Springer Opera House
Encyclopedia
The Springer Opera House is a historic live performance theater
located in Downtown Columbus, Georgia
. First opened February 21, 1871, the theater was named the State Theatre of Georgia by Governor Jimmy Carter
for its 100th anniversary season, a designation made permanent by the 1992 state legislature. The Springer has hosted legendary performers such as Edwin Booth
, Ethel Barrymore
, Agnes de Mille
, and bandleader John Phillip Sousa. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1970 and named a National Historic Landmark
in 1978.
has had a presence in Columbus, Georgia since the very first year of the city's existence. The first recorded performance in an enclosed theater building took place during July 1828. From 1828 to 1870, stages
of various size and improvement came and went, but all would be considered primitive in comparison to what would follow. On June 19, 1869, just four years after the conclusion of the American Civil War
, a meeting was held in the Columbus banking office of John King to establish a Public Hall Association for the purpose of establishing a performance hall that the city could be proud of. Under the leadership of King, W. L. Salisbury, W. C. Chipley, L. G. Bowers, Joseph Hanserd, and George P. Swift, Sr., the new association quickly raised funds through the selling of stock
. The association decided among other things, that the hall would be named for the person holding the largest block of stock. By July 15, less than a month after that initial meeting, more than half of the funds necessary for construction had been raised.
who had become very prosperous in the grocery
business, had committed to build the new theater on the site of his centrally-located store at the corner of Crawford and Oglethorpe Streets, the present 10th Street and 1st Avenue in downtown Columbus. Springer had long held a love for theatre, music, and dance, and had dreamed of opening a theater in Columbus. Springer would become the largest shareholder
of the Public Hall Association and would further his stake over a period of time by repaying the remaining stockholders until he held full ownership of the new facility.
collapsed inside the hall. Construction was delayed for a brief time due to short supply of brick and lumber, but by January 1871 the exterior was substantially complete and work had begun on the interior fresco
painting. On February 10, Springer announced the new opera house would open on February 21, its inaugural event a benefit concert
for the nearby Trinity Episcopal Church.
in New York City
for his design for the Springer. The building was expanded eastward during this renovation, providing a new taller space for the main stage. A second balcony
was also added at this time as well as hotel
rooms, restaurant
s and office space. The hotel and restaurants provided the Springer with a valuable new source of revenue.
. The Springer, living up to its reputation as a leading theatre of the time, played host to several of Thomas Edison's
new Vitascope
films. The Springer's display of these short films would signal the start of a slow, steady decline of live theatre in the city. In 1915, the Springer began to show motion pictures on a regular schedule and as motion pictures gained in popularity, live theatre was pushed aside. Indeed, this is a trend that prevailed throughout the nation during that time. By 1931, the Springer had hosted its final major live theatre production and began to operate almost exclusively as a movie house under its new owner, Martin Theatres
. The only live performances held at the Springer after 1931 were the occasional local concert
. By 1958, growth in the city had taken much of the population away from the downtown area and with attendance continuing a steady decline, Martin Theaters closed the Springer, leaving the aging theatre silent for the first time in its history.
With the wrecking ball imminent, a group of local actors, already established as the Columbus Little Theater, formed a board of trustees composed of local professionals of varying expertise with a common interest in saving the Springer Opera House. Those trustees began a very aggressive campaign to educate the public about the Springer's significance as a historic structure worth saving. As the awareness campaign blanketed the city, one of the board's trustees, businessman Robert L. Lewis, provided a $5,000 binder for the purchase of the Springer building.
In the summer of 1964, with control of the building secured and sufficient donations in hand to begin renovation, the group began focusing on repairing the leaking roof, restoring the ground floor lobby, cleaning and redressing the main hall, and bringing the building up to code
. The Springer Opera House reopened to great celebration on September 23, 1965 with a Columbus Little Theater production of St. Elmo, based on the novel of the same name by Columbus native Augusta Jane Evans
. Although the renovations to the Springer that began in 1964 provided only the bare essentials to reopening the Springer, they proved to be a watershed event in its history. This work by the Columbus Little Theater and its board of trustees is also regarded as the spark that led to the highly successful historic preservation
movement that the city of Columbus experienced during the second half of the 20th century.
touched down in Downtown Columbus
causing severe damage to Columbus State University
and minor repairable damage to the Springer Opera House.
and musicals
as well as timeless Broadway
-style productions. Foley Hall, the Springer's more intimate space, hosts its Studio II Series as well as its Children's Theatre Series, featuring many of the area's talented student actors.
and has an enrollment of over 500 students. The academy holds Saturday classes throughout the school year and offers a weekday program during the summer.
Theater (structure)
A theater or theatre is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts may be produced. While a theater is not required for performance , a theater serves to define the performance and audience spaces...
located in Downtown Columbus, Georgia
Downtown Columbus, Georgia
Downtown Columbus, Georgia, also called "Uptown" , is the central business district of the city of Columbus, Georgia. The commercial and governmental heart of the city has traditionally been toward the eastern end of Downtown Columbus, between 10th Street and 1st Avenue...
. First opened February 21, 1871, the theater was named the State Theatre of Georgia by Governor Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
for its 100th anniversary season, a designation made permanent by the 1992 state legislature. The Springer has hosted legendary performers such as Edwin Booth
Edwin Booth
Edwin Thomas Booth was a famous 19th century American actor who toured throughout America and the major capitals of Europe, performing Shakespearean plays. In 1869 he founded Booth's Theatre in New York, a spectacular theatre that was quite modern for its time...
, Ethel Barrymore
Ethel Barrymore
Ethel Barrymore was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors.-Early life:Ethel Barrymore was born Ethel Mae Blythe in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the second child of the actors Maurice Barrymore and Georgiana Drew...
, Agnes de Mille
Agnes de Mille
Agnes George de Mille was an American dancer and choreographer.-Early years:Agnes de Mille was born in New York City into a well-connected family of theater professionals. Her father William C. deMille and her uncle Cecil B. DeMille were both Hollywood directors...
, and bandleader John Phillip Sousa. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1970 and named a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1978.
Conception
TheatreTheatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
has had a presence in Columbus, Georgia since the very first year of the city's existence. The first recorded performance in an enclosed theater building took place during July 1828. From 1828 to 1870, stages
Stage (theatre)
In theatre or performance arts, the stage is a designated space for the performance productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a focal point for the members of the audience...
of various size and improvement came and went, but all would be considered primitive in comparison to what would follow. On June 19, 1869, just four years after the conclusion of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, a meeting was held in the Columbus banking office of John King to establish a Public Hall Association for the purpose of establishing a performance hall that the city could be proud of. Under the leadership of King, W. L. Salisbury, W. C. Chipley, L. G. Bowers, Joseph Hanserd, and George P. Swift, Sr., the new association quickly raised funds through the selling of stock
Stock
The capital stock of a business entity represents the original capital paid into or invested in the business by its founders. It serves as a security for the creditors of a business since it cannot be withdrawn to the detriment of the creditors...
. The association decided among other things, that the hall would be named for the person holding the largest block of stock. By July 15, less than a month after that initial meeting, more than half of the funds necessary for construction had been raised.
F. J. Springer
By May 1870, businessman Francis Joseph Springer, an immigrant from AlsaceAlsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
who had become very prosperous in the grocery
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
business, had committed to build the new theater on the site of his centrally-located store at the corner of Crawford and Oglethorpe Streets, the present 10th Street and 1st Avenue in downtown Columbus. Springer had long held a love for theatre, music, and dance, and had dreamed of opening a theater in Columbus. Springer would become the largest shareholder
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
of the Public Hall Association and would further his stake over a period of time by repaying the remaining stockholders until he held full ownership of the new facility.
Construction
Construction of the new theater building began immediately and advanced quickly. By August 10, 1870 the Columbus Enquirer newspaper reported that the building was projected to be completed as early as November of the same year. The speedy construction was not without accident, however. Construction worker John Prince suffered a fatal head wound when a scaffoldScaffolding
Scaffolding is a temporary structure used to support people and material in the construction or repair of buildings and other large structures. It is usually a modular system of metal pipes or tubes, although it can be from other materials...
collapsed inside the hall. Construction was delayed for a brief time due to short supply of brick and lumber, but by January 1871 the exterior was substantially complete and work had begun on the interior fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
painting. On February 10, Springer announced the new opera house would open on February 21, its inaugural event a benefit concert
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
for the nearby Trinity Episcopal Church.
1900 renovation
In 1900, the Springer underwent a major renovation and expansion. Prominent theatre designer J. B. McElfatrick was contracted to completely redesign the Springer. McElfatrick looked to his own work at the Empire Theatre on BroadwayBroadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for his design for the Springer. The building was expanded eastward during this renovation, providing a new taller space for the main stage. A second balcony
Balcony
Balcony , a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade.-Types:The traditional Maltese balcony is a wooden closed balcony projecting from a...
was also added at this time as well as hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
rooms, restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s and office space. The hotel and restaurants provided the Springer with a valuable new source of revenue.
Movie house
Not long after the Springer's expansion came the rise in popularity of the motion pictureFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
. The Springer, living up to its reputation as a leading theatre of the time, played host to several of Thomas Edison's
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
new Vitascope
Vitascope
Vitascope was an early film projector first demonstrated in 1895 by Charles Francis Jenkins and Thomas Armat. They had made modifications to Jenkins patented "Phantoscope", which cast images via film & electric light onto a wall or screen...
films. The Springer's display of these short films would signal the start of a slow, steady decline of live theatre in the city. In 1915, the Springer began to show motion pictures on a regular schedule and as motion pictures gained in popularity, live theatre was pushed aside. Indeed, this is a trend that prevailed throughout the nation during that time. By 1931, the Springer had hosted its final major live theatre production and began to operate almost exclusively as a movie house under its new owner, Martin Theatres
Carmike Cinemas
Carmike Cinemas Inc. is a motion picture exhibitor headquartered in Columbus, Georgia in the United States of America. As of December 31, 2010 it operates or has an interest in 239 theaters with 2,236 screens in 35 states, making it the fourth largest theatre company in the United States.Carmike...
. The only live performances held at the Springer after 1931 were the occasional local concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
. By 1958, growth in the city had taken much of the population away from the downtown area and with attendance continuing a steady decline, Martin Theaters closed the Springer, leaving the aging theatre silent for the first time in its history.
1964 renovation
By 1963, the Springer Opera House had been vacant for five years. Its future was now dim and talk of demolishing the structure was stirring. The Springer's location, directly across the street from the busy county courthouse, made it a prime location for a new parking lot or office building.With the wrecking ball imminent, a group of local actors, already established as the Columbus Little Theater, formed a board of trustees composed of local professionals of varying expertise with a common interest in saving the Springer Opera House. Those trustees began a very aggressive campaign to educate the public about the Springer's significance as a historic structure worth saving. As the awareness campaign blanketed the city, one of the board's trustees, businessman Robert L. Lewis, provided a $5,000 binder for the purchase of the Springer building.
In the summer of 1964, with control of the building secured and sufficient donations in hand to begin renovation, the group began focusing on repairing the leaking roof, restoring the ground floor lobby, cleaning and redressing the main hall, and bringing the building up to code
Building code
A building code, or building control, is a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for constructed objects such as buildings and nonbuilding structures. The main purpose of building codes are to protect public health, safety and general welfare as they relate to the...
. The Springer Opera House reopened to great celebration on September 23, 1965 with a Columbus Little Theater production of St. Elmo, based on the novel of the same name by Columbus native Augusta Jane Evans
Augusta Jane Evans
Augusta Jane Wilson, or Augusta Evans Wilson, was an American Southern author and one of the pillars of Southern literature. She wrote nine novels: Inez , Beulah , Macaria , St. Elmo , Vashti , Infelice , At the Mercy of Tiberius , A Speckled Bird , and Devota...
. Although the renovations to the Springer that began in 1964 provided only the bare essentials to reopening the Springer, they proved to be a watershed event in its history. This work by the Columbus Little Theater and its board of trustees is also regarded as the spark that led to the highly successful historic preservation
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
movement that the city of Columbus experienced during the second half of the 20th century.
1998 renovation
In 1998, a comprehensive foundation-to-roof renovation completed the historic preservation process that began in 1964. This $12 million project included both renovation and restoration components. While the 1964 renovation stabilized, equipped and restored the main theatre, ground floor public spaces and a portion of the second floor, this 1998 project reclaimed the entire third floor and second floor, which had remained in ruins for more than 30 years. In addition, the first floor public areas were expanded and the stage house was completely re-equipped with modern rigging, lighting and sound. The general contractor was Phillips Construction Company and the project architect was Hecht Burdeshaw Architects, both of Columbus, GA. Historic interior design was directed by Reneau de Beauchamp (Atlanta) with decorative preservation painting provided by Conrad Schmitt Studios (Milwaukee). Theatre consultant was Cape Dixon Associates (Atlanta). Major features of this renovation were the application of a lavish Bradbury and Bradbury historic papers design and the restoration of the decorative painting scheme around the tall Springer proscenium arch and the recovery of previously-unknown painting designs on the underside of both balconies. Other important aspects of the project were the creation of four classrooms and rehearsal studios and the construction of a large multipurpose community room and studio theatre on an adjacent property. These two features allowed the Springer to greatly expand its Theatre Academy program and its Studio Theatre and Children's Theatre programs.2009 tornado
On April 19, 2009, an EF2 tornadoTornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
touched down in Downtown Columbus
Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area
The Columbus, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of four counties in Georgia and one county in Alabama, anchored by the city of Columbus...
causing severe damage to Columbus State University
Columbus State University
Columbus State University is a public institution of higher learning located in Columbus, Georgia. Founded as Columbus College in 1958, the university was established and is administered by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and is fully accredited by the Commission on...
and minor repairable damage to the Springer Opera House.
Springer Theatricals
Springer Theatricals is the national touring arm of the Springer Opera House, performing in some 60 American and Canadian cities each year. The program provides high-quality, low-cost professional theatre entertainment to performing arts centers, arts councils and colleges. While Springer Theatricals performs in cities large and small, it is best known in the industry for its ability to adapt to a wide variety venues - particularly in cities where the technical capabilities of the facilities may be limited. Springer Theatricals also works closely with new, small and emerging performing arts presenters around the country to build audiences through advocacy, fundraising and marketing.Live theatre performance
Today, the Springer Opera House hosts performances year-round on two stages. Emily Woodruff Hall, the 700-seat main theatre, hosts the popular Mainstage Series which features some of the nation's newest playsPlay (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
and musicals
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
as well as timeless Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
-style productions. Foley Hall, the Springer's more intimate space, hosts its Studio II Series as well as its Children's Theatre Series, featuring many of the area's talented student actors.
Springer Theatre Academy
The Springer Opera House offers an extensive year-round training program for young actors which claims to be one of the finest theatre training programs in the southeast. The Springer Theatre Academy is led by professional actors, directors, theatre teachers, and techniciansTheatrical Technician
A theatrical technician, is a person who operates technical equipment and systems in the Performing arts and Entertainment industry...
and has an enrollment of over 500 students. The academy holds Saturday classes throughout the school year and offers a weekday program during the summer.
External links
- Springer Opera House
- http://www.springertheatricals.com Springer Theatricals touring theatre