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 very old and important theater located at 103 Tenth Street in Downtown Columbus, Georgia, United States. It first opened its doors on February 21, 1871.
This special theater was named the State Theatre of Georgia by Governor Jimmy Carter when it turned 100 years old. Later, in 1992, the Georgia State Legislature made this title permanent. In its early days, many famous performers like Edwin Booth, Lily Langtry, Will Rogers, and John Philip Sousa performed there. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1978.
Today, the Springer is a professional theater company. It puts on many different shows, including plays for adults, smaller studio productions, and children's theater. It also has a year-round training program for young actors.
Contents
History of the Springer Opera House
Building a Dream Theater
Live theater has been a part of Columbus, Georgia, since the city began. The first recorded show happened in July 1828 in a simple log building. For many years, different stages came and went, but they were all quite basic.
After the American Civil War ended, a group of people met in June 1869. They wanted to build a theater that the city could be proud of. This group, led by John King, quickly raised money by selling shares. They decided the theater would be named after the person who bought the most shares. In less than a month, they had raised more than half the money needed!
F. J. Springer's Vision
By May 1870, a successful businessman named Francois Joseph Springer decided to build the new theater. He was an immigrant from France who loved theater, music, and dance. He dreamed of opening a European-style theater in Columbus. Springer bought the most shares in the project. Eventually, he bought out all the other shareholders, becoming the full owner of the new theater.
Construction and Opening
Building the new theater started right away and went very quickly. In August 1870, a local newspaper reported that the building might be finished by November. However, there was a sad accident during construction when a worker was hurt. Building was also delayed a bit because of a shortage of bricks and wood.
By January 1871, the outside of the building was mostly done, and work began on the inside. On February 10, Springer announced that the new opera house would open on February 21. The very first event was a musical concert to help the nearby Trinity Episcopal Church.
Major Changes in 1900
In 1900, the Springer Opera House had a big makeover and got much larger. A famous theater designer named J. B. McElfatrick was hired to completely redesign it. He used his work on the Empire Theatre in New York City as inspiration.
During this renovation, the building was made longer, creating a new, taller space for the main stage. A second balcony was also added. The building also gained hotel rooms, restaurants, and office spaces. These new additions helped the Springer earn more money.
From Live Shows to Movies
Not long after the Springer's expansion, movies became very popular. The Springer, always a leading theater, showed some of Thomas Edison's new films. By 1915, the Springer started showing movies regularly. As movies grew more popular, fewer live plays were performed, which was a trend across the country.
By 1931, the Springer mostly showed movies under its new owner, Martin Theatres. Only a few local concerts were held there after that. By 1958, fewer people were going downtown in Columbus. With attendance dropping, Martin Theatres closed the Springer. For the first time in its history, the theater became silent.
Saving the Springer in 1964
By 1963, the Springer Opera House had been empty for five years. There was talk of tearing it down to make space for a new parking lot. But a group of local actors and theater lovers, who were part of the Columbus Little Theatre, decided to save it.
They formed a group of leaders who all wanted to protect the Springer. They started a big campaign to tell everyone how important the Springer was as a historic building. A businessman named Robert L. Lewis even put down $5,000 to help buy the building.
In the summer of 1964, with control of the building secured and enough donations, the group started fixing the leaky roof and restoring the lobby. They also cleaned the main hall and made sure the building met safety rules. The Springer Opera House reopened with a big celebration on September 23, 1965. This work helped start a successful movement to save other historic buildings in downtown Columbus.
Modern Renovation in 1998
In 1998, a huge renovation project costing $12 million finished the historic preservation work that began in 1964. This project fixed and restored the entire building, including parts that had been in ruins for decades.
The first floor public areas were made larger, and the stage was completely updated with modern equipment for lighting and sound. Beautiful historic wallpapers were added, and old decorative paintings around the stage and under the balconies were uncovered and restored.
Important new features included four classrooms and rehearsal studios, plus a large community room. These additions allowed the Springer to greatly expand its Theatre Academy and its children's theater programs.
Live Performances Today
Today, the Springer Opera House hosts shows all year long on two stages. The Emily Woodruff Hall is the main theater with 700 seats. It hosts popular plays and musicals, including many new shows from Broadway.
The McClure Theatre is a smaller, more cozy space. It hosts unique productions and shows for the Springer Children's Theatre. These shows feature talented young actors from the Springer Theatre Academy.
Springer Theatre Academy
The Springer Opera House has a large training program for young actors. It is one of the biggest theater training programs in the Southeast! The Dorothy W. McClure Springer Theatre Academy is taught by professional actors, directors, teachers, and technicians. Over 1,000 students attend each year.
The academy offers classes during the school year and an eight-week program in the summer. The Springer also puts on special educational performances for schools in Georgia and Alabama. These shows bring over 15,000 students to the Springer Opera House each year, many for the very first time!
See also
