NM Center for History Unveils New Opera Curtain

On Wednesday, June 13, the North Manchester Center for History will unveil a new opera house curtain that it commissioned to celebrate its restoration of a rare 1910 curtain from the former North Manchester Opera House.  A reception honoring local businesses which are featured on the new curtain will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Center for History in the former Oppenheim’s Department Store, 122 E. Main Street.  Other honorees are the student artists from Manchester High School who created the new curtain under the direction of Debra Kern, MHS art teacher. 

Guests will also be able to view the restored 1910 opera curtain, which is now on display at the Center for History.  “The restoration is fantastic,” said Mary Chrastil, NM Historical Society President.  “If you look at the ‘before’ pictures we took, you will be amazed to see what our Indianapolis conservator did.” 

When inviting businesses to be featured on the new curtain, Chrastil reminded them that this contemporary curtain will serve as an historical record of the enterprises that are active in North Manchester today, just as the restored curtain documents the businesses of 100 years ago.  “One hundred years from now, people will remember these businesses and what they added to our community,” she continued.  The new curtain will be displayed next to the restored curtain for many years to come, and will become a permanent part of the Center for History collection. 

The new curtain will also be featured in another project celebrating “The Year of the Opera Curtain” at the Center for History.  On Father’s Day, Sunday, June 17, at 7:00 p.m., the FireHouse Theater will present the FireHouse Follies, a revue loosely based on programs that had once appeared at the old Opera House.  There will be a 5-minute melodrama, recitations, musical acts, and even a dog act (live blood hounds were often used in productions of the popular Uncle Tom’s Cabin plays in the 19^th century).  Tickets are available starting June 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at the Center for History.  Presale tickets are recommended for this one-time-only performance.

Major sponsors for the opera curtain restoration project are Beacon Credit Union, Manchester University, Poet Biorefining and Shepherd’s Chevrolet.  Additional contributors are J. P. and Michelle Freeman and the Community Foundation of Wabash County.  Other businesses and organizations featured are the Fine Arts Club, Harting Furniture, McKee Mortuary, Peabody Retirement Community, Riverbridge Electric, and Timbercrest Retirement Community, as well as Creative Stitch Quilt Shop, the Firehouse Theater, First Financial Bank, Kenapocomocha Coffee House, the Main View Restaurant, Manchester Early Learning Center, NewMarket, and One World Gifts.

The reception and “unveiling” are open to the public.  All are welcome. 

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Manchester High School art students Katie Durden, Hannah Lochner and Tawni Kincaid work on details of the 14 foot by 14 foot contemporary opera curtain commissioned by the North Manchester Center for History.  The new curtain will be unveiled on June 13, and hung next to the recently restored rare 1910 opera curtain owned by the Center for History.

Manchester High School art teacher Debra Kern instructs students Hannah Lochner and Katie Durden on how to create business logos for the 14 foot by 14 foot contemporary opera curtain commissioned by the North Manchester Center for History.  The new curtain will be unveiled on June 13, and hung next to the recently restored rare 1910 opera curtain owned by the Center for History.