Music Hall Offers Historic Tours

Get an inside look at the Music Hall during a historic tour on Wednesday night.

The tour starts at 5:30 p.m., and will take you behind the scenes of the landmark Victorian theater.

The tour runs about 75 minutes, and includes a visit to the backstage area where 1901 Vaudeville era "technology" is still in use, the antique front of house dating to 1878, and the lobby, which was renovated in 2008.

The tour is arranged and guided by Music Hall historian Zhana Morris, and includes stories of the sailors who helped rig the theater, and its flashy and famous owners. You'll also learn about some of the big names that have appeared there over the years, from Mark Twain to David Crosby.

Visitors will see the passage of time through the building's award-winning restorations and renovations, which have brought back details dating back to 1878 and 1901, the hall's periods of architectural significance.

"The artists who come here today are amazed, first, at how beautiful the theater is and, second, how we operate simultaneously in the old world and the new world in terms of technology and architecture," Morris said. "Our guest book is full of quotes worthy of framing, from my perspective. All of them encourage us to keep up with our work restoring the theater."

If you can't make Wednesday's tour, there will also be tours on Aug. 10 and 24, and Sept. 7 and 21. Tickets are $7.50 ($5 for members), and can be purchased on the day of the tour at the theater's box office at 28 Chestnut St., or in advance at www.themusichall.org or by calling 603-436-2400.