Our theater.
Stonington Opera House
National Register of Historic Places Since 1991
Stonington, Maine, 1923
John Marin, American, 1870-1953, Watercolor
With permission of Colby Museum of Art
The historic Stonington Opera House celebrated its centennial in 2012 – but that was only 100 years of the current structure. The building you see today is the third “amusement hall,” as it was originally called, on this site and wears the patina of more than a century of community history, events, and restoration.
The Stonington Opera House has been a multi-purpose building from its inception. Vaudeville, Chatauqua performances, plays, film, dances, high school graduations, town hall meetings, basketball games, and even roller skating have all found a home here.
History of the Theater
If you were standing here 138 years ago…
You were one of 5,000 residents of this town. You may have been a Stonecutter or you may have moved here to make a better life for your family cutting granite to ship to cities down the east coast. And if you were looking for entertainment after long hard days in the quarry–the Opera House was where you went.
Construction: 1886
In 1886 Charles B. Russ constructed a music and dance hall, which soon took on the name The Stonington Opera House. It seated more than 1,000 people and hosted national touring shows that arrive via steamboat from Rockland.
Fire: 1910
In 1910 the original, majestic building burned to the ground on the night the first fire hydrants were operational; they saved the rest of the town.
Rebuilding: 1912
By 1912 there were about 2,000 people living in Stonington when the Renaissance man Dr. B. Lake Noyes undertook the charge to rebuild the Stonington Opera House. After the fire, the new structure seated only 250 people in folding chairs that could be removed for dances and basketball games, while hosting theater, graduations, and recitals.
Movies at the Opera: 1918
In 1918, shortly after the birth of the movie business, Noyes was issued a license to “use cinematographic apparatus,” and movies have been shown at the Stonington Opera House ever since. By the 1940s, the town’s dentist and another Renaissance figure, Dr. Lewis G. Tewksbury, oversaw a full schedule of films, showing two a night for most nights while continuing to book vaudeville acts. He purchased and bolted to the floor the beautiful Roosevelt seats you see today.
A Changing Landscape: 1962
In 1962, as television shifted so did the entertainment landscape. The building was sold, the seats were romoved, and the theatre was used for roller skating.
If you were here in the 1970s, commerce had shifted to the fishing trades. The local population totaled about 1,000, and the Opera House began to show its age. Three young entrepreneurs purchased the building in 1979 and saved it from weather damage by replacing the lower roof, but sold it in the 1980s.
Historic Recognition: 1991
In 1991, the Opera House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Opera House Arts: 1999
In 1999, the building was rescued from years of abandonment and decay by Opera House Arts (OHA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established specifically to restore this historic building to its original purpose as a central community institution. OHA restored the School Street wing of the building and added insulation and an energy-efficient heating system.
OHA, led by its founding directors Carol Estey, Judith Jerome, Linda Pattie, and Linda Nelson, re-opened the Stonington Opera House year-round, with programs including theatre, music, film, and community events.
Revitalization: 2000
OHA, led by its founding directors Carol Estey, Judith Jerome, Linda Pattie, and Linda Nelson, re-opened the Stonington Opera House year-round, with programs including theatre, music, film, and community events. These visionary and tireless leaders spent nearly 20 years restoring and reinventing the Opera House.
Expansion: 2008
In 2008 plans began formulating for theater improvements to ensure long-term sustainability. Through the generosity of donors, over one million dollars was raised for the “Completing the Scene” capital campaign. The improvements included the construction of an 800-square-foot scene shop, separate from the theater itself, dedicated to building sets. The number of bathrooms tripled. A new lobby with added concessions was added to the west side of the theater, with panoramic windows overlooking Stonington harbor. No changes were made to the historic interior of the building or tower, and the seating and stage remained intact. As part of the capital campaign, Opera House Arts bought a building behind the theater to provide much-needed office and meeting space as well as a costume shop. Today this building also houses visiting artists.
Historic Marker: 2024
On Thurs., Oct. 17 the Stonington Opera House unveiled a new sign marking its 1991 addition to the National Register of Historic Places. The Opera House sits among a rich tapestry of historic buildings in Stonington. It is structures like these that embody the stories and values of our community.
Remarks regarding the history of the Opera House and the long-standing efforts to preserve the structure were relayed to members of the community at a reception in the Opera House lobby. The group was welcomed by OHA board member Jimmy Cook. Speakers included OHA board members, OHA Executive Director Erika Sanger, two of OHA’s founders Judith Jerome and Linda Nelson, and State Representative Holly Eaton.
Funding for the historic marker was made possible through a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
The Legacy Continues
We continue the legacy of the Opera House with a year round schedule of theatre, live music, community gatherings, family programming, movies, trivia nights, and much more, as we continue to grow, adapt, and change with the times. We honor our past and commit ourselves to the future of the Stonington Opera House.