The Victoria Theatre is a historic 1,154-seat performing arts venue located in downtown Dayton, Ohio . The Victoria hosts a variety of events including theatre, music, dance, film, and comedy.
45-698: The Victoria, one of the oldest continually operated theaters on the continent, was opened to the public as the Turner Opera House on New Year's Day, 1866. The first performance was the James Sheridan Knowles play Virginius , starring Edwin Forrest – the play was strongly associated with the famous actor. According to press clippings of that era, the theater was referred to as "the best theater west of Philadelphia". The theater's presence in Dayton even inspired
90-655: A boat" by sighting stellar references according to ancient Greek navigation . Tharp has received two Emmy Awards, 19 honorary doctorates, the Vietnam Veterans of America President's Award, the 2004 National Medal of the Arts , and numerous grants, including a MacArthur Fellowship . She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences , the American Philosophical Society , and an Honorary Member of
135-499: A degree in art history in 1963. In New York City , she studied with Richard Thomas , Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham . In 1963, Tharp joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company . In 1965, Tharp choreographed her first dance, Tank Dive , and formed her own company, Twyla Tharp Dance. Her work often utilizes classical music, jazz, and contemporary pop music. From 1971 to 1988, Twyla Tharp Dance toured extensively around
180-521: A flourishing school, he continued to write for the stage. His first important success was Caius Gracchus , produced at the Belfast Theatre in 1815; and his Virginius , written for William Charles Macready , was first performed in 1820 at Covent Garden. In William Tell (1825), Knowles wrote for Macready one of his favourite parts. His best-known play, The Hunchback , was produced at Covent Garden in 1832, and Knowles won praise acting in
225-446: A full slate of entertainment offerings for 2022. James Sheridan Knowles James Sheridan Knowles (12 May 1784 – 30 November 1862) was an Irish dramatist and actor . A relative of Richard Brinsley Sheridan , Knowles enjoyed success writing plays for the leading West End theatres . Later in his career he also produced several novels. Knowles was born in Cork . His father was
270-621: A new show, The Times They Are a-Changin' , to the music of Bob Dylan in 2005 at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. The Times They are A-Changin' set the records for the highest-grossing show and highest ticket sales as of the date of closing (March 2006). It was also the first show to receive a second extension before the first preview. After its run in California, the New York show ran for 35 previews and 28 performances. In 2009, Tharp worked with
315-452: A week. Tharp's mother insisted she take lessons in dance, various musical instruments, shorthand, German and French. In 1950, Tharp's family—younger sister Twanette, twin brothers Stanley and Stanford, and her parents—moved to Rialto, California . William and Lecile operated Tharp Motors and Tharp Autos in Rialto. They opened a drive-in movie theater , where Tharp worked. The drive-in was on
360-505: A work with music by R&B artist Allen Toussaint and sets and costumes by longtime collaborator Santo Loquasto . A number of prominent fashion designers have designed costumes for Tharp, including Oscar de la Renta , Calvin Klein , and Norma Kamali . In 1980, Tharp's work first appeared on Broadway with Twyla Tharp Dance performing When We Were Very Young , followed in 1981 by The Catherine Wheel , her collaboration with David Byrne at
405-469: Is about cybernetics , especially in the several Greek-themed creative exercises, such as the Coin Drop; the Coin Drop, as an exercise in extracting ordered meaning from chaos, is derived from the astrological muse Urania , in that random coins falling onto a flat surface can be used to develop pattern analysis skills. The astrological theme is an etymological underpinning of cybernetics' tradition of "guiding
450-547: Is an umbrella name covering all four venues, The Victoria Theatre, The Schuster Performing Arts Center , Loft Theatre, and the PNC Arts Annex, and also includes Ticket Center Stage. Its tagline is "Bringing you the best theatre and event experiences in the Dayton Region, Your Home for Arts, Culture & Entertainment". "Dayton Live evokes the energy of live events while boldly declaring that our thriving downtown community
495-568: Is the region's home for the arts, culture, and entertainment," said Ty Sutton, president, and CEO. With new branding just weeks before COVID-19 shut down venues nationwide, Dayton Live managed to keep operations afloat while laying off hundreds of personnel. In 2021 while awaiting the Small Business Administration Shuttered Venue Operator Grant, Sutton says on April 26, 2021, Dayton Live was finally able to submit its application, nearly four months after
SECTION 10
#1732859263069540-629: The American Academy of Arts and Letters . At the 1982 Barnard College commencement ceremonies, Tharp's alma mater awarded her its highest honor, the Barnard Medal of Distinction . She received the Tony Award for Best Choreography and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography for Movin' Out . She received a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Choreography for Singin' in the Rain . Tharp
585-648: The Tower Hamlets militia, leaving the service to become a pupil of Dr Robert Willan (1757–1812). He obtained the degree of M.D., and was appointed vaccinator to the Jennerian Society . Although Dr Willan offered him a share in his practice, Knowles decided to give up medicine for the stage, making his first appearance as an actor probably at Bath, and played Hamlet at Crow Street Theatre , Dublin. At Wexford he married, in October 1809, Maria Charteris, an actress from
630-981: The Victoria Theatre Association ) is the non-profit arts organization that owns and operates the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, Victoria Theatre, the PNC Arts Annex (opened in 2018), and the Metropolitan Arts Center (home of The Loft Theatre) for the benefit of the community and the arts organizations that use them. They also own and operate Starbucks at the Schuster and The Arts Garage. Dayton Live presents over 300 performances for all ages each year, including touring Broadway, stand-up comedy, concerts, films, and family shows, as well as educational programs. Independent not-for-profit arts organizations that call Dayton Live venues home include
675-908: The Winter Garden . Wheel was broadcast on PBS and its soundtrack released on LP. Her dance piece Fait Accompli was set to music by David Van Tieghem as released on the These Things Happen LP (1984). In 1985, her staging of Singin' in the Rain played at the Gershwin for 367 performances. Tharp premiered her dance musical Movin' Out , set to the music and lyrics of Billy Joel , in Chicago in 2001. The show opened on Broadway in 2002. Movin' Out ran for 1,331 performances on Broadway. A national tour opened in January 2004. It received 10 Tony nominations and Tharp won Best Choreographer. Tharp opened
720-545: The "Victoria Opera House", and in 1903, it became the Victoria Theatre, two years after the death of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Damage again befell The Victoria during the catastrophic Great Dayton Flood of 1913 which severely damaged the Dayton region along with the ground floor of the theater. The theater's interior was rebuilt and remodeled. But on January 16, 1918, fire struck again and gutted portions of
765-460: The 1970s, the theater was operated as "The Victory Theater". It staged legitimate theatrical shows, rock concerts and movies. The theatre was also home to the nationally known Dayton Ballet Company. A mainstay through the period was its screening of "Midnight Movies", offered by a local independent producer, on Friday and Saturday nights that drew a, largely, teen audience for films with counter-cultural themes. During revitalization efforts in
810-695: The Associations larger Broadway productions as well as large acts. The Dayton Philharmonic, the Dayton Opera, and the Dayton Ballet also rent the building for their performances. These two venues along with the Metropolitan Arts Center , which is a renovated former department store building next to the Victoria Theatre, are able to hold a variety of performances of any size and is the heart of the performing arts district in Downtown Dayton. Dayton Live (formerly
855-579: The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton Dance Initiative, Dayton Performing Arts Association (Dayton Ballet, Dayton Opera, Dayton Philharmonic), Muse Machine , and The Human Race Theatre Association. The Victoria Theatre Association and Ticket Center Stage unveiled its new name, Dayton Live , at an open house event on March 10, 2020, at the Schuster Center. The organization also debuted its new website, DaytonLive.org. Dayton Live
900-599: The Edinburgh Theatre. In 1810 he wrote Leo , a successful play in which Edmund Kean appeared; another play, Brian Boroihme , written for the Belfast Theatre in the next year, attracted crowds; nevertheless, Knowles's earnings were so small that he was obliged to become assistant to his father at the Belfast Academical Institution . In 1817 he moved from Belfast to Glasgow , where, besides keeping
945-535: The Victory Theatre was outfitted for talking pictures, in its effort to continue as a full-service cinema house. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was the home of pictures from Walt Disney's company, as well as other studios' family fare. By the late 1960s, Dayton's changing business patterns Downtown and the proliferation of freeways and suburban shopping malls threatened the Victory Theater's existence, and in 1975 it
SECTION 20
#1732859263069990-522: The Victory as a try-out venue for various productions before taking the material to the East Coast. A popular vintage film series drew patrons during the summertime and featured pipe organ house music and silent film accompaniment, thanks to the acquisition of an NCR-donated Estey pipe organ. The 1989 the theatre was closed due to the extensive renovation. It involved razing the interior commercial space within
1035-400: The Victory, which was renovated and installed by aficionados. In 1986, Virginia Kettering donated $ 7 million to fund a downtown arts center, conditioning her donation on the requirement that the center include the Victory Theater and be located within the same one-block area. All the while, it continued to be visited extensively by traveling theater companies. Choreographer Twyla Tharp used
1080-563: The building. Reconstruction was delayed due to material shortages during World War I. Thus, after Armistice, The Victoria saw extensive interior remodeling and in 1919 re-opened as "The Victory Theatre" – a name commemorating the victorious American war effort. For decades, the theater was a major national embarkation point for traveling theater and stock companies. This included performances by Al Jolson, The Marx Brothers, Helen Hayes, Fannie Brice, George M. Cohan, Lynn Fontayne, Gertrude Lawrence, Alfred Lunt, Harry Houdini, and many others. In 1930,
1125-625: The company. In 2012, Tharp created the full-length ballet The Princess and the Goblin , based on George MacDonald 's story The Princess and the Goblin . It is her first ballet to include children, and was co-commissioned by Atlanta Ballet and Royal Winnipeg Ballet and performed by both companies. Tharp was the first Artist in Residency (A.I.R.) at Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle . During this time she created and premiered Waiting At The Station ,
1170-624: The corner of Acacia and Foothill, Rialto's major east–west artery and the path of Route 66 . She attended Pacific High School in San Bernardino , studied at the Vera Lynn School of Dance, and studied ballet with Beatrice Collenette . A "devoted bookworm", Tharp has said her schedule left little time for a social life. She attended Pomona College , but transferred to Barnard College after being caught making out with her boyfriend and threatened with expulsion. She graduated from Barnard with
1215-407: The dance roadshow Cutting Up (1992) with Baryshnikov, which went on to tour and appeared in 28 cities over two months. In 2000, Twyla Tharp Dance regrouped with entirely new dancers. This company also performed around the world, and with it Tharp developed the material that became Movin' Out , an award-winning Broadway musical featuring the songs of Billy Joel and starring many of the dancers in
1260-505: The day, the theatre had a network of access tunnels stretching out beneath the city's streets for several blocks. It was said that, during Vaudeville times, the tunnels allowed circus animals to be unloaded from railroad cars blocks away from the theatre, and held underground until showtime. As late as 1979, much of the tunnel network was accessible to employees, although some sections were blocked off by city steam pipes. The stage also bore remnants of its original gas footlights . Throughout
1305-457: The forward, Main Street-facing section of the building as well as the stage house, while carefully preserving and restoring the 1866–71 facade and the 1919 auditorium. At the same time, the interior auditorium portion of the structure was completely renovated. All of the commercial space at street level was reclaimed for a grand, new lobby. The result was an extensively-new Victoria Theatre (as it
1350-930: The inaugural episode of the PBS program Dance in America ; co-producing and directing Making Television Dance (1977), which won the Chicago International Film Festival Award ; and directing The Catherine Wheel (1983) for BBC Television . Tharp co-directed the award-winning television special "Baryshnikov by Tharp" in 1984. Tharp has written four books: an early autobiography, Push Comes to Shove (1992; Bantam Books); The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life (2003, Simon & Schuster), translated into Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Thai and Japanese; The Collaborative Habit (2009, Simon & Schuster), translated into Thai, Chinese and Korean; and Keep It Moving (2019). She has said that The Creative Habit
1395-617: The late 1970s, the stage manager, Gary Kuzkin, overhauled much of the stage's technical capabilities. Crews from the Stagehands Union (IATSE) local restored much of the theatre's ancient hemp-and-sandbag fly galley, replacing several hundred thousand feet of rope—along with miles of electrical wiring. In 1978, the theatre was greatly benefited by the donation of a cache of equipment and stage draperies from National Cash Register 's (NCR) auditorium, which had been slated for demolition. NCR also donated its historic five-rank Estay pipe organ to
Victoria Theatre (Dayton, Ohio) - Misplaced Pages Continue
1440-507: The legislation was passed. But since then, venue owners are struggling to get the money partly due to rigorous fraud checks between the SBA and IRS . “They’re worried about fraud at the expense of giving the money back to the people that rightly deserve it,” Sutton said. “We have to let legislators know they have to do this and they have to do it quickly.” [1] As the pandemic has waned, operations have been building back up to full capacity with
1485-472: The lexicographer James Knowles , cousin of Richard Brinsley Sheridan . The family moved to London in 1793, and at the age of fourteen Knowles published a ballad entitled The Welsh Harper , which, set to music, was very popular. His talents secured him the friendship of William Hazlitt , who introduced him to Charles Lamb and Samuel Taylor Coleridge . He served for some time in the Wiltshire and afterwards in
1530-477: The orchestra, and 519 in the balcony. The proscenium measures 37'7" wide by 29'0" high by 39'3" deep. A full-sized orchestra pit lies just below the stage lip. Ten dressing rooms, accommodating up to 18 people, are off-stage left, in the basement and at stage level. In 2003, the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center , under the operation of The Victoria Theatre Association, opened as another venue to house
1575-537: The publishing of a musical march by Edward Spoth named after the opera house. Arson was suspected of having caused an all-consuming fire May 16, 1869, which destroyed the theater at a loss of $ 500,000, of which insurance covered only $ 128,000. In 1871, the edifice was re-opened – its rebuilding based, in part, on a portion of the surviving facade, although built to three stories instead of six. The opera house resumed operations as "The Music Hall". It in 1885 it became "The Grand Opera House". On September 18, 1899, it became
1620-580: The pulpit, and as a Baptist preacher attracted large audiences at Exeter Hall and elsewhere. He published two polemical works: the Rock of Rome and the Idol Demolished by Its Own Priests in both of which he combated the special doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church . Knowles was for some years in the receipt of an annual pension of £200, bestowed by Sir Robert Peel in 1849. In old age he befriended
1665-985: The songs of Frank Sinatra to mount Come Fly with Me , which ran at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta and was the best-selling four-week run as of the date of closing in 2009. Renamed Come Fly Away , the show opened on Broadway in 2010 at the Marquis Theatre and ran for 26 previews and 188 performances. Come Fly Away, was retooled and opened under the title Sinatra: Dance with Me at The Wynn Las Vegas in 2011. Come Fly Away National Tour opened in Atlanta in August 2011. Tharp collaborated with film directors Miloš Forman on Hair (1978), Ragtime (1980) and Amadeus (1983); Taylor Hackford on White Nights (1985); and James Brooks on I'll Do Anything (1994). Television credits include choreographing Sue's Leg (1976) for
1710-400: The work as Master Walter. The Wife was brought out at the same theatre in 1833; The Daughter better known as The Wrecker's Daughter, in 1836, and The Love Chase in 1837. His 1839 play Love was praised by Mary Shelley for its "inspiring situations founded on sentiment and passion". His second wife was the actress Emma Knowles . In his later years he forsook the stage for
1755-874: The world, performing original works. In 1973, Tharp choreographed Deuce Coupe to the music of The Beach Boys for the Joffrey Ballet . Deuce Coupe is considered the first crossover ballet. Later she choreographed Push Comes to Shove (1976), which featured Mikhail Baryshnikov and is now thought to be the best example of crossover ballet. In 1988, Twyla Tharp Dance merged with American Ballet Theatre , since which time ABT has premiered 16 of Tharp's works. In 2010 it had 20 of her works in its repertory. Tharp has since choreographed dances for Paris Opera Ballet , The Royal Ballet , New York City Ballet , Boston Ballet , Joffrey Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet , Miami City Ballet , American Ballet Theatre , Hubbard Street Dance and Martha Graham Dance Company . She also created
1800-411: The world, performing original works. In 1973 Tharp choreographed Deuce Coupe to the music of The Beach Boys for the Joffrey Ballet . Deuce Coupe is considered the first "crossover ballet", a mix of ballet and modern dance. Later she choreographed Push Comes to Shove (1976), which featured Mikhail Baryshnikov and is now thought to be the best example of crossover ballet. On May 24, 2018, Tharp
1845-609: The young Edmund Gosse , whom he introduced to Shakespeare. Knowles makes a happy appearance in Gosse's Father and Son . He died at Torquay on 30 November 1862. He is buried under a huge tomb at the summit of the Glasgow Necropolis . A full list of the works of Knowles and of the various notices of him will be found in The Life of James Sheridan Knowles (1872), privately printed by his son, Richard Brinsley Knowles (1820–1882), who
Victoria Theatre (Dayton, Ohio) - Misplaced Pages Continue
1890-533: Was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts degree by Harvard University . Tharp was born in 1941 on a farm in Portland, Indiana , the daughter of William Tharp and Lecile (Confer) Tharp. She was named for Twila Thornburg, the "Pig Princess" of the 89th Annual Muncie Fair. As a child, Tharp spent a few months each year living with her Quaker grandparents on their farm in Indiana . She would attend Quaker services three times
1935-434: Was now so renamed) designed expressly for the performing arts. The auditorium retained its original appearance with completely restored plaster work, drapery, marble work, gilding, and fresco detailing. Additionally, the house received state-of-the-art upgrading to its wiring, lighting, and sound systems and now accommodated infrared sound transmitters for headphone use. The current theater accommodates 1,154, with 635 seats in
1980-486: Was slated for demolition, in favor of a proposed parking lot. A public outcry for the theater's preservation that year helped to earn the building its listing in the National Register of Historic Places and, thus, it escaped demolition. However, portions of the building were in poor or fading condition. A group of young volunteers raised funds and did the early renovation work themselves to prevent demolition. Back in
2025-586: Was well known as a journalist. It was translated into German. Twyla Tharp Twyla Tharp ( / ˈ t w aɪ l ə ˈ θ ɑːr p / ; born July 1, 1941) is an American dancer, choreographer, and author who lives and works in New York City. In 1965 she formed the company Twyla Tharp Dance, which merged with American Ballet Theatre in 1988. She regrouped the company in 1991. Her work often uses classical music, jazz, and contemporary pop music. From 1971 to 1988, Twyla Tharp Dance toured extensively around
#68931