The Craterian Theater at the Collier Center for the Performing Arts is a state-of-the-art performing arts center located in Medford,

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. While the theater has a seating capacity of 732, the theater will frequently hold large, national concerts, dance, and theatrical tours. The Craterian Theater facility is also used for community performances, rehearsals, classes, conferences, receptions, and more. The Theater holds many different types of performances including Broadway tours, traveling musicians, and local performances for organizations such as the Rogue Valley Symphony and the Rogue Valley Chorale. The Craterian Theater also has two theater companies that it has adopted including

Teen Musical Theater of Oregon Teen Musical Theater of Oregon (TMTO) is a youth theater program in Medford, Oregon, US, produced by Craterian Performances. Description Teen Musical Theater of Oregon includes kids age 13 - 19 but will sometimes add children age 9 - 12, known ...

and

Next Stage Repertory Company Next Stage Repertory Company is a professional-level acting company in Medford, Oregon, that is produced by Craterian Performances along with Teen Musical Theater of Oregon. Next Stage has put on plays such as ''Talley's Folly'', ''The Glass Me ...

History

In 1923, the Page Theater burned down after ten years of performances. At the time there were no other theaters in Medford with a large capacity, so in 1924 business owner Jeremiah Henry Cooley and attorney Porter Joseph Neff collaborated to construct one. The building was designed by architect

Frank Chamberlain Clark Frank Chamberlain Clark (1872–1957) was an American architect active in Southern Oregon. Many of his works are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Clark has been said to be "the leading architect of the Rogue River Va ...

and would be leased to George A. Hunt. The original name of the theater was decided by a 1925 contest held with a $25 prize. The winning entry, Hunt's Craterian Theater, was submitted by a Mrs. W.P. Brooks, a resident of Medford, who named it after nearby Crater Lake. The building was renamed "Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater" in 1997 after the building was restored, in honor of Ginger Rogers, an actress who performed there as early as 1926. As of August 30, 2012, the theater has been renamed The Craterian Theater at The Collier Center for the Performing Arts, named after James Collier, a large benefactor in the Rogue Valley.

References

{{Reflist Theatres in Oregon Buildings and structures in Medford, Oregon 1924 establishments in Oregon Tourist attractions in Jackson County, Oregon Performing arts centers in Oregon