| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office.
The Grand Theater was built for JC Hickey and GE Lutsey. The first event to be held at The Auditorium, which it was originally called, was the Thanksgiving Ball of the Sons of Veterans held on December 7, 1894. On February 19, 1895, The Auditorium was open to the public under the management of retired circus clown, Charlie Rivers, with stage direction by Claude Wadkins. The first production was the play, "The Lost Paradise" presented by Gustave Frohman's New York Company. The editor of the local paper had dubbed The Auditorium as being 'grand' so many times that its name was officially changed.
In 1907, the first moving picture was shown, and in 1924, it was remodeled into a true modern theater. This included a slanted main floor, new upholstered seats, new lighting effects, silk curtains, an $8,500 Bartola organ manufactured out of Oshkosh, WI. In 1930, a contract was signed to give the theater full license to use the DeForest Phonofilm system for projection. In 1937, major renovations to the exterior were done for the first time: tile facing was added, a large canopy overhang and neon lights were implemented, the entrance was moved to the southwest corner, air conditioning was added, and a modern Egyptian decorating scheme was used.
Resurveyed 2020: Building exterior had been restored circa 2000 and the structure functionally incorporated into adjacent movie theater complex. Movie theater (and thus the Opera House) is now closed due to Covid pandemic.
DOE completed 2022: Theater (including the Opera House) reopened post-Covid. |
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