The Grand Opera House opened in downtown Oshkosh on Aug. 9, 1883, with the C.D. Hess company’s production of “The Bohemian Girl.” It has been putting on shows ever since.

The Early Years

Local architect William Waters, who designed more than 100 buildings in Oshkosh, drew up the theater. Inside were a hand-painted drop curtain and wall and ceiling art by local artist J. Frank Waldo. Roman-style beams and columns framed the stage, and the auditorium was done in the Queen Anne style.

The official capacity was 921. Jump seats that folded out from the walls and seat ends brought the total to 1,224, according to The Grand’s history.

Sarah Bernhardt, John Philip Sousa, Harry Houdini, Harry Blackstone and Vincent Price all appeared on its stage. So did President William Howard Taft.

Movie House Years

W.G. Maxcy and W.D. Cummings bought the opera house in 1918. Maxcy’s widow, Isabel, sold the building, then called the Granada, to Sol Winoker for $40,000 in 1948. He renamed it the Civic Theater and turned it into a movie house.

New owners renamed it the Grand Theater in 1950. To make it look like a modern cinema, they moved the entrance to the corner of Market Street and High Avenue and cut nearly 8 feet off the stage apron.

As the building fell into disrepair, a citizens’ committee called Save the Grand got it listed on the state and national historic registers. It joined the National Register of Historic Places on Jan. 21, 1974.

Two Restorations

In 1980, two-thirds of Oshkosh voters said yes in a referendum asking whether the city should buy, restore and run the Grand. Work began Oct. 4, 1982. By the time crews were ready to rebuild, only the proscenium and balcony were left.

The restored theater reopened Oct. 3, 1986, with a new staging of “The Bohemian Girl.” The work took nearly four years and cost about $3.5 million.

The nonprofit Oshkosh Opera House Foundation took over management in November 1989 and leases the building from the city.

In 2009, engineers found flaws in the original 1883 roof trusses, and the city closed the theater on Feb. 27. The Common Council voted unanimously that August to pay for repairs, which cost just under $2 million. The work also added the Grand Lounge. Jeff Daniels headlined the reopening on Sept. 16, 2010.

What’s Next

In December 2024, the council approved a $10 million renovation and expansion, split evenly between the city and the Grand Oshkosh Foundation. The plan includes a two-story addition, a new entrance, new seats and renovated lobbies, lounges and restrooms. The council also extended The Grand’s lease to 2045.

The city’s share kicks in once the foundation raises its $5 million. Joseph Ferlo, president and CEO of The Grand Oshkosh, called it “a transformative project” and said work is unlikely to start before 2026.

The Grand Today

The theater seats 550 and hosts more than 100 performances a year. The Oshkosh Community Players, the Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra, area high schools and national touring acts all use the stage.

The Grand is at 100 High Ave. Tickets and the season schedule are on The Grand’s website, and the box office is at (920) 424-2350.