History with ‘Hud’: Marking 166 years since grand opening of Thalian Hall

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Saturday will make 166 years since one of the oldest theaters in the country opened its doors on Third Street in Wilmington. The grand opening for Thalian Hall was held on October 12, 1858, months before construction was even completed. While the venue has changed a bit over the decades, it remains the same in many ways.

Before the current theater stood on the grounds, a much smaller venue was located at the site. Innes Academy popped up more than five decades before the newer structure, but the story goes it was replaced following an embarrassing encounter with a famous showman in 1850.

P.T. Barnum was passing through with world-famous singer Jenny Lind when crows gathered at the train station. The mass asked Lind to perform at Innes Academy, which had existed for the previous five decades. But Barnum reportedly scoffed, saying, “My orchestra would fill a large part of that space”. So Barnum and Lind continued on to Charleston.

To avoid facing a similar situation in the future, city leaders decided to construct a larger theater on the grounds. The cornerstone for the building was laid on December 27, 1855.

The venue took around three years to build, hosting the first event of a recital by Mr. Frensleys Dancing School. It had a seating capacity of 1,500 people, able to house more than 10 percent of the city’s population, making it the largest theatrical venue south of Richmond, Virginia at the time.
The final pieces of scaffolding were removed six months after opening night, with the venue also housing the city’s government and library.

As the Civil War approached Wilmington turned away from amusements and focused more on the conflict to come. But Thalian Hall continued to play a central role in the life of the city hosting political meetings discussing the coming clash.

Wilmington continued to grow during the war. With money abundant and entertainment in demand the Hall stayed busy.

Within a week of the towns occupation by Union troops The Hall reopened. Production initially thrived but by 1867 both the town and the Hall were struggling.

But along came John T. Ford, whose namesake Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C. closed following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. He chanced the name to ‘The Opera House’.

Some of the artists who appeared in the Hall in the 19th and early 20th centuries were Buffalo Bill Cody and Frederick Douglas. In the 1890s an arctic play even featured reindeer sled dogs with three live bears and two St. Bernard dogs.

After the turn of the century, Thalian Hall went through several renovations. In 1909, the side balconies were removed, and the electric stage lights were installed. It was during this period the name was changed again, from the “Opera House” to the “Academy of Music”.

By end of the 1920s the great days of touring road shows were ending. There were several close calls with demolition in the 1930’s and 40’s, but the citizens of the community always rallied for its preservation.

Movement for its value has grown, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

Following a small fire in the auditorium in 1973, the theatre was restored to its turn of the century. After reopening in 1975, Thalian Hall witnessed a dramatic increase in use by professional artists and community groups, and audience attendance rose.

Since then there have been a few other renovations and changes, but the main theatre has never been gutted. The latest renovation was in 2010 when a magnificent chandelier was purchased and immediately stole the show in the theater.

Thalian Hall continues to welcome thousands of people each year as it hosts dozens of modern productions each year. But it maintains its classic feel as one of the oldest community buildings in the Port City.

Meteorologist Matthew Huddleston (‘Hud’) has always had two major loves – weather and history. While you can watch him talk about weather each morning on WWAY, he looks forward to bringing you a little piece of history each Thursday on WWAY’s website.

To read other History with ‘Hud’ segments, click HERE.