In 1875, the people of Plymouth Hollow separated from the Town of Plymouth and named their new town, Thomaston, after Seth Thomas, who had converted the town from a farming community into a thriving industrial area with his clock factory. Being situated on the New York-New Haven railroad line, the townspeople had contact with the large cities, which gave them a desire for more cultural and esthetic pursuits. The town fathers were empowered to plan and build a multipurpose building to meet the growing community's needs and to demonstrate the town's prosperity.
The bricks were produced at the Seth Thomas Brick Factory and the granite came from the Plymouth Granite Quarry in the Reynolds Bridge section of town. The Town Hall/Opera House building was completed in October of 1884 at a cost of approximately $50,000 and the Waterbury Republican newspaper immediately dubbed it "the finest opera house in the Naugatuck Valley."
The floors were polished hardwood and originally, the seats could be removed to become a ballroom. The balcony, or Dress Circle as it was called, was reserved seating only and has a gold filigree railing which was considered quite elegant. During World War I, there was talk of melting it down for the war effort, but luckily this never happened. The proscenium arch and ceiling are richly decorated with frescoes and deep moldings. Four of these ceiling frescoes have artwork representing music, art, drama and architecture. The acoustical quality of the Opera House is superb. Some of the great personalities to perform here are singers Enrico Caruso and Amelita Galli-Curci, concert pianist Jan Paderewski, dancer Ray Bolger and Conrad Nagel.
Since Thomaston was on a direct route to New York, traveling shows came to town and gave performances every Friday and Saturday night. A visit to the Opera House on the weekends lifted the citizens of Thomaston out of the ordinary and into a realm of excellence, luxury and joy. During the early period, the Opera House was also used by civic and church groups. The schools held their graduations there. It was the largest assembly hall in town. Today it seats 520. In the 1930's, Robert Schwartz leased the Opera House and turned it into a movie theater, covering the walls with tapestry and carpeting the floors. He replaced the movable seats with red plush permanent seats and elevated the back rows so all could see the movie screen.
After 1939, the Opera House was used little except for the annual Stag Club minstrels, until the building was condemned in 1963. There was talk of tearing it down, but the citizens of Thomaston did not want to lose this precious landmark. In 1967, a special town meeting was held to pass an ordinance for the creation of the Opera House Commission. The commissioners contacted our state representatives and The Connecticut Historical Society. Funds were promised by the state to help restore the historic Opera House. Money was raised by individuals and civic organizations in town and local craftsmen donated their time restoring the Opera House to it's original grandeur.
In the fall of 1968, the Opera House was rededicated. Special guest, Marion Anderson was the official representative of Gov. John Dempsy. A week long festival was planned with a program of music presented by the Philharmonic Chamber Players, a performance by the New Haven Civic Ballet and a children's performance of "Johnny Appleseed" was presented by the Hartt School of Music. The Waterbury Republican once again called it "the finest Opera House in the valley" and commended the citizens of Thomaston for "rescuing something from the past and dedicating it to the future."
Later the Connecticut Valley Theatre Organ Society added its Marr Colton Theater Organ to the Opera House. This rare instrument is considered one of the finest in the country. It is the type of organ used in movie theaters, especially during the silent movie era. CVTOS now presents two organ concerts a year.
The Thomaston Opera House is a point of pride for area residents and the many people who participate in productions each year. The building itself serves as the centerpiece for the town. Once inside one cannot help but admire the beautiful craftsmanship found throughout the auditorium. These are not the only attributes of the Thomaston Opera House though. Many of its recent accolades are for the community and regional-based theatre presented throughout the year.
The theatre has succeeded due to hard-working and talented volunteers and their relentless dedication to this facility and the arts. Together, we have maintained the type of programming on the main stage our audiences have come to expect. Still, we are continuing work to restore this historic facility and improve its technical capabilities.
The success of the theatre this year will again depend on many people working together. Countless volunteers, performers, Opera House commissioners and theatre staffers will join forces to present the best theatrical presentations possible. Its success also relies on the support of the local residents, area businesses, civic organizations and patrons from around the state. These parties collectively make up the spirit that is the Thomaston Opera House.
