Theatre

New York Hippodrome

The Hippodrome Theatre, also called the New York Hippodrome, was a theater located on Sixth Avenue between West 43rd and West 44th Streets in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The theater operated from 1905 to 1939 and was called the world's largest theater by its builders, with a seating capacity of 5,300 and a stage measuring 100 by 200 feet (30 m × 61 m). It had state-of-the-art theatrical technology, including a tank built into the stage apron that could be filled with water for aquatic performances.

Odd Fellows Hall, Norristown, Pennsylvania

The Centre Theater at 208 DeKalb St. Norristown, is occupying a structure steeped in Montgomery County history. The original building opened in 1851 as the Odd Fellows lodge hall and public auditorium. From 1851 to 1873, the Odd Fellows auditorium provided the primary site for entertaining people who traveled from many corners of the region. Vaudeville acts performed in the early days.

Opera House, Brockton, Massachusetts

November 14, 1884 

Mark Twain had complained that there was not enough notice of this event to generate a suitable audience. Here is the text from the notice published in the Brockton Enterprise, November 1, 1884: \

"OPERA HOUSE.--M.W. Hanley's company, presenting Harrigan & Hart's play, "Dan;s Tribulations," will be at this house November 6th. Nov.9th the Flora Myers company return for a season of dramatic representations at popular prices. The 14th Mark Twain, the humorist, and Mr. George W. Cable, the novelist, will appear in a lecture and readings."  

Opera House, Burlington, IA

Burlington Opera House

The night the opera first came to town 

Opera House, Delaware, OH

Original Town Hall and Opera House burned down February 1934 

Opera House, Hannibal, Mo

I have no direct information that the Opera House was the location of the Twain-Cable reading of January 13, 1885, but I found this listing in the Hannibal City Directory 1885-86.  Hannibal Opera House Co., cor of 5th and Center, J.B. Price, manager, office at F. & M. bank.

 Image:  Hannibal, Missouri: Bluff City Memories  By Steve Chou

Opera House, Janesville, WI

Known as the Myers Opera House. 118 E. Milwaukee Street, Janesville, WI 53545 

The Myers Theater was built in 1870 as the Myers Opera House. It started showing movies around 1929. In 1977 the Myers Theater was demolished and replaced with a bank. The history page for this theater gives Milwaukee Avenue and South Parker Drive as its location. Google Maps returns East Milwaukee Street and South Parker Drive.  http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/14142 

January 20, 1885

Opera House, Keokuk, IA

The Grand Theatre was designed by Merle F. Baker and was constructed on the foundation of the Keokuk Opera House (Circa 1880) which burned in 1923. It was patterned after theaters in Chicago and was praised as one of the finest theaters in the country at the time.
http://www.keokukiowatourism.org/theatre.htm 

It Happened In Keokuk  Friday, December 7, 1923  

KEOKUK'S 43 YEAR OLD OPERA HOUSE IS GUTTED IN EARLY MORNING BLAZE. 

Opera House, La Crosse, WI

Known as the Pomeroy Opera House.

Opera House, Newark, NJ

This site has not been specifically cited but based on dates opened this is likely the site visited by Mark Twain in 1868.

This was one of the legendary Newark showplace addresses at the busy corner of Halsey Street and Market Street. Opened in 1847, this location served 75 years of entertainment including live music, legitimate theatre, vaudeville, and movies. Beginning as Waller’s Opera House, Fred Waldmann took on the location changing it to Waldmann’s Opera House. The location would move to presenting vaudeville.

Opera House, Newburgh, NY

November 20, 1884 

"From the daughter of Francis N. Bain, 1st proprietor, we have the following authentication: Mrs. John Nolle (Francis Bain Nolle) reminds us that the early Opera House on 2nd Street, just east of the hotel and the Academy of Music, on Broadway, west of Grand Street, supported interesting plays and singers. In fact, many of the plays that were to run on Broadway in New York City had try-outs in Newburgh. Also, Newburgh on the circuit of the early producers tours." 

Opera House, Ottawa, Canada

The Grand Opera House is referenced as built in 1874 on Sparks St, but also list on Albert Street at O'Connor, built by William Hodgson. http://www.dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/architects/view/262 

Opera House, Quincy, IL

Doerr's Opera House operated out of the second floor of the building on the northwest corner of 6th and Maine Streets.
http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/ref/collection/qpl/id/1589

Opera House, Rockford, IL

Also known as the Grand Opera House 

HISTORICAL NOTE 

Grand Opera House
113-117 North Wyman Street,
Rockford, IL

Incorporated: November 6, 1880
Opened: November 12, 1881
Seating: 1500
Closed (as an Opera House): 1917
Demolished: April, 1927

http://www.oscarwildeinamerica.org/lectures-1882/march/0302-rockford.html 

January 30, 1885 

Opera House, South Bend, IN

See Good's Opera House

Opera House, Utica, NY

Joe Vogel on January 5, 2012 at 4:52 am  The Majestic Theatre was an extensive rebuilding of the Utica Opera House, which had been built in 1871. When Sam Shubert took over the lease on the Opera House in 1900, he had the building largely gutted and expanded to create a space for a more modern theater. In addition to the new Majestic, the building housed a second-floor assembly room at the Washington Street corner of the structure, and this was converted into the Orpheum Theatre in 1901. 

Paterson Opera House, Paterson, NJ

The Paterson Opera House was opened on April 2, 1866.In 1900 it was severely damaged in a fire. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1901. In 1914 another fire caused some damage and following renovations it reopened as the U.S. Photo Play Theatre on March 6, 1916 with the film “Battle Cry of Peace”. It was listed in 1930 as the United States Theatre with a 2,000 seat capacity and equipped with an RCA sound system. It was operated by the Stanley Warner chain and was closed in September 1967.

The building was sold and demolished in 1969.

Philharmonic Hall, Winona, MN

The cultural life of the city of Winona was supported by the establishment of the  Winona Opera House and Philharmonic Hall. These buildings were the sites of many locally produced plays and theatrical performances. They were also used for performances by famous  visiting artists, lecturers, and musicians who were brought to Winona by O. F. Burlingame,  the astute Impresario of the Winona Opera House.

Piper's Opera House, Virginia City

Piper's Opera House is an historic performing arts venue in Virginia City, Storey County, Nevada, United States. Piper's served as a training facility in 1897 for heavyweight boxing champion Gentleman Jim Corbett, in preparation for his title bout with Bob Fitzsimmons. The current structure was built by entrepreneur John Piper in 1885 to replace his 1878 opera house that had burned down. The 1878 venue, in turn, had been to replace Piper's 1863 venue which was destroyed by the 1875 Great Fire in Virginia City.

Platt's Hall

One source reported that Platt's Hall opened in 1860. Jack Tillmany reports that the first newspaper accounts of events there that he found were in July 1862. The building was on the NE corner of Montgomery and Bush.

It's listed in an 1882 "Guidebook and Street Manual." It was still operating as late as 1885. The Mills Building was later on the site.

http://sanfranciscotheatres.blogspot.com/2019/01/platts-hall.html

Powers's Opera House, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Powers’ Theatre

A historic timeline of the Powers’:
Opera House Block 1874–1979
Powers’ Opera House (1874),
Powers’ Grand Opera House (1887),
Powers’ Theatre (1902–44),
Foto News (1944–48),
Midtown Theatre (1948–1972),
Civic Theatre (Under Renovation 1975–1977),
Demolished (Jan 1979)

Rouse's Opera House, Peoria, Illinois

Dr. Rudolphus Rouse's Performance Hall was located at the North West corner of Main and Jefferson Streets, and played host to many theatrical and opera companies. It was called "Main Street" theater after 1902. 

http://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm/ref/collection/bra_peoria/id/1

Royal Aquarium and Winter Garden

The Royal Aquarium and Winter Garden was a place of amusement in Westminster, London. It opened in 1876, and the building was demolished in 1903. The attraction was located northwest of Westminster Abbey on Tothill Street. The building was designed by Alfred Bedborough in an ornamental style faced with Portland stone.

Selwyn's Theatre, Boston

Selwyn's Theatre (1867–1870) of Boston, Massachusetts, was established by British-born actor John H. Selwyn. Architect Benjamin F. Dwight designed the building. Personnel included Dexter H. Follet, Arthur Cheney, H.A. M'Glenen, Charles R. Thorne Jr., and Charles Koppitz. In 1871 Selwyn's was renamed the "Globe Theatre."

Wikipedia


 

Stillman Music Hall, Plainfield, New Jersey

Through the years there were eight theaters in Plainfield. The Stillman Music Hall (216 W. Front Street) was built in 1884. Its entertainments included plays, lectures, concerts, operas, minstrel shows and variety stars until it closed in 1901.  http://www.plainfieldlibrary.info/OnlineExhibits/LBNF/Theaters.html

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