Howells Opera House is a historic

opera house An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets. While some venues are constructed specifically for o ...

located in

Oakley, Idaho Oakley is a city in Cassia County, Idaho, United States. The population was 763 at the 2010 census, up from 668 in 2000.

, on Blaine Street. The opera house is registered with the

Idaho State Historical Society The Idaho State Historical Society (ISHS) is a historical society located in the U.S. state of Idaho that preserves and promotes the state's cultural heritage. The society was founded as the Historical Society of Idaho Pioneers in 1881, nine years ...

. The Opera house was built by the first prosecuting attorney for Cassia County, Judge B.P. (Benjamin Price) Howells. The building construction began in 1904 and was completed in 1907 for the cost of $22,000 ($757,000 adjusted for inflation today). The opera House is currently owned and operated by the Oakley Valley Arts Council. It has been known by several names, including the Oakley Playhouse (c. 1907), Cassia County Playhouse (c. 1929), and most notably as the Howells Opera House.

Description

The opera house has a square gable

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with a central door flanked by segmental-arched openings. The building was constructed using a local variety of

quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tect ...

referred to as Oakley stone. The performance floor features seating for around 300 people.

Performance history

The Oakley Valley Arts Council has kept a record of performances from 1974 to the present. Past performances include such operas as ''

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'', ''

The Mikado ''The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen Gilbert and Sullivan, operatic collaborations. It opened on 14 March 1885, in London, whe ...

'', and ''

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''.

Oakley Valley Arts Council

During the 1970s, when the opera house had fallen into a state of disrepair and demolition of the house was being discussed, the performing arts community within Oakley formed the Oakley Valley Arts Council and purchased the house. Today the Oakley Valley Arts Council continues to put on seasonal performances here.

Ghostlore

The opera house is the subject of several

ghostlore Ghostlore or ghost-lore is a genre of folklore concerning ghosts. Ghostlore occurs throughout recorded history, including contemporary contexts. History The first known recorded story to feature a haunted house is often regarded by folklore sch ...

stories. One story suggests that there is a female apparition with black hair who can be seen watching the performances from behind the stage. Another story relates that an older gentleman's ghost can be seen stalking the grounds of the house, with some variations suggesting that this particular ghost is that of original owner, Benjamin Howells.

References

{{coord, 42.24442, -113.88417, format=dms, type:landmark_region:US-ID, display=title Buildings and structures in Cassia County, Idaho Buildings and structures completed in 1907 Theatres in Idaho Music venues in Idaho Opera houses in Idaho