Opera House Improvements
The Akron Opera
House was awarded a grant from the Akron Community Foundation in 2021
to purchase and install new lights above the stage and in front of
the balcony, as well as to install a new lightboard to control the
lighting for performances. Lights were installed in December and
will be ready for upcoming performances.
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The
Akron Opera House, currently being restored to its turn-of-the-century
glory, is one of Iowa's remaining historical gems which community
spirit has kept alive.
Built
in 1905, the Opera House held its first performance, "The Homeseekers,"
in February 1906. Over the next 100 years, an array of live
performances played at the Opera House -- chautaquas, theater, lyccum
speeches, medicine shows and opera. Akron was on the Pembina rail
line, which brought traveling troupes of actors, musicians and
politicians to rural communities.Estimates are that Iowa's rural communities built over 1200 opera houses. Less than 300 still exist today. During
the Depression, when the Akron Opera House was closed to performances,
Akron refused to let it deteriorate beyond renovation. The building
continued to be rented to local businesses.
In 1970, high school drama
teacher, Mr. Richard Jacobs and his drama group of 60 students,
organized volunteer and community energy to reopen the opera house.
Newspaper accounts describe drama students rehearsing plays amid the
noise of construction. Volunteers rebuilt the stage with lumber from an
old church and found and salvaged theater seats from an old movie
house. Local women sewed a stage curtain, and someone donated a piano.
Historical accounts also claim that 400 resident bats were removed from
the building. Since then, the theater group has celebrated 34 years of
local productions. In 1974, the Akron Community Theater purchased the
building and continued to update and restore it.
Today, the opera
house is being revitalized once again so that the community can continue
to share its rich tradition of live performances.
| 2022 Season Events
Friday, February 5, 2022, 7:30 pm
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Prairie Winds Jazz
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Prairie Winds Jazz ensemble will present a big band and swing dance
concert on Saturday, February 5, sponsored by the Birdie & Carol
Harris School of Performing Arts and Security National Bank.
The concert will
feature an 18-piece band playing a mix of big band classics from the
1930s, 40s and 50s. Musicians from across northwest Iowa – most
within a 30-mile radius of Akron – will be performing in the band.
In addition, the Dordt College Swing Dance Club and Orange City High
School Swing Dance Club will provide dance lessons in advance of the
concert for anyone interested in learning.
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“We are excited to bring a fun new event for all ages to the Akron
Opera House. Come, have a seat and listen to the music, or dance the
night away,” said Kevin Linder, band leader and co-owner of Birdie
& Carol Harris School of Performing Arts. “The historic Akron
Opera House is the perfect location to bring together talented
musicians from across the region to celebrate the music tradition of
Count Basie, Duke Ellington and more."
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Dance lessons will begin at 6:30 p.m., with the concert at 7:30.
Tickets will be $10 for adults and $5 for students through college
age. All tickets will be sold at the door; no reservations needed.
Dance lessons are included in the ticket price.
Seating will be
available at tables on the floor, chairs in the risers and in the
balcony, and the main floor will be open for dancing.
Light snacks,
water, lemonade and coffee will be available throughout the evening.
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Friday, March 12, 2022, 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm
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Missoula Childerens Threatre
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The children’s theatre performance presented by Missoula Childrens
Theatre will return to the Akron Opera House stage the week of March
7-12, 2022. Two performances of Red Riding Hood will be held at 3:30
pm and 7:30 pm on Saturday, March 12.
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Students will audition for cast parts at 4pm on March 7, and
rehearsals will be held every afternoon/evening that week.
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Students in first through seventh grades are invited to audition for
the performance. All students interested in auditioning for the play
must register online in advance. The number of cast parts is
limited by the script and number of costumes brought by the Missoula
Children’s Theatre directors. If more than the maximum number of
students sign up, a waiting list will be maintained in case of
cancellations.
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Online registration will open at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 15, and
be open through Friday, Feb. 28, or until all 60 places are filled.
A registration link will also be available at www.akronoperahouse.org
and shared on the Akron Opera House Facebook page.
There are also
openings for students in grades 7 and 8 to serve as assistant
directors. Contact akronoperahouse@gmail.com
to volunteer.
Ticket sales will
begin on Feb. 15, with adult ($10), senior citizen ($10) and student though high school
($6) tickets available by calling 712-568-2614 or emailing
akronoperahouse@gmail.com.
Thank you to City
of Akron, Mike’s Inc, Peoples Bank and Friendship & Service
Club for sponsoring the children’s theatre production.
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April 7 - 10, 2022 (April 7 - 9 7:30 pm, April 10 2:00 pm)
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Sister Act - Our Local Community Musical |
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Akron Opera House will present the community musical “Sister Act”
April 7 through 10. The show was originally planned for April 2020
and the cast is excited to bring the performance to the historic
opera house stage. The production will be directed by Amy Linder and
Val Philips
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Deloris Van Cartier is an aspiring singer in Philadelphia, where she is
auditioning to perform at her gangster boyfriends nightclub. Deloris
believes that Curtis is going to introduce her to a big producer, but is
upset when he tells her she is not ready. Hurt and rejected, Deloris
decides to break up with him, but when she goes to find him she
accidentally sees him kill one of his cronies. Deloris runs to the
police, who place her in hiding at a convent until Curtis is brought to
trial. At first, Deloris feels as though it will be the worst thing in
the world, chafing against the constraints of convent life and an
immovable Reverend Mother, but once she is introduced to the struggling
choir at the convent, everything changes. She finds that many of the
nuns at the convent are not that different from her, and that they are
quite fun to be around. They help give her a bigger purpose in her life,
showing her a genuine love and affection that was missing prior to her
arrival at the convent. Sister Act is a joyous show that uses music to bring different communities, and lifestyles, together.
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Ticket sales will begin on March 13, with adult ($16), senior citizen
($13) and student ($8) tickets available by calling 712-568-2614 or
emailing akronoperahouse@gmail.com.
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Thank you to Security National Bank and The Akron Hometowner for
sponsoring the Sister Act musical.
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For Reservations Email: akronoperahouse@gmail.com Or Call: 712.568.2614
Ticket Prices: (Unless otherwise noted.) Single Event Adults $16 Seniors (65 and older) $13 Students $8 Send payment to: Akron Opera House 151 Reed Street Akron, IA 51001 Questions? Please contact Doug Olson at daolson@premieronline.net The Akron Opera House is a 501C3 nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible. Thank you for supporting the Akron Opera House and The Arts. |