The Old Opera House Theatre

Building Excitement for the Arts in Charles Town for Over 100 Years

Written by Tricia Lynn Strader

On the corner of North George and Liberty Streets in Charles Town, West Virginia, is a historic jewel that has stood the test of time. The Old Opera House. In 1910, Annie G. Packette, whose family tree included George Washington, raised $50,000 and employed a Washington, D.C., architect to design and construct the New Opera House. It was a classic theater structure, complete with flyspace for hanging scenery above the proscenium stage, an orchestra pit, and a rarely seen curved balcony. The main theater then seated 500 people and lived through two World Wars, the

Great Depression, and the advent of radio. The large “P” seen by visitors at the top of the proscenium arch is a tribute to Mrs. Packette.

From the 1940s to the 1970s, the lights faded, and the theater was dormant, as were many theaters following the emergence of “talkie” motion pictures. At various times since, areas of the building and an adjacent structure dating to the 1890s were used as apartments, a floral shop, movie theater, bowling alley, and tavern. The former auditorium fell into decay and became a haven for pigeons.

But, in 1971, there was hope. Dixie Kilham, owner of Hilltop House in Harpers Ferry, and Robert and Diane Angel, contacted the owners of the building, Mr. and Mrs. Augustine Todd, about using the theater for local productions. The Todds agreed at least to the cleaning of the structure. Once the building was clean, a group of local citizens joined together to form the “Old” Opera House Theatre Company (OOHTC), which was officially incorporated on May 7, 1973, as a nonprofit.

Its first mission was to restore the building, while preserving history, in the hopes of eventually offering theater and theatrical training to young people. Later that year, in July, the Todds saw the spirit and dedication of the OOHTC. Brewer said they turned over the property for $1.00. Fundraising drives produced a match to a Benedum grant to restore the theater; the 4,000-square-foot ceiling was re-plastered, a new floor was laid, and new seats were installed.

The adjoining pool hall was transformed into the Old Opera House Theatre Workshop with rehearsal space and offices upstairs. This is where the initial performances were held.

In October 1976, the “new” Old Opera House opened its main stage doors to the public with a production of My Fair Lady. In 1978, the theater building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The theater now seats 328, and often sells out, especially for musical productions.

Since then, the offerings of the theater have continued to increase in diversity and frequency. They include musicals, murder mysteries, farce, thrillers, comedy and ballet productions.

The Old Opera House Theatre Company celebrated its 50th birthday this year with a gala event on May 6. The gala brought together patrons and participants from multiple eras of the theater company.

“It was a great time to celebrate and look to see where we’ve been and to see what’s coming next,” notes Managing Director Steven Brewer. “We owe a great debt to those dedicated volunteers that saved the building and founded the OOHTC in the early 1970s.”

The Old Opera House presents six main stage productions, a summer family production, a one-act play festival, two ballets and a dance recital each year.

“Our productions are pretty eclectic,” Brewer says. And today, the Opera House is almost never quiet.

Besides their variety of productions, Brewer credits the longevity to not one, but three volunteer groups.

“I’ve worked in community theater a long time,” he says. “This is the first one I know that had its own thrift store. The OP Shop sells gently used clothing and household items and donates all the proceeds to the theater. We also have two active support groups, the Theatre Guild and the newest group of volunteers, the OOH-La-Las, both groups assist with productions, studio events, and help with fundraising.”

He says the Old Opera House Theatre Company Board of Directors keeps a watchful eye on the finances and sees the value of having an active, vibrant, community theater in Charles Town. They kept the theater operating in recent years when several theater companies couldn’t survive the economic slump.

“They keep our operations in balance but are also not afraid to take chances.”

That included the challenging COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. As soon as it was possible to do so, and following the Governor’s guidelines, they reopened with limited-cast shows, such as one that featured a husband and wife playing opposite each other, and strict social distancing in the audience.

“We were definitely affected by COVID, but there was a need for some in the community to be able to get out and do something, for their mental clarity and socialization,” says Brewer. “We kept up our dance classes on schedule and thanks to some new video equipment were able to broadcast classes online. Our students needed some normalcy in their everyday, and seeing friends online, and continuing their class routine, certainly helped.”

The Old Opera House has a vibrant studio program, including classes in acting, dance (ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop and Broadway-style dance) and music. Each year they host a spring ballet, dance recital, and a holiday ballet.

This year the Old Opera House Arts Centre will also be celebrating a milestone, 15 years of training young performers.

The Jean Heiler Gallery, on the lower level of the Old Opera House, presents the works of local visual artists. Gallery shows are coordinated with each of the Old Opera House’s main stage productions.

The first annual “New Voice Play Festival,” featuring non-published new plays, was begun in 2001. This oneact playwriting competition attracts some of the country’s most gifted new playwrights. After reading through up to 100 plays, a committee of judges narrows the field down to four final- ists. These are presented on the Old Opera House stage for one weekend in late June, and the audience selects the winner of the annual festival.

The 2023 Summer Family Show, The Sound of Music will be presented in late July. The 2023-24 season then kicks off in September with The Odd Couple on Sept. 9, and the musical-comedy The Addams Family opens on Oct. 20. The holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street opens on Dec. 1, and Self Help, a comedy by Canadian playwright Norm Foster, is in February. The world premiere of The Go-Go Girls of Laurelton Oaks, a JonesHope-Wooten comedy and sequel to Always a Bridesmaid, opens in March. And the Opera House finishes the 2023-024 Season with the musical-comedy Sister Act.

Information is on the Old Opera House website, www.oldoperahouse. org.