The Mauch Chunk Opera House in Jim Thorpe has been undergoing some significant changes lately, with the two lobbies and gallery space adjacent to the seating area being completely remodeled. When the job is finished at the end of June, the two front rows of seating will also be moveable for shows where many like to stand.

Color and interior consultant Nancy Zeigler of Jim Thorpe was brought in to coordinate the changes. She chose warm paint colors and wallpaper materials to accomplish a nearly complete makeover, satisfying the need for a more comfortable space for relaxing and hanging out before and during shows.

Essentially unchanged since the early Eighties, these areas were in y dire need of change, though many other changes had to receive priority: a new roof, seating, carpet, backstage area, building electrical system, lighting, exterior painting, and so on. These have now been completed, and so the visual comfort and enjoyment of customers are being dealt with to provide greater enjoyment of the unique listening experiences the Opera House offers.

Laurie Holland has been supervising the painting and wallpapering. "I've lived in the area most of my life," she says. "This is probably the biggest single change, from the point of view of the customer, that I've ever seen here at the Opera House. It's so sumptuous!"

June heralds an ambitious schedule of performance at the Opera House, starting with a band tribute show, and then, eight shows later, concluding with The Cast of Beatlemania on June 30. More information is available at MauchChunkOperaHouse.com, or by calling the box office at 570-325-0249.

"This might not be quite as big an ongoing project as I handled at the Inn at Jim Thorpe," Zeigler observes. "But the changes are equally as profound, and the feel of the Opera House has completely changed."

Jim Thorpe is just 30 minutes from the Allentown/Bethlehem area and an easy one hour-and-fifteen-minute drive from Philly on the Northeast Extension. Even New York City is barely two hours away.

Now offering beer and wine, the Opera House was looking for a completely new way to redefine the experience of seeing a show there. The objective was to emphasize the relaxed feel of the place and indeed of the whole town of Jim Thorpe. The Opera House offers a Performance Card which entitles you to discounts at restaurants all over town, all within an easy walk of the theater.

So customers are encouraged to make a day of it in town and experience the changes for themselves!

Dan Hugos