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Box Office Hours |
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A brief history of The Memorial Opera House...
Built in 1893 by the local chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic, (the G.A.R.), this 364-seat building is a living memorial to the county's Civil War Veterans. The G.A.R. wanted to build a memorial that would be useful for the entire local community. The building is currently owned and operated by Porter County. However, the presence of the G.A.R., the visionaries and original owners of the building is evident even today: beautiful red, white and blue stained glass windows are seen throughout the building and there is a plaque over the entrance honoring "The Soldiers and Sailors of 1861-5." Throughout the years, The Opera House has been a venue for theatrical events, including both musical and drama. It was also used for concerts, public meetings, weddings, funerals, presentations, school plays and graduations. In addition, many nationally recognized personalities have been part of events at The Memorial Opera House. The "March King", John Philip Sousa, led a concert at The Opera House in February, 1898. During vaudeville, the famous Marx Brothers performed here for two days in January of 1919. Valparaiso native Beulah Bondi, the woman who portrayed Jimmy Stewart's mother in the movies Mr. Smith Goes To Washington and It's A Wonderful Life got her start in theatre on the stage of The Memorial Opera House in a production of Little Lord Fauntleroy. The most recent renovation of this historic building began in 1993 and was completed in the spring of 1998. The architects have tried to make the renovation as historically accurate as possible, and to add design elements that were common during the 1890's. Located in downtown V
"It's gorgeous! I love it! Coming from a 'commercially' theatrical environment, it's wonderful and refreshing to be surrounded by people who obviously enjoy their craft, and are so committed to its artistic aspect, beyond political gain. Hooray for The Memorial Opera House!"
Open year round for
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Monday-Saturday 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. If you are a large group and/or would like a guided tour, please contact our facility director, Brian Schafer, at (219)548-9137. We do not charge a fee for tours, however, donations are accepted and always appreciated.
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