Grand Opera House receives grant to look into its history

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Georgia theatre is giving the Grand Opera House in Macon a more than $23,000 grant to dig deeper into its history.

The Fox Theatre in Atlanta gave the Grand Opera House that grant to look into the history of the venue’s second balcony. That section was designated for African-Americans, back when Jim Crow laws were in effect.

Decades later, those seats still remain, and haven’t been used.

Director of the Grand Opera House, Gram Slaton, says they want to use that section for more seating, but want to look at their options and history first.

“We have not done a very good job of documenting our history,” said Slaton. “And this really is our last time to get it right. Before we change it forever and never go back again.”

Slaton says about 230 new seats could fit in that section. That would also bring the the theater to more than 1,200 seats, which could make tickets cheaper.

That study is expected to begin in January.