If these walls could talk… From Chris Chapin-Tilton Director of Development Written in 2002

If these walls could talk… The newness has barely worn off 2002, but for those of us at the Grand, our schedules are already well booked for the upcoming year.

For Rich Hall, the newly instated theater manager, the larger audience sizes and growing number of productions will continue to keep his life hectic. For office manager Sheri Eichhorn, her labor-of-love Grand cookbook project will soon be started.

As for me, I'll concentrate on Act II of the restoration, as well as the Grand's application for the National Register of Historic Places. From the illustration, you can see our upcoming Act II plans to create a lobby and foyer-area appropriate to the 1890s period of the building.

Another goal is to have the Grand listed on the National Register of Historic Places by year-end, which will not only aide us in the grant-seeking process but also help us better promote this cultural gem. The Grand is eligible for the national register distinction both architecturally, because it's a well-preserved early example of the Richardsonian Romansque style, and historically, because of the role the theater played as a regular venue for national traveling productions. Due to Dubuque's status as a railroad hub to major cities in the early 20th century, it was the only midwestern community of its size to attract prestigious "legitimate" theater productions. The Grand Opera House, boasting the largest stage in the community, provided an ideal venue for the likes of Sarah Bernhardt and Ethel Barrymore.

Adding to the Grand's significance is the fact that its1889 construction coincided with the start of a local commercial building boom. Traces of the Grand's design influence can be seen elsewhere in the community by taking a look at the Stout House, at 1105 Locust Street, or the former Dubuque Brewing and Malt Company (now H&W Motor Express Company) at 3000 Jackson Street.

Occasionally, while doing research for the nomination I've wished that these historic walls could talk and fill me in on some of the harder-to-find details. Surely, they'd have exciting yarns to spin about the early on-stage theatrics of both serious and not-so-serious nature, such as the re-creation of the great Chicago fire, the sinking of the Battleship Maine, or the early-1900s performances known as "humpty-dumpty" combinations. These were an unusual blend of vaudeville, burlesque, lectures and exhibitions.

Being theatrical in nature, I'm sure the Grand's walls would save the best stories to last… Al Jolson performing before a packed house…John Philip Sousa's U.S. Marine Band shaking the rafters…or an onstage chariot race featuring more than a few horses (on treadmills, among whispers in the orchestra pit "to play furiously and drown out treadmill racket.").

Needless to say, the Grand's role in the community has been as rich and varied as it has been long. Our current restoration project will reinforce the Grand's position as a cultural cornerstone of Dubuque, and we thank everyone who is helping us along the way. It is thanks to the financial support and talent of many that that the Grand's walls could continue to have glorious stories to tell future generations if only these walls could talk.

Special thanks to consultant Jim Jacobsen, Tom Goodman, Sr., Mike Gibson of the Center for Dubuque History, and student intern Jessica Murphy for their many hours of work in compiling the Grand's history for the nomination.

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The Grand Opera House will take an active role in the upcoming Cultural Advocacy Day, Thursday, Feb. 21, at the Iowa Legislature. The purpose of the day is to lobby for the maintenance of vital appropriations that are used for grants and other programs that support Iowa's cultural and historical resources.

We, at the Grand, benefit from a number of state grant programs, both through operating support and the restoration campaign. Two very recent grants will enable us to move forward with the lobby project.

As a friend of the Grand, we ask you to consider contacting lawmakers via letter or e-mail and let them know how important grant support is to our theater and the quality of life in our community. Without the following grants received in 2001, the Grand would not be nearly as successful.

*Alliant Energy Foundation
* Arts in Education/Iowa Arts Council
* Community Development Block Grant/City of Dubuque
* Dubuque Racing Association
* Historic Site Preservation Grant Program/State Historic Society of Iowa
* Iowa Community Cultural Grant/ Iowa Arts Council
* Operational Support Grant/Iowa Arts Council

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