Small-town opera house

From the 1850s to 1920s, opera houses were constructed in a vast number of small communities in the United States, usually with the backing of a local commercial patron and with the intent – according to historian Ann Satterthwaite – of signaling "to the world that the town was civilized".

[1] The importance of opera houses as cultural and entertainment venues in small communities in the United States ended with the growing ubiquity of cinema in the 1920s.

[2] Opera houses in small towns in the United States were usually so-named to avoid the déclassé connotations that the word "theater" had in the 19th century U.S.[3] In some towns in the American West, theaters were known as venues that hosted "box-rustling", a form of erotic dancing.

[5] Emma Abbott's English Opera Company, touring lectures by Mark Twain, Joseph Jefferson's famous portrayals of Rip Van Winkle, and approximately 500 theater troupes dedicated solely to the performance of Uncle Tom's Cabin were among popular touring attractions considered performance staples of small-town opera houses during the 19th century.

[1] Many small-town opera houses constructed during the 18th and early 19th centuries consisted of a stage with adjoining dressing rooms located on an upper floor of a multi-story building, with lower levels occupied by retail space or the meeting rooms of fraternal associations.