The Grand Opera House was a theatre in Brooklyn, New York that was in operation from 1881 through 1920.[1] The theatre was demolished in 1924 along with several adjacent buildings to make room for the A. I Namm & Sons department store.[2]

History

The Grand Opera House was built by the firm of Barry, Fay & Lewis;[3] a partnership which consisted of theatrical impresario Benjamin Lewis (died 1905),[4] and Irish comedic actors Hugo Fay and Billy Barry.[2] The theater was constructed at 14 Elm Place,[1] on the west side of the street just south of Fulton Ave.[3] It was built on the former site of the Congregational Church on Elm Pl. which had been destroyed by fire in June 1880.[5]

The Grand Opera House was inaugurated on Monday, November 14, 1881, with a performance of Muldoon's Picnic.[6][1] Seating 2,000 people,[1] at the time it opened it was the second largest theatre in Brooklyn; with only the Brooklyn Academy of Music surpassing its size.[3] The theatre was purchased by the firm of Hyde and Benham in 1882.[2] In 1907 it was acquired by Klaw and Erlanger for their chain of theatres, and the following year it became part of The Shubert Organization's chain of theatres.[7] The building remained in operation as a theatre until 1920.[1] The theatre, along with several adjacent buildings, was demolished in 1924 for the purposes of building the A. I Namm & Sons department store.[2]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Del Valle, p. 184
  2. 1 2 3 4 Suzanne Spellen (September 22, 2015). "Past and Present: Downtown Brooklyn's Grand Opera House". Brownstoner.
  3. 1 2 3 Harrison, p. 21
  4. ↑ "Benjamin Lewis". The Standard Union. January 20, 1905. p. 2.
  5. ↑ Del Valle, p. 185
  6. ↑ "Opening of the Grand Opera House". The Brooklyn Union. November 12, 1881. p. 3.
  7. ↑ Del Valle, p. 186-187

Bibliography

  • Gabriel Harrison (1884). "The Grand Opera House". In H. R. Stiles (ed.). A History of the Progress of the Drama, Music and the Fine Arts in the City of Brooklyn. W. W. Munsell & Co.
  • Cezar Del Valle (2010). "Grand Opera House". The Brooklyn Theatre Index, Volume I: Adams Street to Lorimer Street. Theatre Talks, LLC. ISBN 9780982772409.

40°41′23.5″N 73°59′5″W / 40.689861°N 73.98472°W / 40.689861; -73.98472

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