Grand Opera House
651 Mulberry Street,
Macon,
GA
31201
651 Mulberry Street,
Macon,
GA
31201
1 person
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Related Websites
Grand Opera House, Macon (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc.
Architects: W.R. Gunn
Functions: Concerts, Live Theater
Styles: Gothic Revival
Previous Names: Academy of Music, Grand Theatre
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
478.301.5460
Manager:
478.301.5460
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Mar 2, 2010 — Happy 45th, "The Sound Of Music"
The Academy of Music was opened on September 22, 1884 and had 2,418 seats. It was designed by W.R. Gunn. Around two decades later, the Academy of Music was renovated, and opened again as the Grand Opera House on February 1, 1905. In 1925 a 2 Manual Robert Morton organ was installed in the Grand Theatre. The Grand Opera House became a movie theatre in 1936. By 1941 it was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Lucas & Jenkins.
As a movie theatre, the Grand Theatre closed in 1965 and faced demolition. The building was saved from demolition by the Macon Arts Council. After being restored, the Grand Opera House opened again on April 6, 1970.
The Grand Opera House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
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Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
As the Academy of Music, this theater is listed under Macon GA in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. It lists a seating capacity of only 1,061, however. The Mgr. was Henry Horne. Ticket prices ranged from 25 cents to $1. The auditorium was on the ground floor. There were 7 in the house orchestra. The proscenium opening was 28 feet wide X 32 feet high, and the stage was 38 feet deep. Newspapers were the Telegram and the News. Hotels for show folk were the Brown House, Hotel Lanier, Park, Pierpont, and Stubblefield. The 1897 population of Macon was 35,000.
Albert A. Weis took over the Grand Opera House in 1910, according to an item in the New York Times of June 28 that year. The article said that Weis controlled a circuit of theaters in Texas, Mississippi, and adjoining states.
The Grand was Macon’s premier movie theatre in the 50’s and 60’s, superb with double balconies and terried box seats on each side, what a magnificent theatre it was, the large marquee is gone and now Mercer University owns it. It was completely restored and now is the palace it always was with live shows, concerts etc. The Grand has one of the largest stages you will find in any theatre and the entire Macon community enjoys this grand venue.
The Robert Morton Organ Company records selling a 2 manual organ to the Grand Theatre in Macon Georgia in 1925. That is possibly this theatre. Is an organ still in this hall? Are there even empty chambers where an organ once stood?
Reopened as Grand Opera House on February 1st, 1905
Grand Opera House AKA: Grand opening 28 Jan 1905, Sat The Macon News (Macon, Georgia) Newspapers.com
More Macon cinemas updates to come.
Opened on September 22nd, 1884 as Academy of Music
Academy of Music opening 17 Sep 1884, Wed The Macon Telegraph (Macon, Georgia) Newspapers.com
Stopped showing movies full-time in 1965.
Actually, according to the Macon News, the Grand continued to run films until the last week of July 1966.