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{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox_nrhp | name =Springer Opera House▼
{{Infobox NRHP
| nrhp_type =nhl▼
▲{{Infobox_nrhp | name = Springer Opera House
| image = Springer Opera House - Interior (Columbus, Georgia).jpg
▲ | nrhp_type = nhl
| caption = Interior of the Springer Opera House in 1980▼
| image | location= [[Springer Opera House - Interior (Columbus, Georgia]]).jpg
▲ | caption = Interior of the Springer Opera House in 1980
| lat_degrees = 32
| location = 103 Tenth St., [[Columbus, Georgia]]
| lat_minutes = 27
| coordinates = {{coord|32.46513|N|84.99134|W|display=inline,title}}
| lat_seconds = 53
| locmapin = USA Georgia#USA▼
| lat_direction = N
| area =
| long_degrees = 84
| built = 1871▼
| long_minutes = 59
| architect = Foley, Daniel Matthew▼
| long_seconds = 27
| architecture = Late Victorian▼
| long_direction = W
| designated_nrhp_type = June 2, 1978<ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=913&ResourceType=Building|title=Springer Opera House|access-date=2008-06-21|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131023515/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=913&ResourceType=Building|archive-date=2009-01-31|df=}}</ref>
▲ | locmapin = USA Georgia
| added = December 29, 1970▼
| area =
| refnum = 70000214<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref>▼
▲ | built =1871
▲| architect= Foley,Daniel Matthew
▲| architecture= Late Victorian
| designated_nrhp_type= June 2, 1978<ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=913&ResourceType=Building
|title=Springer Opera House |accessdate=2008-06-21|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
 
▲ | added = December 29, 1970
| governing_body = Private
▲ | refnum=70000214<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref>
}}
 
The '''Springer Opera House''' is a historic [[theaterTheater (structurebuilding)|live performance theater]] locatedat 103 Tenth Street 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.<ref name="GeorgiaSOS">[http://www.sos.state.ga.us/state_symbols/state_theatre.html Georgia Secretary of State -– State Theatre], sos.state.ga.us; retrieved February 2007</ref> The Springer has hosted legendary performers such as [[Edwin Booth]], [[Oscar Wilde]], [[Ethel Barrymore]], [[Agnes de Mille]], and bandleader [[John PhillipPhilip Sousa]].<ref name="SpringerOurHistory">[http://www.springeroperahouse.org/plaintext/aboutus/history.htmlaspx Springer Opera House - Our– History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116032938/http://www.springeroperahouse.org/plaintext/aboutus/history.aspx |date=2013-01-16 }}, springeroperahouse.org; retrieved SeptemberJanuary 20082013</ref> The building was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1970<ref name="GeorgiaSOSnris"/><ref name="NRHPGeorgiaSOS">[http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/ga/Muscogee/state3.html National Register of Historic Places - Georgia, Muscogee County], nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com; retrieved January 2007</ref> and named a [[National Historic Landmark]] in 1978 for its architecture and state of preservation.<ref name="GeorgiaSOS"/><ref>[http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=913&ResourceType=Building National Historic Landmarks Program -– "Springer Opera House"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131023515/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=913&ResourceType=Building |date=2009-01-31 }}, National Park Service; retrieved January 2007</ref>
 
==History==
 
===Conception===
[[Theatre]] 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.<ref name="Kyle11">Kyle, F. Clason; ''In Order of Appearance'', Communicorp, 2006; {{ISBN |0-9773164-0-8}}; 11</ref> From 1828 to 1870, [[Stage (theatre)|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.<ref name="Kyle15">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 15</ref>
 
===F. J. Springer===
By May 1870, businessman Francis Joseph Springer, an immigrant from [[Alsace]] who had become very prosperous in the [[grocery store|grocery]] business,<ref name="SpringerOurHistory"/> 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.<ref name="Kyle16">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 16</ref> Springer had long held a love for theatre, music, and dance, and had dreamed of opening a theater in Columbus.<ref name="SpringerOurHistory"/> 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.<ref name="Kyle16">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 16</ref>
 
===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 [[scaffolding|scaffold]] collapsed inside the hall.<ref name="Kyle16">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 16</ref> 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.<ref name="Kyle17">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 17</ref>
 
===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 [[Broadway (New York CityManhattan)|Broadway]] in [[New York City]] for his design for the Springer.<ref name="Kyle154">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 154</ref> 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.<ref name="Kyle154">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 154</ref>
 
===Movie house===
Not long after the Springer's expansion came the rise in popularity of the [[film|motion picture]]. The Springer, living up to its reputation as a leading theatre of the time, played host to several of [[Thomas Edison|Thomas Edison]]'s]] new [[Vitascope]] films.<ref name="Kyle155">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 155</ref> 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, [[Carmike Cinemas|Martin Theatres]]. The only live performances held at the Springer after 1931 were the occasional local [[concert]].<ref name="Kyle155">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 155</ref> By 1958, growthdecline inof theColumbus' cityhistoric commercial district had taken much of the population away from the downtown area<ref name="SpringerOurHistory">[http://www.springeroperahouse.org/history.html Springer Opera House - Our History], springeroperahouse.org; retrieved February 2007</ref> and with attendance continuing a steady decline, Martin Theaters closed the Springer, leaving the aging theatre silent for the first time in its history.<ref name="Kyle156">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 156</ref>
 
===1964 renovation===
Line 48 ⟶ 41:
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.<ref name="Kyle326">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 326</ref>
 
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 [[building code|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]].<ref name="Kyle326">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 326</ref> 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.<ref name="Kyle326">Kyle, ''op. cit.'', 326</ref>
 
===1998 Renovationrenovation===
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, GAGeorgia. 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) and the project manager was Newton Aaron. Major features of this renovation were the application of a lavish Bradbury and Bradbury historic wall 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.▼
 
▲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===▼
 
▲===2009 Tornadotornado===
On April 19, 2009, an [[Tornado|EF2 tornado]] touched down in [[Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area|Downtown Columbus]] causing severe damage to [[Columbus State University]] and minor repairable damage to the Springer Opera House.<ref name="2009 Tornado">[http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/story/692725.html April 2009 tornado rips through Columbus], ledger-enquirer.com; retrieved April 2009</ref>
 
== 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,<ref name="SpringerRentals">[http://www.springeroperahouse.org/plaintext/rentals/rentals.htmlaspx Springer Opera House -– Rentals], springeroperahouse.org; retrieved SeptemberJanuary 20082013</ref> hosts the popular Mainstage Series which features some of the nation's newest [[Play (theatre)|plays]] and [[musical theatre|musicals]] as well as timeless [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]-style productions. FoleyThe HallMcClure Theatre, 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.<ref name="SpringerOurHistory"/>
 
===Springer Theatre Academy===
The Springer Opera House offers an extensive year-round training program for young actors whichin claimswhat to be one ofis the finestlargest theatre training programsacademy in the southeast.<ref name="SpringerAcademy">[http://www.springeroperahouse.org/plaintext/academy/abouttheacademy.htmlaspx Springer Opera House -– Theatre Academy], springeroperahouse.org; retrieved SeptemberJanuary 20082013</ref> The Dorothy W. McClure Springer Theatre Academy is led by professional actors, [[theatre director|directors]], theatre teachers, and [[Theatrical Technician|technicians]] and has an enrollment of over 500800 students.<ref name="SpringerAcademy"/> The academy holds Saturday classes throughout the school year and offers a weekday program during the summer. The Springer Theater Academy also has special school performances for surrounding school districts in Georgia and Alabama that brings over 1,500 public, private and homeschool children into the Springer Opera House's doors; many for the first time.
 
==ReferencesSee also==
*[[List of National Historic Landmarks in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
{{reflist}}
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Muscogee County, Georgia]]
* [httphttps://www.springeroperahouse.org Springer Opera House]/▼
 
==External linksReferences==
{{Reflist}}
▲* [http://www.springeroperahouse.org Springer Opera House]
* http://www.springertheatricals.com Springer Theatricals touring theatre
 
{{RegisteredNational Register of Historic Places}}
 
[[Category:1871 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Theatres in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:National Historic Landmarks in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Columbus, Georgia]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Columbus, Georgia]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Muscogee County, Georgia]]
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