Sumter Opera House

🎵 Who saw the Steep Canyon Rangers when they performed on our stage during our 2015-2016 Season?!

If you've seen these folks perform, you know the magnetism they bring. Their latest album "Next Act" is receiving rave reviews and we enjoyed their recent two-night run at BirdFest.

Y'all, let us know. Should we try to bring back the Rangers once we've reopened?!

📷 Photo by The Sumter Item

A different kind of ! 🚧 This photo was taken during some of the original construction of our building over 130 years ago! You can even see that the roofline and clocktower were not yet complete.

🚧 You're looking at our new roofline that will connect the main building of the Sumter Opera House to the Annex. This photo was taken from the east side of our building facing the back parking lot.

Our recent Volunteer Appreciation Party was a little different! 👀 Y'all know we couldn't do what we do without our incredible ushers, so we thought it was fitting to give them a tour of the building, hard hats and all. 🚧

To our ushers, you are the face of the Sumter Opera House! Thank you for your dedication over the years. We're grateful to have you as we turn the page to this new chapter.

Interested in volunteering with us once we re-open? Sign up for updates at sumteroperahouse.com/contact-us for notifications of our next round of volunteer training!

Don't forget to take our survey! 📣

We're preparing for our grand reopening and want to hear from the people who will enjoy the venue in the years ahead, including residents who may not be familiar with the Opera House!

We are launching a brief community survey and invite all Sumter residents to participate. The survey takes five minutes to complete! Your feedback on entertainment preferences, advertising, and how the Sumter Opera House connects with the community will help us better serve residents.

The survey will remain open through July 10, 2026.

Take the survey here:

https://bit.ly/4dOrpBg

We're bringing back our series, where we highlight all things local! 📣 There are so many champions across our city who work to enhance the place we call home.

Today, we're giving a shoutout to the City of Sumter, South Carolina themselves for the curation of one of our favorite summer events–Fourth Fridays!

Mark your calendars for this year's series and we'll see you on Main Street:

June 26: Cody Webb
July 24: Honey & New Era
August 28: Level 10 Live Band & Show
September 25: Sole Purpose

Learn more at sumtersc.gov/downtown-sumter/fourth-fridays-concert-series 🎵

🚧 There are a lot of major updates happening around the Opera House! We've gone from framing, to insulation, to sheet rock going up in various sections of our renovation. Big things are happening and we remain on track for our 2027 grand re-opening!

It is with deep gratitude that we congratulate our dear friend and team member, Kara Grover, on her next chapter in life as she moves to Las Vegas, Nevada. We will miss her terribly, but we know the Sumter Opera House will always be “home” for her.

Kara joined us as our Theater Services Coordinator in 2023, and our mission has advanced significantly due to her many contributions. We are indebted to her many creative ideas, effervescent passion, ingenuity and resourcefulness, and true commitment to the arts.

It is specifically under her care that our Y.E.S Program broke records with underserved children reached in Sumter, Calhoun, and Lee counties. Kara played a pivotal role in launching our Acoustic Café series as we transitioned to a dormant season on our main stage during construction. Two of our Acoustic Café programs featured her own graceful talents as a coloratura soprano during “Celebrating Women Composers” and “The Golden Age of Christmas.” (If you made it to those shows, you know what an incredible performer she is in addition to being an administrator of the arts.)

Kara’s role expanded into many forms of outreach, from making her wildly successful mark on our eSTEAM Festival booth and deepening our connections with local businesses, venue rentals, and other external partners, to helping lead our ushers with care and authenticity through the many changes we’ve seen over these past few years. Kara was an early champion for our venue’s revitalization needs and has played an integral role in helping these construction plans come to life.

Kara, there aren’t enough words to describe how impactful you have been for our team. Although we will miss you, we are so excited for your next chapter in life with your incredible family. You’ve always got a place here with us and we’ll be cheering you on wherever you go!

Congrats, Kara! 🎉

Now, here's an oldie! Can anyone spot the clock tower in this historic photo of downtown Sumter?!