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METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE
515 Washington
Iowa Falls, IA 50126
641-648-3605
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Built by E.S. Ellsowrth, the Met was touted as one of the best playhouses in
Iowa when it opened on December 27, 1899. The roadshows continued to be performed
here unitl 1926, in spite of competition from movie houses. Among the notable
performers on the stage here were: Otis Skinner, Walker Whiteside and John Phillip
Sousa and his band. The theatre's interior was once elegantly appointed with
velvet covered chairs and several box seats.
The architecture is one of eclecticism (borrowing different styles and periods
and mixing them).The large cluster columns with foliage at the doorway are
reminiscent of a style popularized by East Coast architect H.H. Richardson
in the late 1800s. The influence of well-known American architec Louis Sullivan is
also reflected in architectural features.
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