Memorial Opera House Wins Awards

The Memorial Opera House has been voted "Best Performing Arts Center" in Northwest Indiana by the readers of NWI Business Quarterly and "Cultural Attraction of the Year" by the Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission.

The Indianapolis-based magazine, will feature the Best of Northwest Indiana Business in their spring issue with the historic Memorial Opera House named as "Best Performing Arts Center".

At the May 14th R.O.S.E. (Recognition of Service Excellence) Award ceremony held at Aberdeen Manor, the Memorial Opera House received its award for "Cultural Attraction of the Year". 

"We're very excited and honored with this title!  The Opera House truly is a gem in Northwest Indiana and we work hard to keep it in the mainstream.  Culturally speaking, many great things are happening!" says Brian Schafer, Facility Director and Executive Producer of the Memorial Opera House.

Celebrating its 115th Anniversary, The Memorial Opera House located in downtown Valparaiso, has hosted many nationally recognized personalities on its stage. The "March King" John Philip Sousa, led a concert at the Opera House in February 1898.  During vaudeville, the famous Marx Brothers performed here for two days in January of 1919.  Valparaiso native Beulah Bondi, the woman who portrayed Jimmy Stewart's mother in the movies Mr. Smith Goes To Washington and It's A Wonderful Life got her start in theatre on the stage of the Memorial Opera House in a production of Little Lord Fauntelroy. There was also the "Sensational Salisbury's" a family of musical entertainers that billed themselves as "the world's most famous musical family". The Salisbury Family was composed of ten accomplished musicians, consisting of father and mother, four daughters and four sons, an American Von Trapp family that appeared for many years on the Memorial Opera House stage.  Other notable stops were given by President Teddy Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge.

The Memorial Opera House currently produces 6 major musicals, a children's theatre program and workshops throughout the year in addition to numerous special concert and events and hosts, weddings, graduations and community tours.

To find out more about the Memorial Opera House you can visit their website at: www.mohlive.com . The Memorial Opera House is located at 104 Indiana Avenue, Valparaiso, IN. Box office hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.