Price has served as Executive Director of the Goodspeed Opera House since 1968. Finally, a group of dedicated conservationists prevailed and restored it to its present status. Later, as a storage depot for the State of Connecticut Highway Department, the building teetered on the brink of collapse. Although the building initially debuted as a theater, after Goodspeed’s death it served as a militia base during World War I. It was built in 1876 by banking and shipping tycoon William Goodspeed to provide a venue for his love of theater. The structure itself has played a variety of roles. Approaching Goodspeed by either car or boat, her fanciful façade is sure to impress – but, like a beautifully wrapped present, her gift lies inside. Beyond her intimate, local setting she has become an international icon in fulfilling her mission to present and preserve the American musical. She is the Goodspeed Opera House and, though physically diminutive, her presence and scope are widespread. She was rededicated in 1963 with the opening of a new musical – coincidentally named Oh Lady! Lady! ”Ĭonnecticut’s noble grande dame was almost destroyed in the mid-twentieth century but a group of dedicated preservationists rescued this damsel in distress. Bedecked in white gingerbread skirts and over one hundred years old, she wears her age well. “The eminent Victorian lady presides over her domain on the banks of the Connecticut River in East Haddam. Productions for Goodspeed musicals have entertained New England guests since 1968.By: Barbara Malinsky/ photos by Caryn B. Today, the Goodspeed Opera House proudly stands along the riverbank and once again offers live entertainment.
The long, arduous task began with the building's exterior in 1963. They went on to raise funds for its preservation and assist in the building's refurbishment. Slated to be razed, a group of caring individuals stepped in to save the structure. Goodspeed's vintage opera house hit rock bottom when the state moved in snowplows and used the fancy six story building for storage. With Goodspeed's death, just five years later, opera house productions soon faded. Attempts to elevate the class of his neighborhood included construction of an opera house in 1877. William Goodspeed operated a banking and shipping business along the Connecticut River in East Haddam during the late 19th century.
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