The Fuller Opera House

The Fuller Opera House. . , This building was originally constructed to serve the Baptist congregation in DuBois, with first services held in December 1894. In 1895, Mr. Sidney Fuller converted it to an opera house which had excellent acoustics and seated 800 with half the seating being opera chairs. The top gallery was known as "peanut heaven" and often seated kids who received free passes for helping to set up the shows. The 30'-50' stage was lit by electric footlights with additional illumination from the wings. The facility had five dressing rooms for traveling companies as well as its own six-piece orchestra. It was managed by Mr. A. P. Way, who later built the Avenue Theater., Traveling theater troupes and musicians would arrive at the B. R. and P. Railroad Station and parade up West Long Avenue to the Fuller Opera House. Companies would often stay for two or three days, performing plays and musicals like the works of abolitionist Stephen Foster. John Philip Sousa and his marching band performed here., In 1906 the building returned to its original use as the First Baptist Church. It was sold in 1972 to the congregation of Bethany Covenant Church who moved here from Quarry Avenue. Bethany's congregation was begun in 1898 as the Swedish Congregational Mission Church, with services conducted in Swedish until 1927.