While theaters close across the country, Virginia City's Piper's Opera House has adapted, continuing its arts mission
While across the country, theaters and art spaces are having to shut their doors either due to restrictions or a lack of financing, Piper’s Opera House has been able to adapt, keeping its doors open and it’s events going throughout the pandemic.
It could be that this isn’t the first pandemic Piper’s has lived through; it was in operation during the 1918 Spanish Flu that spread throughout the world. Or, it could be due to the adaptions its staff and community members have made during the past year.
The building today that hosts Piper’s Opera House is actually the third of its kind, after the first two Piper’s burnt down prior to the 1880s. However, this version of Piper’s has been standing since 1885.
“It’s always been a type of community center for Virginia City,” said Whitney Brunson, Special Events Coordinator for Piper’s Opera House. “It’s called an opera house, but there really weren’t many operas. They did a lot more Shakespearian-type performances, lectures, political rallies, benefits and fundraisers.”
It was in operation until the 1920s, and its doors were closed until a restoration project began around the 1970s.
It changed hands multiple times, including being owned by the school district for a time, and was used for basketball games and even rollerskating for the children.
Now, Storey County has control over the building after it purchased it three years ago. If there’s one thing that Piper’s long history shows, is that it is great at adapting to different circumstances.
This past year was no different, as COVID-19 swept through even the tiny community of Virginia City.
“Like a lot of other venues we took a big hit last year,” said Brunson.
Almost all of the private events, such as weddings, had to be cancelled due to the new restrictions in place.
“We were really nervous,” said Brunson. “Pre-COVID we could have up to 300 people in the building, and then we got to a point after the shut down where we could have maybe 10 people at a time when restrictions were lifted.”
During the beginning of the pandemic, Piper’s doors were closed. But slowly as restrictions were lifted, they were able to reintroduce their community events like bingo, a cocktail mixing class, and even country dancing.
“It’s been difficult, but we’re hopefully seeing the light soon,” said Brunson. “We follow all the current guidelines from the local government as well as the governor. Masks are required, we keep it under capacity, and we’re constantly cleaning.”
The arts are vital to all communities, especially Virginia City, according to Brunson.
“The arts come in so many different forms,” said Brunson. “Whether its one of our shows our non-profit puts on with Piper’s Players, or a concert…it takes people away from the chaos that at times the world provides and its a nice getaway for them. Any kind of theater, for both the actors and the audience, is paramount to why we’re still here.”
Brunson wants people to know that their events are still ongoing, ticket prices are reasonable, most of which go towards Piper’s restoration, and they are committed to adhering to guidelines to keep the community to safe.
“It’s supporting local,” said Brunson. “We’re doing everything we can to do that as well in our community by helping to support our community partners. We want to keep Virginia City alive.”
According to Brunson, Piper’s revenue is down 70 to 80 percent from last year, so the impact has been significant.
"We didn’t want to just close our doors and disappear, so we purposely looked for opportunities and modified what we offered so that we could open up and share this amazing and historic building with the locals and visitors," said Brunson. "We’re excited to create an environment that people want to come to. We want people to know that we have their safety as a priority and want them back. So come up on a third Thursday for Bingo. Have fun with country dancing. Come for a tour. And then stick around and explore the rest of town. Heck, stay the night to really soak it in!"
To learn more about Pipers Opera House, you can find them on instagram, facebook, or their website https://pipersoperahouse.com/