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The performance series goes from mid-September through early June, and Bills hope was at some point we would turn a corner, pushed harder and harder, and it turns out there is no cornerjust one long curve. Photograph provided by Tim Erickson Photographyīooking acts is a yearly challenge. Within this last year, however, Bill has been at the Opera House exclusively. The Opera House only had a few shows a year. When Bill became director of media services for Stoughton and the director of the Opera House in 2007, working both positions seemed manageable. You are not going to be the only one walking around with a cushion on Main Street.
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Though the seats can be a little hard on the posterior, Bill says, The professionals bring their own cushions. The magnificent original gas/electric chandelier, upgraded with modern wiring, lamps, and frosted tulip bowls, hangs alongside its two-thirds-sized replica above the balcony, and the original curtain onstage was restored, adding character and distinction to productions.1 Such features lead Bill Brehm, director of the Opera House, to describe the theatre as exhibiting the Doctor Who effect because the Opera House seems too big to fit inside the building from the outside.Īnother outstanding feature is the rich oak woodwork. Upon visiting, many understand why the Opera House is dubbed southern Wisconsins most charming theatre. , a light-hearted play with a cast of 11.1
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The Stoughton Opera House, then known as the City Auditorium, started with the February 22, 1901, opening of It would make everyone happy, establish a community center, and provide profits to afford the building. Their plan: have a theatre in the upstairs of the Stoughton City Hall with city offices downstairs. Over a century ago, the city council of Stoughton looked to make a statement to the importance of the city and have it stand out.
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