera House closed its doors in 1952. It seemed like it would be closed forever. But in 1971, the building was almost torn down. Luckily, an artist named Joey Skaggs bought it. He then gave it to the Earlville community. His goal was to save it and keep it as a cultural place.
In July 1972, a group of volunteers formed the Earlville Opera House, Inc. They immediately started working to fix up the building. In 1974, the Opera House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list recognizes important historical sites. In 1976, the Opera House hosted its first live show in over 50 years! Since then, it has been run by volunteers. It is a non-profit organization. This means it uses any money it earns to support its programs.
The Earlville Opera House is part of the Earlville Historic District. Today, it is a busy community arts center. It is known for being a beautiful and well-preserved theater. It also has great sound quality.
Contents
What Happens at the Opera House Today?
The Earlville Opera House is managed by a strong community group. It offers many exciting things all year long.
Performances and Arts
- Live Shows: The Opera House has a great series of performances. You can see music, plays, and other live acts.
- Art Galleries: There are three galleries where you can see amazing visual art.
- Gift Shop: The Artisan Gift Shop sells unique items. These are made by artists from the local area.
Learning and Community
- Arts Education: The Opera House offers chances to learn about art.
- Workshops: They also have workshops that help meet the needs of the community.
- Cultural Activities: The Opera House helps manage a program. This program gives money to arts groups in Broome, Chenango, and Otsego counties. This helps more people enjoy art and culture.
This special place helps its own village and the wider area. It brings more art and culture to rural New York. It also helps save important historical buildings. Plus, it helps the economy of Central New York.
A History of Rebuilding
The current Opera House is not the first one on this spot. The first Opera House was built in 1890. But soon after, a fire damaged it. The village, with help from Newell Douglass, built a second opera house. It was also in the Douglass Block on East Main Street. But on March 31, 1892, another fire happened. Half of the Douglass Block was destroyed. The village worked together again. The Opera House you see today was finished by November 1892. It was built on the same spot.
