On the Grid : Hangar Theatre

"In 1912, when Ithaca was a budding Hollywood, before the film industry discovered the wonders of year round summer in southern California, it built a municipal airport down in the marshy flats by the lake. The Hangar Theatre gets its name from the building acquired in 1975, almost 30 years after the airport moved to its current location, a building with a leaky roof and seats upcycled from Ithaca College's old theater. The night of the very first performance it rained, soaking the actors and equipment and halting the performance. Despite this inauspicious beginning, the Hangar has thrived, providing years of excellent theatre for the local populace and adding an educational component for area students. The summer Kidstuff series is phenomenal. A major fundraising drive in 2010 financed a much needed renovation and the theater is now used for musical and speaking events as well. The lobby has a great series of photos of the original airport, make sure to take a look if you're there for a show." - St. John Design Group