GALVESTON — Music, singalong, storm stories, refreshments and guided tours will be part of The Grand 1894 Opera House’s 114th birthday open house, set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
The event is free and open to the public — a shared rejoicing for one more Galveston landmark recovering from Hurricane Ike.
“Everybody should come who loves the theater like we all do, who wants to get a lift in terms of just celebrating,” said Maureen Patton, executive director of The Grand. The opera house is one of the few theaters in the nation built before 1900 still housing live performances.
Saturday’s celebration is more than a birthday party. It marks the reopening of an historical rallying point for Galveston.
“After the 1900 Storm, the Opera House was a place where people went to forget about some of the horrors of the storm and to celebrate together, to have a sense of community,” Patton recalled. This Saturday, the restored theater will once again help the community heal.
“I think this is another shot in the arm for all of us,” said Patton, who has worked with the Grand more than 27 years. “It’s important for all of us to keep celebrating.”
Saturday’s program includes:
• Performances by the Rob Landes Trio of Houston, with Landes also leading sing-a-longs;
• Former CBS television anchor Steve Smith emceeing the festivities;
• Readings by Smith from the best of the “Hurricane Ike Storm Stories” submitted to Rosenberg Library and other organizations following the storm;
• Tours of the facility;
• Complimentary cake and punch; and
• Door prizes.
Saturday’s visitors will be able to see the impact of Hurricane Ike. The bronze plaque in the entryway shows a line of corrosion where some 8 feet of salt water surged through the theater Sept. 13.
Ten rows of seats were submerged; the box office, dressing rooms and orchestra pit were damaged. Silt washed onto the stage floor.
A construction crew was already working on the theater before the storm as part of a long-planned repair and restoration project. So workers quickly focused on repairing the damage. All the theater seats were reconditioned; damaged flooring was replaced. Storm windows are being placed on the building’s 90 windows.
The facility will be ready for an audience by Saturday, some 114 years after The Grand opened in 1895 with a play and community celebration. This year’s birthday celebration also marks the reopening of the Grand’s theater season, with Jerry Jeff Walker performing at 8 p.m., followed by a Sunday afternoon performance by the Gospel Stars at 3 p.m. Tickets for both performances are still available.
No tickets are required for Saturday’s birthday party.
“Tell people to get out of the house; come down to the theater and continue with their own personal healing from the storm,” Patton said.
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At A Glance
What: The Grand 1894 Opera House’s 114th birthday party
When: From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: 2020 Postoffice St., Galveston
DETAILS: Copies of “Ike: Stories of the Storm,” a tabletop hardcover book published by The Galveston County Daily News will be available for sale through the entire weekend, with a portion of each sale to benefit The Grand.
The Grand’s reopened season January performances include Christine Ebersole and James Naughton at 8 p.m. Jan. 9, followed by “Oliver!” at 8 p.m. and 3 p.m. Jan. 10-11; Ronan Tynan at 8 p.m. Jan. 17; Don Sanders’ “Gusher Times and Sourdough Cowboy,” a Centennial Sunday event at 3 p.m. Jan. 18; The Oak Ridge Boys at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24 and 3 p.m. Jan. 25; and Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers at 8 p.m. Jan. 31.
INFO: 409-765-1895, www.thegrand.com; box office number is 409-765-1894 or 800-821-1894.
