ARCADIA, Fla — If you’ve walked through downtown Arcadia, you’ve passed the historic Heard Opera House, now buzzing with new events. Fox 4 had a chance to tour the building to get a look at its storied past and exciting future.
Watch Community Correspondent Austin Schargorodski's report here...
Once a lively vaudeville opera house, owner Krissy Constantino said the Heard became a time capsule when it closed in the late 1930s. “It was a place for out of town acts to come do shows. Then, when film came around it got a silent film projector in 1923, and it’s still here! Then, in the late 30’s everything shut down,” Constantino explained.
Backstage, original lighting and signatures from acts like "Mabel Paige and Her Own Company" are still visible, preserved since the ‘20s. Constantino said the building remained untouched for decades, until it reopened as an antique shop in the ‘90s.
Now, Constantino has a vision to revive the opera house - but first, she had to win over the building owner. “We didn’t know who he was at the time and we just wanted to get his attention on how important it was to the community to have a space for creativity. So, on our own accord, we just decided a petition,” said Constantino.
A thousand signatures later - they got the thumbs up. Now, Constantino said the Heard Opera House has become a creative hub for Arcadia, hosting local music acts and school performances, giving students a real stage beyond the school cafeteria.
The halls are lined with boutique shops and small businesses - from apothecaries to a guitar builder. Constantino said they’re even hosting their first ‘Overnight Paranormal Investigation’ event.
“We didn’t come into this space to make it a haunted house, that was never the objective, it was just to be the music. But, the building itself proved so many times over to have a lot of residual energy and so many things that give you goosebumps,” said Constantino.
In a video Constantino shared, her daughters play in the auditorium as a chandelier flickers - despite being disconnected from power. It’s just one of many mysteries that fuel her dedication to bringing new life to the Heard Opera House.
“We’ve put in years at this point trying to make this place what it is,” Constantino said. “Now that we can do more, we will be doing more.”
