By Staff Writer: Jada Boprie
In contrast to the new businesses and buildings that spring up to change the face of Howell, the Howell Opera House stands almost the same as it did when it opened more than 130 years ago. While it has always been known as a place for creativity and social gatherings, recently, the building has been bringing a little more music through its doors.
For the 7th year in a row, the Acoustic Cafe concert series, hosted by the Howell Opera House, invites popular bands from all over Michigan to perform to the public on Friday evenings. With a variety of music, the audience can enjoy the blues one week and folk the next. No reservations are required and the cost is $7 at the door, located at 123 W. Grand River Ave., in downtown Howell. Doors open at 7:00 with performances starting at 7:30. Light concessions are available for the audience. The following is the upcoming schedule.
January 31 Bayou River Band – Dixieland
February 7 Rusty & Laurie Wright – Acoustic Blues
February 14 Jill Jack Valentine’s Day Show
February 21 Bob Milne – Ragtime Piano
February 28 Sweethearts of the Yellow Room – Folk
March 7 The Leaky Tikis – Spring Break at the Howell Opera House
March 14 Jackie & Gary – Classic Folk Singalongs
April 11 Jeff Doyle, Storyteller and Humorist
Along with the Acoustic Cafe concerts, throughout the year the Opera House is home to an array of shows, exhibits, and gatherings. In March, elementary and high school students from all over Livingston County display art work in the annual Got Art exhibit. Summer brings a cluster of outdoor concerts and art shows during the Howell Melon Festival. In autumn, it’s time for the fall film festival, scary storytelling, and Rocky Horror picture show.
In addition to all of these events, there are year round dances, cooking demos, and open studios for those who want to take part in the contagious creativity. The building can also be rented for parties, meetings, and weddings.
When it opened in 1881, the Howell Opera House was used as a community gathering place. Although the building didn’t even get electricity until 1906, it was used for plays, dances, and, of course, operas. One of the more unusual activities in the opera house was a roller-skating night that was popular in the early years, where people laced up their skates to zoom around the same space that held lectures.
Michigan used to have more than 3,000 opera houses that were used by various communities, but time and neglect have whittled that number down to 28. For a long time, the ground level space of the Howell Opera House was used as a hardware store, while the stage and gathering area was upstairs. The Livingston Arts Council (LAC) bought the building in 2000 to be renovated and enjoyed as much as it was when it first opened.
Today, the upstairs stage area of the opera house remains mostly empty, but contains much of the history of the building. Around the perimeter of the space, glass cases preserve pictures and tickets from early shows, and even a near-ancient Wrigley gum wrapper that was left behind by a forgotten concert-goer.
Sharon Fisher is the program director in charge of making sure the opera house stays busy throughout the year. Fisher and her team created the Acoustic Cafe concert series and are always looking for ways the opera house can live its motto of “create, exhibit, perform, inspire.”
“We want the opera house to be seen as an art and cultural center for all the communities in Livingston County,” Fisher says.
