John K.
Yelp
This place is really a charming find! Thank goodness for the people who rescued it from demolition and then restored.
We stopped by on a Friday afternoon just to have a look and one of the awesome volunteers just offered to give us a free tour before the evening show. That same person (who remains anonymous because I don't want to cause any issues) showed us a hallway full of very famous and recognizable photographs of persons who appeared on stage here which include actors, writers and even US Presidents. That really surprised me because who would have thought they all came to little Columbus?
There is also a bar which is apparently open around 6 pm for a reception before the shows begin. We stopped by about 3:30pm and can honestly say you have to see the halls and auditorium in the daylight to appreciate the colorful ceilings and walls. There are also attractively adorned, period-correct reception areas, including the bar and even the grand staircase where many brides have posed for photos. For all of you ghost hunters, it is also rumored that many thespian spirits still strut the stage... and, why wouldn't they?!?
This place is recognized as Georgia's official opera house, but it apparently receives ZERO FUNDING from the state. As I understand it, primarily their earnings come from rent, admissions, donations and are all then leveraged by their wise money management folks.
One other neat feature is that the Columbus Town FireHouse was once housed in the building. You can still see the arched entry for the fire trucks on the corner near the ticket office door.
In short, when you're in Columbus you'll probably be downtown for drinks and food so take a short walk over to the Opera House for a step back in time and a break from the sun and street noise.