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Taken
from the Thousand Islands Performing Arts Fund Website:
http://www.claytonoperahouse.com/cohfull.html
Clayton
Opera House is Built
Per plans drawn up by the Town of Clayton, the Clayton
Opera House cornerstone was set in August 1903 and the
building completed in July 1904. It was built on the
corner of Water Street (now Riverside Drive) and Merrick
Street, on the site of the once thriving Johnston
Shipyard where the famous steamer St. Lawrence was
built. The hall’s architect was Frank T. Lent and its
builder, George Kenyon. The building was powered and
heated by steam from a pumping station across the
street.
The town built the Opera House at a cost of $15,000.
Town officials made arrangements with members of the
local Masonic Lodge to pay for the cost of the roof,
provided the Masons could use the third floor for their
meetings; they remained in the space for another ninety
years. Also, local businessman Holland B. Dewey agreed
to finish the basement in exchange for a long-term lease
on the space to house his furniture and undertaking
business.
A
Performance Hall is Born
The Clayton Opera House has always been home to the
performing arts. In August 1905, summer resident May
Irwin and her troupe from New York City presented the
play Mrs. Black is Back. The performance filled the
house with almost 1,000 people, the largest number ever
to attend a performance there. In addition to May Irwin,
the Opera House hosted other Broadway stars including
James Hackett, William Danforth, Lillian Russell and
Lester Vail. Local talent also took the stage, including
the Clayton Band, the Darou Minstrels, Solar’s Orchestra
and the Kings and Queens of Rhythm.
The Opera House contains a stately performance hall with
balcony on its first and second floors, and a large
ballroom and meeting room on its third floor. Though
many such opera houses were constructed at the turn of
the 20th century, only a few remain today. Over the
decades the Opera House has hosted many events,
including plays, exhibitions and medicine shows. It had
a regular seating capacity of 750, making it the largest
performance hall in Jefferson County at the turn of the
century. Scenery pieces from the Ackerman Studio in New
York City were kept in the basement, which also housed
five dressing rooms.
Also a
Community Center
The Opera House was also referred to as Town Hall
because it was used for a variety of community
functions, such as commencement exercises and the annual
Firemen’s Ball, as well as Youth Club and Radio Club
activities. In the 1920s, the Clayton High School,
located where the Clayton Municipal Building is today
and too small to handle extra-curricular activities,
used the main floor of the Opera House as a basketball
court by suspending baskets from the stage and the
opposite balcony.
Several
Museums Begin at the Opera House Site
Three museums, the Antique Boat Museum, the Thousand
Islands Arts Center – home of the Handweaving Museum,
and the Thousand Islands Museum, originated at the Opera
House site. Since their inception, the three museums
have grown, becoming independent, thriving, significant
institutions receiving state and national support.
Its Second
Century - A Time for Revival
By the turn of the 21st century, the overall
functionality of the Opera House was greatly reduced. It
was without heating and air-conditioning, sufficient
bathrooms, a sound system or comfortable seating. Yet,
even though with time the original luster and
functionality of the hall had greatly diminished, its
intrinsic potential for becoming a major cultural and
community center in the Thousand Islands region
remained. Enthusiasm ran high when the Town of Clayton
and the
Thousand Islands Performing Arts Fund (TIPAF – a
not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering the
performing arts) agreed that they would collaborate in a
revival of the Clayton Opera House….both the building
and its programming.
Revival of
the Clayton Opera House
In 2001, the Thousand Islands Museum moved to new
quarters on James Street, paving the way for the revival
of the Clayton Opera House as a performing arts and
community center. In 2002, the Thousand Islands
Performing Arts Fund (TIPAF), at the request of the Town
of Clayton, sponsored new programming for the summer
seasons at the Opera House. Early performances included
the Bolshoi Orchestra String Quartet, the Summer
Festival Orchestra of the Rochester Philharmonic
Orchestra conducted by Jeff Tyzik, and the U. S. Poet
Laureate Billy Collins. Popularity of the Opera House’s
summer programming spread, and TIPAF saw increased
ticket sales in each of its 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons.
Additionally, the community and regional artists began
to see the stately hall with excellent acoustics as a
desired venue for events and concerts outside the TIPAF
season.
In 2004, TIPAF commenced the Centennial Campaign to
Renovate the Clayton Opera House, a broadly supported
$3.2 million project, to once again establish the venue
as a year-round performing arts and community center.
The
Partnership
In 2003, the Town of Clayton and TIPAF established an
important public/private partnership to oversee the
management and renovation of the Opera House. Pursuant
to this understanding, TIPAF became responsible for
managing the ongoing operations of the Opera House and
for raising funds for the renovation work. The Town
maintained ownership and responsibility for maintenance,
repairs and utilities.
Renovation
Upstate Construction from East Syracuse, Northern
Mechanicals from Norwood, Hyde-Stone Mechanical
Contractors from Watertown, S&L Electric from Colton and
Davis-Ulmer Sprinkler Company from Liverpool, NY served
as the contractors on the renovation project. The
renovation included exterior improvements, heating and
air-conditioning systems, an elevator, major electrical
and plumbing upgrades, new bathrooms, state and federal
access and egress compliance and third floor
improvements. Also included is an addition to the back
of the building needed to house mechanicals, a “green
room” for performers and dressing rooms. The venue also
gained new stage curtains, lighting and rigging, a new
sound system and an transformed interior. The total cost
of the project was $3.25 million. Thanks to the
generosity of over 450 contributors, the Centennial
Campaign to Renovate the Clayton Opera House was
successfully completed in 2007 and the renovation was
able to be accomplished according to plan.
Today
The Clayton Opera House is now a year-round center for
performances and community events. In 2009, more than
170 events ranging from small business meetings to
sold-out rock concerts took place in the hall. Each
year, the diversity of events and the number of people
who visit and use the space continues to grow. TIPAF is
proud to serve as the managers of this fine facility and
we look forward to seeing you in the audience!
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