Reviving History: The Ellisville Opera House Shines in Modern-Day Forgottonia
By: Forgottonia Times™ Report
The Historic Ellisville Opera House is a hidden gem in the heart of Forgottonia. Ellisville (pop. 90) is a village nestled along the banks of the Spoon River in northwestern Fulton County. Founded in 1836, the village hit its economic peak in the late 1800s when the narrow gauge “Peavine” railroad was still running before its eventual demise in the 1930s.
In 1891, the citizens of Ellisville constructed their Opera House as a place of commerce on the first floor and culture on the second floor. Its inaugural grand opening was a Christmas Eve Ball held on December 24th of that year. The Opera House began commemorating this event with the 125th anniversary in 2016 and has since become an annual Holiday celebration, including a 10-piece swing band with featured soloists and lots of dancing!
In the early 1970s, the Opera House theater was utilized by performing groups during the Spoon River Scenic Drive, as they presented melodramas to entertain those taking in the sights, foods, and shopping along the route. However, a decade later, the Opera House was in disrepair until the newly formed Historic Ellisville Restoration Organization (H.E.R.O.) was formed in the late 1980s to save the building from ruin.
But it wasn’t until 2003, when a local music teacher had a small group of children present a condensed production of “The Wizard of Oz,” that the theater, which had been dormant for so many years, once again became a place where the community could gather. The successful turnout for that first humble production was the catalyst that began the youth theater program known as “The Spoon River Rascals,” which has called the Opera House home for the last 22 years. In 2008, the program expanded, adding an annual production for students in high school.
During these years, hundreds of children from Fulton and surrounding counties have participated in productions. Through these shows and via generous donors, funds have been raised to provide upkeep to the historic Opera House. Significant improvements have been made, including restrooms, air conditioning, and heating. Most impressively, an external elevator was installed in 2023 to allow those with limited mobility to reach the second-floor auditorium and take part in the activities held there.
Since these improvements, the Opera House has begun hosting more productions. In 2023, the theater officially became home to the Hickory Ridge Concert Series, hosted by nationally recognized artist Chris Vallillo of Macomb. These concerts occur every third Saturday of the month and feature a wide array of talented folk and blues artists from the Midwest.
In June 2024, the Opera House hosted a well-received production of "The Drowsy Chaperone." Many Opera House veterans, who have performed there since childhood, participated in this production and showed the audience that they still have what it takes to shine on stage.
The Opera House is now a comfortable, unique venue with a historic vibe for audiences to enjoy. The talent performing on its stage is worthy of much larger venues in more prominent cities. Whether attending a theatrical production, a dance with live music, or a cabaret folk concert, the Historic Ellisville Opera House is a destination worth the drive!
The cast from the recent production of “The Drowsy Chaperone”