For the next month or so, we'll be visiting the websites of major regional theatres. This week:
The original Goodspeed Opera House facilities have survived a varied past. The Opera House itself was built in 1876 by shipping magnate William Goodspeed. Later it was pressed into duty as militia base, general store, and storage facilities for the Connecticut Highway Department. The Goodspeed Opera House Foundation was created to restore and oversee the theatre and in 1959 restoration was begun with a first new production opening in 1963. In addition, in 1982 Susan Bates, Inc. donated their old factory in Chester, CT to the Foundation. Two years later this new building opened as Goodspeed-at-Chester/The Norma Terris Theatre, "dedicated... to the development of new musicals."
Goodspeed has been the recipient of two special Tony Awards (1980 and 1995), and has seen a number of its production move on, including The Most Happy Fella, Take Me Along, Harrigan 'n Hart, Something's Afoot, Annie, Shenandoah and Man of La Mancha.
The 1999 season includes On the Twentieth Century, No, No, Nanette, and Glimmerglass. (Goodspeed-at-Chester's season has yet to be announced.)
The site is comparatively huge in relation to many regional theatres and maintained admirably by Kate Pacowta. A consistent navigation frame, located at the bottom of the window makes the site easy to traverse.
Although there is really nothing to let you know that there is a link hiding within, a button in the upper portion of the home page labelled New will get you to a listing of recent changes to the site as well as some recent press releases.
Goodspeed does not yet allow on-line purchasing of tickets, but on its Box Office page you will find basic seating charts, audience services, driving directions, and the Box Office phone number.
The Production Departments pages provide listing of staff, detailed specifications of the theatres and shops, addresses and phone numbers, and a listing of open positions in the departments. There's also a "Making of Finian's Rainbow" section, affording a glimpse backstage into the building of the physical elements of the show.
Managed by librarian Lisa Viall (with an advisory board of musical theatre luminaries), The Goodspeed Library of Musical Theatre (see the link entitled "Library") is known as one of the most extensive research facilities devoted to musical theatre. They maintain a massive collection of recordings, printed music, books, libretti, video cassettes, programs, photographs, and memorabilia -- much of it donated by theatre professionals and collectors.
A Past Productions page (use the "Musicals" button) includes a chronological (backwards) listing of Goodspeed's shows, with links to pages of additional information for each show. The actual format for each of these additional pages is identical, with sections on Authors, Description, production dates. You can also view the original poster art for many of the shows. A final section entitled "More!" may include links to other pages containing photos, program notes, review excerpts, but usually contains at least "Who's Who?" In many instances this is a link to a detailed listing of the cast and creative team, but in a number of occurrences, although the "Who's Who?" text is there, there is no link. (Perhaps an indication of things to come?)
There are also sections for Education (outreach and rush tickets), Membership, and an obligatory Links page.
You may not know it, but the Goodspeed Opera House Foundation is the publisher of Show Music magazine. There's a separate site devoted to the magazine, with details about the current issue as well as issues past. (For back issue information, click on the cryptically labelled "Features" link.) They don't publish the contents of back issues online, but you'll find very detailed listings of what can be found in each issue.
Originally published at Suite101.com Theatre, 3/30/99
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