|
 Nestled in the hills of
Southeast Ohio is the 100-
plus-old opera house known
as The Ariel Theatre.
Located in the historic
district of the French town of
Gallipolis on the Ohio River,
the Ariel was built during the
age of gas light elegance.
During her heyday, she hosted
such luminaries as Will Rogers,
Sarah Bernhardt and Daniel Emmett. Ensembles such as the Chicago
Operaand the Ziegfield Follies graced the Ariel's stage. Vaudeville led to
movies and the Ariel's eventual closing. Neglected and forgotten, she
began the steady march of decay. Twenty-five years passed before a local
professional musician, Lora Lynn Snow, entered the Ariel's doors and
noticed the marvelous acoustics, the hallmark of craftsmen who built in a
day and time when electronic amplification wasn't known. The Ariel had
all the trademarks of the finest halls in the world, a shoe box shape, thick
walls covered with plaster and being built in the 19th century.
Lora formed a volunteer group and the work of cleaning up was begun in
the fall of 1988. Years of accumulated pigeon manure and debris had to
be removed. Volunteers sifted through everything looking for bits and
pieces of ornaments, woodwork and clues to the Ariel's original look.
Golden oak woodwork prevailed throughout which the Ariel's new
caretakers lovingly stripped and refinished. Crumbling plaster was
replaced and new wiring and plumbing was installed. Gas-look sconces
were placed on the walls where the original gas lights hung and the Ariel
was fitted with opulent crimson drapery and Victorian reproduction
seats. Near the planned reopening of the theatre, elaborate stenciling on
the ceiling, accidentally discovered, was reproduced on the new plaster
by volunteers who worked all night on scaffolding 30 feet in the air!
June 9, 1990 the Grand Opening of the newly restored Ariel Theatre was
heralded by the Ohio Valley Symphony, resident ensemble of the historic
theatre, and dedicated by local resident Maj. Gen. George E. Bush who
made his own Ariel debut in 1906. In 1991, the theatre was renamed The
Morris & Dorothy Haskins Ariel Theatre in honor of the Haskins
contributions to the community.
In July of 2005, Ann Carson Dater purchased the entire complex
containing the theatre and presented it to the community as a
permanent home for The Ohio Valley Symphony and for use as a
performing arts centre. The re-dedication of the facility as The Ariel-
Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre was April 22, 2006 (110
years after the original dedication on April 23, 1896). Ownership of the
building has made expansion of all programs a reality. The newly
obtained space includes a banquet hall, ballroom, meeting rooms and
another smaller theatre. While the primary focus is on the performing
arts, all of the spaces are available for rental by other organizations.
Today the historic building is bustling with activities. The Ohio Valley
Symphony, the only professional orchestra in southeast Ohio, offers a
five-concert subscription series. The Ariel Players, a community theater
troupe, entertains audiences several times a year with classic comedies
and dramas. The Ariel Jr. Theatre offers up family-oriented fare with an
emphasis on youth participation. Acting classes, taught by The
Imagination Factory’s Joe Wright, are offered on a weekly basis. The
Ohio Valley Youth Orchestra is a regional youth ensemble drawing
in students from as far as Chillicothe, Athens and Jackson Ohio as well
as from West Virginia. The OVYO is 65 members strong and is yet
another of the Ariel resident ensembles. Members receive private
instruction through the After School String Project and also participate
in smaller chamber ensembles as well. Dance classes for children and
adults in jazz, ballet, modern and ballroom are available. The
barbershop and Sweet Adeline choruses find the Ariel's incredible
acoustics and turn-of-the-century look make the perfect partner with
their music. A hallmark of all Ariel programs is the staffing of these
ensembles and educational programs with professional artists.
Local businesses find the Ariel the perfect place for a meeting or
presentation, lovers find the Ariel a romantic and elegant setting to
exchange wedding vows, models think the Ariel provides a glamorous
runway for fashion shows and lectures, debates and classes work their
way into the Ariel's busy schedule.
The Ariel is the shining star at the very heart of a region that cherishes
its heritage. After all, Gallipolis not only preserves its past, it polishes it
and puts it on display!
For additional information on the Ariel, click here. |
