The "Recollections of the Fulton Opera House: Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Yesterday I posted Part I of the story about the Fulton Opera House (nee Fulton Hall) in downtown Lancaster, PA.  Well, the story yesterday didn't tell you anything at all about my participation in the history of the place, but that will come today as I continue my tale of one of Lancaster's most beloved and historic places.  

Photograph is from the late 1800s when
an unlettered canopy was added to the
exterior of the Fulton Opera House.

I left off yesterday with the Fulton Opera House as a movie theatre which became a disreputable "art film" house.  In March of 1952, the 100 anniversary of the Fulton, a reporter for the Lancaster newspaper wrote a series of articles about the glory years of the old Fulton Hall and the unsuccessful crusade in Broadway's Playbill booklet to turn the Fulton Opera House into an American Theatre Hall of Fame.  It was in the mid-1950s that I had my chance to be part of a Fulton Opera House production titled Amahl and the Night Visitors.  I was eleven at the time and part of the famed St. James Episcopal Church boys' choir from Lancaster who were directed by Frank A. McConnell.  We had about 30 or so boys who were between the ages of 8 to 12 and sang either soprano or alto.  One of the boy's names was Pete Martin and he was selected to appear at the Fulton in the one-act musical based on the Magi's journey to see the Christ child.  They stopped for the night at the home of a young crippled boy and while there, the boy's mother tried to steal some of the gold that was to be a gift for Baby Jesus and was caught.  The kings felt sorry for the mother and told her to keep the gold, but the woman refused and gave it back.  The boy was invited to go with the kings to search for the Baby Jesus and he said he had nothing to offer except his crutch.  Shortly after telling his intentions of giving his crutch, his leg was miraculously healed and he went with the Magi to see Baby Jesus.  I think I have most of the account correct, but that really isn't an important part of my story.  Pete was chosen to be Amahl and another boy named Whitey and myself were chosen as backups who had to learn all of the songs and lines and be prepared just in case Pete was ill and couldn't do the show.  I can still remember how neat and scary it was to sit backstage and watch the practices and the movement of the scenery for the opera.  I got to see the show one time, but never had the chance to perform which was fine with me, since I'm still afraid to get in front of large groups of strange people and talk, let alone sing by myself.  And, .... you know how many strange people probably came to see the opera.  

This photo from 1963 shows the Fulton as it was showing
the film "The Night."  At the time it was owned by the
Coho family, but was then purchased by the non-profit
Fulton Opera House Foundation.

In 1959, after my starring role was long forgotten, a group going by the name of the Lancaster Theatre Arts Association, trying to kindle interest in the Opera House, brought Victor Jory to the Fulton to perform in Our Town.  The following year they brought Louis Vyner and the String Virtuoso of Philadelphia to the stage and it was the first time since 1930 that live music was heard at the Fulton Opera House.  But in 1961, the Lancaster Law and Order Society had the Fulton shut down after a showing of the "blue movie" The Immoral Mr. Teas.  The building was set for demolition soon after, but a group of civic leaders led by Mr. Nathaniel Hager, the grandson of the Fulton Hall founder, formed a non-profit foundation to save the building from demolition.  

This photo taken by Lori Stahl is from 1995 after a
$9,500,000 renovation was complete.

In 1963 the foundation was chartered and purchased the Fulton Opera House for $55,000.  By 1966 they had spent $90,000 to refurbish what they now called the "Old Lady of Prince Street."  A few years later the building was named a National Historic Landmark, thus preventing it from demise in the future.  In the early 70s the Fulton Summer Repertory Company was established which was comprised of primarily students from nearby Franklin and Marshall College which included future star Treat Williams.  

Photo as it appears today with new LED lighting and
improved marquée.

The Fulton Opera House continued to grow and thrive over the next 20 or so years, until in 1994-1995, a nine and a half million-dollar renovation took place which refurbished many of the theatre's systems and facilities.  Two years later a ceremony was conducted at the theatre to pay tribute to and honor the Conestoga Indians that were massacred while locked in a jail cell in the basement of the building that preceded the Fulton Opera House.  Only the rear wall of that building still remained when building the original Fulton Hall in mid-1850s.  Today's Fulton Opera House is alive and well and still entertaining Lancasterains.  Recently new LED lighting was added to the marquee, the marquee structure was repaired and new letters were added.  The "Old Lady of Prince Street" is alive and well!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

PS - Photos from my recent trip to the Fulton Opera House follow ........

Photo by Lori Stahl of the renovations done from 1994-95.

The rear of the Fulton Opera House.  The lower portion of the wall is all that remained of the  1763 City Jail that stood on the same spot as the Fulton.

Entrance to the Fulton Opera House.

Ticket window of the Fulton Opera House.

This is the original wooden sculpture of Robert Fulton that stood outside for years.  In 1995 it was brought indoors and and a replicate was placed outside.

One of the two grand staircases that lead you from floor to floor in the Fulton.  Remember you can click on any photo to enlarge it.

The box seats can be seen on the left while the first floor, second floor and "Peanut Heaven" can be seen on the right.

Some of the ornate wood carvings are seen between the first and second levels of the theatre.

Decorations and carvings around one of the theatre boxes.

The gold leafing is real gold.  The managing director of the Fulton Opera House, Mr. Aaron Young was telling me that when he applied for the position he was shown through the theatre as they were making renovations to the ceiling and as he looked around the theatre it looked as if it were raining gold.  Little pieces were falling to the ground as the workers did the gold leafing.

All above images that were not my own or given previous credit were "Used by permission from the Fulton Opera House Foundation."