About the 2009 Season Premier Marquee Event

On Thursday, October 1, 2009, the Academy of Music will host a special evening of food and entertainment to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year, to raise funds essential to keeping the theater vigorous and vibrant, and to give you an insider's peek at some of the season's coming performances (as well as a look at the design for the new marquee). We hope you can join us for this very special event!

The evening begins with hors d'ouvres and cocktails at 6:30 p.m. in the theater lobby and lounge. At 7 p.m., entertainment will be provided by some of the Academy's Resident Companies, a stellar collection of the area's finest performing arts organizations and talents. The evening will include music, dance, theater, and more presented by groups including the Pioneer Valley Symphony, Commonwealth Opera, Old Deerfield Productions, Pioneer Valley Ballet, the Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton (PACE), and more.

About the Academy of Music

Sarah Bernhardt slept here (in her coffin, no less). Harry Houdini had a trapdoor cut into the stage here to allow him to perform his amazing disappearing act here. Mae West bared all here (literally, according to some).

"Here," of course, is The Academy of Music Theatre. It's a special place, one with a long tradition of presenting local and international talent, both live onstage and on-screen.

The Academy of Music began as the dream of businessman and Northampton native Edward H. R. Lyman (1819-1899). Lyman considered himself a "trustee" for his hometown, and he decided that one of the things he should do for the city was ensure that it had a place "suitable for lectures, concerts, opera, and the drama for the public good." He accomplished his goal through the construction and donation of the Academy of Music Theatre, which was built between 1889 and 1890. Lyman gave the theatre to the city of Northampton as a gift in 1892, and generations of area residents have benefited from his generosity, enjoying live theatre, music and dance, as well as films. The Academy of Music is one of the historical, architectural, and cultural treasures of Northampton and the entire the Pioneer Valley. It remains true to Edward Lyman's original dream, and it has brought that vision forward to the 21st century, continuing in its mission to enrich greater Northampton's quality of life.

The photo to the left shows an artist's rendering of the proposed design for the new marquee for the theater.

The Academy of Music Theatre is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a well-equipped, elegant, and accessible place for the people of Northampton to present and enjoy lectures, concerts, operas, live theater, films, and other entertainment. Over the past year, the Academy has made great progress bringing live performances and events back to its stage, and it is fast becoming the performance home for many of the area's top performing arts organizations. The Academy's Marquee Event Season Premier Fundraiser on October 1, 2009 at the theater will celebrate a year of success and will showcase an entertaining array of performances by the theater's Resident Companies, including Commonwealth Opera, Pioneer Valley Ballet, the Pioneer Valley Symphony, Old Deerfield Productions, and Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton. We hope you'll join us!

Click here for more information on the Academy of Music Theatre.