THE SHOW GOES ON
Woodland Opera House celebrates 125th anniversary
It was a fitting coincidence that the same day California lifted a majority of its COVID-19 restrictions also marked a significant milestone for the Woodland Opera House.
The downtown Woodland theater celebrated its 125th anniversary on Tuesday, opening its doors for visitors after over a year of being closed.
Steve Cairns, president of the Woodland Opera House Board of Trustees, welcomed dozens to an anniversary celebration.
“We’re very excited that today we can announce our reopening after being closed for 15 long months,” Cairns said before pointing out some familiar faces in the crowd. People gathered around the Opera House marquee for the event.
“Even though we were closed for 15 months there has been a lot going on,” Cairns continued. He noted that the Opera House’s Fourth Street facility — which houses a shop, costume closet and rehearsal space — has also been revamped. “It doesn’t look anything like it did fifteen months ago.”
Cairns also highlighted the Opera House’s TADA — Theatre and Dance Annex — on Court Street. The studio continued to be open during the closures spurred by the pandemic. Classes switched over to an online format but Cairns said TADA will be “back in action” soon with in-person sessions.
Despite these accomplishments, it was the upgrade of the Opera House itself that took center stage on Tuesday.
Earlier this month, the Opera House completed a restoration of its audience seating, specifically on the lower floor. The seats have all been reupholstered. The Opera House can seat around 400 people.
“You’re going to be much more comfortable when you come back and see our shows,” Cairns told the crowd. The seats in the upstairs balcony were also redone about a year ago, he added.
The seat restoration project budget was $75,000 paid for by the Woodland Opera House Permanent Endowment Fund. The fund was put into place in 1997 by the Board of Trustees to provide for the maintenance and preservation of the historic facility.
The goal is to have the fund support all repair and maintenance costs, ensuring the continued use of the Opera House for future generations, according to the Opera House website. The Endowment Fund has grown through gifts of cash, stock, memorials and bequests. Donors of $2,500 or more may make a permanent seat dedication in the auditorium.
“I think you’re going to see it (Opera House) looking a lot better than you’ve seen it in recent years,” Cairns said. “It is in great shape and we are ready to go.”
In fact, Cairns said that the Opera House will be announcing its new season soon.
Before people started to tour the upgraded theater, Woodland Mayor Tom Stallard reflected on the building’s long and storied history. This lesson included several years where the building “sat here in ruins” due to a decaying structure and later a fire in 1937.
“The Opera House has been closed more years than it’s been open if you think about it,” he said. “Thank goodness for people who care.”
“What a blessing this has been to our community,” Stallard concluded. “It is the center of culture for Woodland. It always has been and still is and we are so grateful to all who make it possible.”