Springer Opera House facts for kids
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Springer Opera House
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Interior of the Springer Opera House in 1980
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 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| Location | 103 Tenth St., Columbus, Georgia |
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| Built | 1871 |
| Architect | Foley, Daniel Matthew |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000214 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 29, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | June 2, 1978 |
The Springer Opera House is a famous old theater located at 103 Tenth Street in Downtown Columbus, Georgia. It first opened its doors on February 21, 1871. This theater was named the State Theatre of Georgia by Governor Jimmy Carter when it turned 100 years old. This special title was made permanent by the state government in 1992.
Many legendary performers have graced the Springer's stage. These include famous actors like Edwin Booth and Ethel Barrymore, writer Oscar Wilde, dancer Agnes de Mille, and bandleader John Philip Sousa. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. It was later named a National Historic Landmark in 1978 because of its beautiful design and how well it has been kept over the years.
Contents
History of the Springer Opera House
How the Idea Started
People in Columbus, Georgia, have enjoyed theater performances since the city began. The first recorded show in a building happened in July 1828. For many years, different stages were built, but they were quite simple.
After the American Civil War ended, a group of people met in June 1869. They wanted to create a special performance hall that the city could be proud of. This group formed the Public Hall Association. They quickly raised money by selling shares. They decided the new hall would be named after the person who owned the most shares. In less than a month, they had raised more than half the money needed to build it.
Meet F. J. Springer
By May 1870, a successful businessman named Francis Joseph Springer decided to build the new theater. He was an immigrant from Alsace and had become very rich in the grocery business. Springer loved theater, music, and dance, and he had always dreamed of opening a theater in Columbus.
He built the theater on the site of his store in downtown Columbus. Springer bought the most shares in the Public Hall Association. Over time, he bought out the other shareholders until he owned the entire new building.
Building the Theater
Construction of the new theater started right away and moved very quickly. By August 1870, a local newspaper reported that the building might be finished as early as November of that year.
However, the fast building process was not without problems. A worker named John Prince sadly died when a scaffold fell inside the hall. Construction was also delayed for a short time because there weren't enough bricks and wood. But by January 1871, the outside of the building was mostly done. Workers then started painting the beautiful designs on the inside walls. On February 10, Springer announced that the new opera house would open on February 21. The first event was a special concert to help the nearby Trinity Episcopal Church.
Big Changes in 1900
In 1900, the Springer Opera House had a major makeover and got bigger. A famous theater designer named J. B. McElfatrick was hired to completely redesign the building. He used his work at the Empire Theatre on Broadway in New York City as inspiration.
During this renovation, the building was made longer towards the east. This created a new, taller space for the main stage. A second balcony was also added at this time. The building also gained hotel rooms, restaurants, and office spaces. These new additions gave the Springer important new ways to earn money.
Becoming a Movie House
Not long after the Springer's expansion, movies became very popular. The Springer, known as a leading theater, showed some of Thomas Edison's new Vitascope films. These short films marked the beginning of a slow decline for live theater in the city.
By 1915, the Springer started showing movies regularly. As movies grew more popular, live theater was pushed aside. This was a common trend across the country at that time. By 1931, the Springer had hosted its last big live theater show. It then started operating almost only as a movie house under its new owner, Martin Theatres. The only live performances after 1931 were occasional local concerts. By 1958, many people had moved away from downtown Columbus. With fewer people attending, Martin Theaters closed the Springer. For the first time in its history, the old theater became silent.
Saving the Springer in 1964
By 1963, the Springer Opera House had been empty for five years. Its future looked bleak, and people were talking about tearing it down. The Springer was located right across from the busy county courthouse, making it a good spot for a new parking lot or office building.
With the building almost certainly going to be destroyed, a group of local actors stepped in. They were already part of the Columbus Little Theater. They formed a group of local experts who all wanted to save the Springer Opera House. These people started a strong campaign to teach the public about the Springer's importance as a historic building worth saving.
As the awareness campaign spread across the city, one of the group's members, businessman Robert L. Lewis, provided $5,000 to help buy the Springer building. In the summer of 1964, with control of the building secured and enough donations to start repairs, the group began working. They focused on fixing the leaky roof, restoring the main lobby, cleaning the main hall, and making the building safe.
The Springer Opera House reopened with a big celebration on September 23, 1965. The Columbus Little Theater performed St. Elmo, a play based on a novel by Columbus native Augusta Jane Evans. Even though the 1964 renovations only did the most necessary things to reopen the Springer, they were a huge turning point in its history. This work by the Columbus Little Theater also sparked a very successful movement to save historic buildings in Columbus during the second half of the 20th century.
Modern Upgrades in 1998
In 1998, a huge renovation project from the foundation to the roof completed the historic preservation work that started in 1964. This $12 million project involved both updating and restoring the theater. While the 1964 renovation made the main theater, ground floor public areas, and part of the second floor usable, this 1998 project fixed up the entire third floor and the rest of the second floor, which had been in ruins for over 30 years.
Also, the first-floor public areas were made larger. The stage was completely updated with modern equipment for rigging, lighting, and sound. Important parts of this renovation included adding beautiful historic wallpaper designs and restoring the decorative paintings around the tall Springer stage arch. They even found previously unknown painting designs under both balconies. Other key parts of the project were creating four classrooms and rehearsal studios. A large multi-purpose community room and a studio theater were also built on a nearby property. These two additions allowed the Springer to greatly expand its Theatre Academy program and its Studio Theatre and Children's Theatre programs.
The 2009 Tornado
On April 19, 2009, an EF2 tornado touched down in Downtown Columbus. It caused serious damage to Columbus State University and only minor, fixable damage to the Springer Opera House.
Springer Theatricals
Springer Theatricals is the national touring part of the Springer Opera House. They perform in about 60 cities across America and Canada each year.
Live Theater Today
Today, the Springer Opera House hosts performances all year long on two stages. Emily Woodruff Hall is the main theater with 700 seats. It hosts the popular Mainstage Series, which features some of the newest plays and musicals, as well as classic Broadway-style shows.
The McClure Theatre is the Springer's smaller, more intimate space. It hosts its Studio Series and its Children's Theatre Series. These shows often feature many talented student actors from the area.
Springer Theatre Academy
The Springer Opera House offers a large training program for young actors that runs all year. It is the biggest theater academy in the Southeast. The Dorothy W. McClure Springer Theatre Academy is led by professional actors, directors, theater teachers, and technicians. It has over 800 students!
The academy holds Saturday classes during the school year and offers a weekday program in the summer. The Springer Theater Academy also has special school performances for nearby school districts in Georgia and Alabama. These bring over 1,500 public, private, and homeschool children to the Springer Opera House, often for the very first time.
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Georgia (U.S. state)
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Muscogee County, Georgia
Official Website: https://www.springeroperahouse.org/
