Exploring the Haunted History of Springer Opera House in Columbus, GA
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For Francis Joseph Springer, an immigrant from Alsace and the principal investor and eventually full owner of the opera house that bears his name, this was an opportunity to bring a bit of old world civilization to the Chattahoochee River Valley. The theater, designed by Daniel Matthew Foley, occupied a three-story brick hotel on the northeast corner of First Avenue and Tenth Street. It opened on February 21, 1871, but gained even greater success following a 1900 expansion and remodel by theater specialist J. This new technology soon became all the rage and audiences for live theatre diminished.
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For years the theater refused to put on the “Hamlet” production because theater people are notoriously superstitious. The best kinds of ghostly encounters usually happen at a building that has a long history and is located near water. My first look at the Springer Opera House happened in the evening as I rushed in to find my seat for the theatrical production of “Dream Girls”. Looking around, I appreciate the grandeur of the theater and the love that the community puts into keeping the theater alive and well. There were stories of ghostly figures, unexplainable sounds, and objects being moved about. The presentation continued with producing artistic director Paul Pierce, who acknowledged six members of the Springer staff that he considered "long-timers" who have collectively worked 152 years at the Springer.
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Varner cited "Olympic-sized pivoting" and innovation by the Springer's staff and board, along with the consummate support of the Springer's patrons for making it through the uncertainty of the pandemic. That’s why we’ve launched Heart of the Springer, our program to support local nonprofits and rewards you for doing the same. Here Edwin Booth played Hamlet, February 15, 1876, on his first Southern tour after the War. "Blind Tom" Bethune, the egro musical prodigy born near Columbus, performed here often. John L. Sullivan, the world champion gave a boxing exhibition; and Mrs. John Drew grandmother of the Barrymores, starred in She Stoops to Conquer.
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The project also included doubling the space available to the theater and equipping the facility with state-of-the-art technology in lighting, sound engineering, rigging, technical support equipment, and new rehearsal and studio performance space. The Springer stood vacant for five years, and without a preservation program established in Columbus, it appeared the building would be demolished. Actors from the Columbus Little Theater and a group of civic leaders began a campaign to save the opera house, an event which is credited as spearheading a citywide historic preservation movement. A 1964 restoration included stabilizing the main auditorium, ground-floor spaces, and a portion of the second floor. As it neared its centennial year, the opera house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and President Jimmy Carter named the building Georgia’s State Theater for its centennial.
Consider becoming a member of our Springer Society and give annually to Support the Springer. As time wore on, the building was used less frequently until the halls of the Springer were homes only to the ghosts. With the opening of the hotel, the Springer expanded as tourists traveled longer distances to attend performances. This growth revitalized the community and in 1901, FJ Springer completed a remodel of the theatre, to increase it’s capacity to over 1000 seats. The costume loft was vacant at the time, leaving one to wonder who left the shoes.
renovation
Seven years later the Springer Opera House was designated a National Historic Landmark. As early as 1915, Springer started showing motion pictures on a regular basis and the slow decline of theater began. The building remained a venue for both movies and live theater until the Depression, but by 1931 theater performances ceased, and the opera house tried to survive as movie house. Throughout its history, the Springer Opera House played host to major celebrities and theater personalities including Edwin Booth, Oscar Wilde, Ethel Barrymore, and Ma Rainey. Our guide, Aileen Fowles, director of community outreach, greets us in the lobby and starts sharing a bit of history about the Springer and ghostly tales and experiences people have had as we wander the halls, theater, backstage, and administrative offices.
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Her articles have been featured in various notable publications over the years, she has a published collection of short stories, and three completed screenplays under her belt. The Springer is not only the State Theatre of Georgia, it is also one of only seven theatres in the United States producing theatre in a National Historic Landmark. It offers a yearly season of three play series - the Mainstage Series in Emily Woodruff Hall and the Studio II Series in the brand new McClure Theatre and the Springer Children's Theatre Series in both the Mainstage Theatre and McClure Theatre.
He also acknowledged the success of the Springer's partnership with Columbus State University's theatre department, remarking that fifteen of the Springer's current staff are graduates of the program. The theater’s main auditorium remains one of the most splendid architectural theater interiors in the country. The “grand ole lady” among Southern theaters, the Springer Opera House once again displays her beauty, and one can only applaud the performance of the building itself on those occasions when, as a theatergoer, one has a “night on the town” in Edwardian Columbus. A New Jersey native with over 15 years of writing experience, Marisa has studied at both New York University and Florida International University. She has lived all over the country, including a decade stint in South Florida. Marisa is well-versed in exploration as she travels a good majority of the year in her self-converted Sprinter van.
Here in 1928, Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered a "Happy Warrior" speech in behalf of presidential nominee Al Smith. Come VisitWhen the Springer opened in 1871, it was the grandest theatre between New York and New Orleans, so it served as a venue where shows traveling from the Big Apple to the Big Easy could perform and recoup some of their travel expense. As a result, such noteworthy performers as Edwin Booth, Buffalo Bill, John Phillip Sousa, Ma Rainey, Ethel Barrymore, Tom Thumb, Burt Reynolds, Oscar Wilde, Garrison Keillor, Hal Holbrook, Chet Atkins and W.C. Any trip to Columbus is incomplete without a tour of the State Theatre of Georgia. Your generous donations ensure that this theatre remains alive an active for generations to come. $1 of every ticket is set aside for Historic Preservation but there is always maintenance to be done.
Personally, I think the third-floor administrative offices of the building are pretty interesting. There is an abundance of stories of a tall man in a top hat walking around the building that is believed to be Edwin. Aileen watched this figure walk across the third-floor balcony and then disappear.
The second and third floors were transformed and the opera house opened in 1871. In 1901 the grocery store closed and the entire building was converted to a theater. "I am so honored and humbled to now be a forever part of my beloved Springer, the state theatre of Georgia," said Dawson. Dawson attributes her introduction and love of theatre to her Jordon High School drama teacher, Sandra Taylor.
LIST: Springer Opera House shows, musicals for 2024-2025 season - WTVM
LIST: Springer Opera House shows, musicals for 2024-2025 season.
Posted: Tue, 05 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Pierce then introduced the newest addition to the Springer's full-time staff, artist in residence, Keith McCoy. McCoy, who joined the Springer staff full time in January as Artist in Residence, has been involved with the Springer for over 13 years, serving as guest director, actor, choreographer, and teacher. The evening began with a welcome from managing director Danielle Varner who gave an update on the state of the theater.
Explore the very areas where history was made, and uncover the possibly paranormal events that happen within these hallowed halls. SAH Archipedia tells the story of the United States through its buildings, landscapes, and cities. This freely available resource empowers the public with authoritative knowledge that deepens their understanding and appreciation of the built environment. If you get the chance to visit, be sure to spend a little extra time in the hallway and try to peek up at the third-floor balcony from time to time during a performance. In 1869, the Public Hall Association proposed a performance hall for the city of Columbus in western Georgia.
Stories of shadows and full-body apparitions are common, and I’m willing the universe to send something my way. McElfatrick expanded the building eastward to accommodate a taller main stage, second balcony, and space for other sources of revenue such as hotel rooms, office space, and restaurants. The brick facade features evenly spaced windows with pressed metal lintels on the upper two stories and stone sills; a pressed metal cornice wraps around the building. 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. Creep into the Springer’s haunted history and encounter the ghostly spirits of our legendary landmark. This exclusive behind-the-scenes tour grants ghoulish entry to areas of the theatre rarely seen by the public.
This new facility has allowed us to expand our programming, adding additional titles to our Children’s Theatre series, as well as creating a new series, “Theatre for the Very Young” which targets our tiny audience members.
The great depression and the decrease of industrial output by the mills, began a downfall for the Springer. Francis Joseph had to eventually sell the Springer Opera House to the Martin Theatre company. Once home to so many celebrity performers, it now was nothing more than another movie house. Seems there is a friendly presence that lives in the costume loft and provides items the actors and stagehands need. Chatting with the theater employees working backstage, they share stories of their own ghostly encounters. Edwin performed at the theater a number of times, many of those in the role of Hamlet.
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