Matthews Opera House and Arts Center

A beating heart of color, culture and creativity for over 110 years

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Matthews Opera House

605-642-7973 612 N. Main St., Downtown Spearfish matthewsopera.com OPEN YEAR-ROUND

The Matthews Opera House and Arts Center has been the center of all things artistic in Spearfish since it first opened its doors to the public in 1906. It remains the beating artistic heart of the city today.

Located on Main Street, all of its attributes and events provide a taste of the finest regional art the Black Hills has to offer. It has a unique window into the history of art in the west.

Today, The Matthews Opera House and Arts Center thrives by hosting regular live productions. The community theater program puts on many stage productions each year. This allows both amateurs and professionals to mix their talents into living pieces of theatrical work in Spearfish.

“The Matthews Opera House and Arts Center provides a wonderful opportunity for visitors. They can walk upstairs and imagine what it was like to see a show here 110 years ago,” said Darren Granaas, executive director of The Matthews. “Our stage looks almost exactly like it did in 1906. We are proud of how this community nurtures and sustains the opera house. We also love showing this special place to visitors who come through Spearfish. During regular business hours, our doors are open for tours, even if there isn’t a production going on.”

Thomas Matthews established The Matthews Opera House in 1906. His goal was to bring arts and culture to the West.

After The Matthews Opera house opened its doors, traveling theater companies from all over the world played at this unique venue. Many of the original laden doors and boards are now on display to memorialize its history.

As years passed, The Matthews Opera House and Arts Center went through many transformations. In the 1920s, it was known as “The Princess Theater,” when it was primarily a movie house. The silver screen fell in 1930 when the owner of the theater opened a new building down the street. Throughout the next 25 years, the opera house served time as everything from a practice basketball court to a shooting gallery.

RESTORATION

To say that the opera house fell into disrepair would be an understatement. Various restoration efforts were undertaken over the years. Some of them were more successful than others. It wasn’t until the 1980s that a serious restoration effort began. This was when the nonprofit Matthews Opera House Society was formed. The building owner, Mike Kelley, provided a rent-free 95-year lease. The first phase of the renovations ended in 1989 with final work completed in 2006. The completion of this historic masterpiece came 100 years after the building’s initial construction.

The Matthews Opera House and Arts Center is the only restored historic opera house in the Black Hills. Restoration work stayed as close to original as possible. Among the highlights of the building is the original proscenium – an intricate, detailed beauty glowing with history.

THE THEATER

The theater itself is unique in that the acoustics are the best around. This attracts actors and musicians from the community and around the country who enjoy taking the stage throughout the year. Cultural performances continue to grow in popularity at The Matthews, including film festivals, lectures, and educational events.

THE ART GALLERY

The first floor of The Matthews Opera House and Arts Center houses a fine art gallery. The gallery features the juried work of 40-50 regional artists. Many of these artists have national and international reputations. It is ever-changing as more and more emerging artists begin to display their work. “We promote visual artists at all stages in their development, from emerging to well established. As an arts center, we can provide new artists with a means to grow into their medium and further develop their style, all the while learning the business of art,” Granaas said.

For visitors who enjoy seeking out some of the best art in the Black Hills, The Matthews Arts Center is the place to visit. Artistic mediums include watercolor, oil and acrylic paintings, jewelry, photography, sculpture, and more. Dick Termes’ internationally recognized Termespheres hang throughout the space.

COMMUNITY

One of the greatest triumphs of The Matthews Opera House and Arts Center is the Festival in the Park, an outdoor celebration of art and culture occurring the third weekend in July. More than 200 artists have booths displaying everything from handmade jewelry, woodwork, paintings, photography, handcrafted clothes, and more.

“This is the largest summer event in Spearfish,” Granaas said. “We have up to 25,000 people that come to town just to attend this event. It’s an event we are very proud of.”

As a nonprofit entity, The Matthews Opera House and Arts Center survives with volunteers. They appreciate the generous contributions of individual businesses and community members. “We have an incredible amount of volunteers. This organization couldn’t function without them,” Granaas said. Whether its from helping organize a reception in the gallery, taking tickets at the opera house, or helping set up the Festival in the Park, Granaas said volunteers are the true reason The Matthews Opera House and Arts Center is a success.

The Arts Center, located at N. 612 Main St., is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday (Summer hours) and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday (Winter hours). n

AT THE MATTHEWS featuring

Alice in WonderlAnd

Directed by Joanna Mechaley LAST THREE WEEKS OF JULY, 2021

Photos courtesy Matthews Opera House

For dates, times & ticketing information, please visit MatthewsOpera.com

The Matthews Opera House invites you to the 43rd Annual FESTIVAL IN THE PARK

Over 200 art, craft and food booths fill Spearfish City Park July 16-18, 2021

Join thousands of locals and visitors for a festive stroll through Spearfish City Park, enjoying the sights and sounds of one of the largest and most popular artist events in the Black Hills. The annual Festival in the Park attracts more than 200 regional vendors offering items from art and jewelry, to food and furniture. Take in some live music at The Watering Hole, browse for unique art items and gifts, and enjoy a wide variety of food and beverage vendors.

For more information, call (605) 642-7973 or visit www.MatthewsOpera.com.

FRIDAY: 4 P.M.-8 P.M.

Matthews Opera House Fundraiser Night

$5 wristband required for entrance. They are available in advance or at entrances to the park. Live music from 4 p.m.-10 p.m. in The Watering Hole.

SATURDAY: 9 A.M.-7 P.M.

(Free to the public) Live music from 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. in The Watering Hole.

SUNDAY: 10 A.M.- 4 P.M.

(Free to the public) Live music from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. in The Watering Hole