Infinity Hall facts for kids
Infinity Hall is a special place for live music and performances in a really old building (built in 1883) in Norfolk, Connecticut. There's also another Infinity Hall in Hartford, Connecticut, run by the same company.
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Infinity Hall in Norfolk: A Historic Stage
From Opera House to Music Venue
The building that is now Infinity Hall was first built in 1883. It was a busy place, serving as an opera house, a barber shop, and even a saloon all at once! It was officially called the Norfolk Village Hall, but most people knew it as the Norfolk Opera House. A talented architect named George Palliser designed it.
The Norfolk Opera House was a popular spot for shows like vaudeville (a type of variety show) and plays until the late 1940s. After that, for about 40 years, it changed into a restaurant and a grocery store. The building then closed its doors in 1994 and stayed empty for four years.
Saving the Old Theater
In 1998, a person named Kimberly Gelvin-Melville really wanted to save the old opera house and turn it back into a theater. She even put on a play to help people notice the building and how special it was. Her efforts helped playwrights and theater producers Maura Cavanaugh and Richard Smithies discover the building.
In 1998, the Smithies bought the building for $50,000. They then spent a lot of money, $650,000, to fix it up. They even rebuilt a tall observation tower that was part of the original design! They renamed the place the Greenwoods Theater and brought plays and music back to its stage. The Greenwoods Theater was open until early 2007, when it had to close because of money problems.
A New Beginning as Infinity Hall
On February 3, 2007, a man named Dan Hincks bought the venue for $240,000. Dan Hincks was the head of a printing and publishing company. He decided to make even more improvements to the building, both inside and out. He made the building stronger, added a new restaurant called Infinity Bistro, put in a great sound system, and created comfortable spaces for performers. He also added new wood finishes and expanded the lower level.
All these changes turned the building into a fantastic performing arts theater with 300 seats and a restaurant. Dan Hincks renamed it Infinity Hall. He said he chose the name "Infinity" because "the sky is the limit" when it comes to bringing people together with music.
Infinity Hall officially opened on October 17, 2008, with a concert by singer Kenny Rankin. Many famous artists have performed there since, including Melissa Manchester, Spyro Gyra, Richie Havens, and Todd Rundgren. In May 2009, the Infinity Bistro restaurant opened its doors. In its first two years, Infinity Hall hosted over 400 concerts and welcomed more than 80,000 visitors! In 2010, Yankee magazine even voted Infinity Music Hall the Best Music Hall in New England.
Infinity Bistro was also very popular. In 2010, readers of Connecticut Magazine voted it the Best New Restaurant in Litchfield County and second best in the whole state.
Starting in 2012, Connecticut Public Television and American Public Television began filming live concerts at Infinity Hall for their Infinity Hall Live TV series. This helped even more people see the amazing performances happening there.
Infinity Hall in Hartford: A Modern Venue
The second Infinity Hall is located in a modern building at 32 Front Street in Hartford, Connecticut. It's part of the Front Street Entertainment District, close to the Connecticut Convention Center. This venue can hold about 500 people, with 415 seats on the main level and 90 in the mezzanine. For shows where people stand, it can fit up to 750 visitors.
See also
- Lists of theatres
- Music of Connecticut
- Theatre of the United States
