Opera house undergoes $18M renovation in its 150th year

The nonprofit group that owns it hopes to make it into a centerpiece of live performance and a gathering place for the seaside resort town already known around the world for its jazz and folk festivals.

While thousands of music lovers flock to the city every summer for the Newport Folk Festival and Newport Jazz Festival, there are limited venues for live music, said Jay Sweet, the festivals' executive producer.

Because of those limitations, they are always on the hunt for more places that can host musicians during a festival weekend, he said.

Opera Houses were built across the country in the mid- to late 1800s as a dedicated performance space used by the town for all kinds of public gatherings, according to Ken Stein, president and CEO of the League of Historic American Theatres.

Being added are modern bathrooms, up-to-date accessibility, concessions and even a room that will allow parents to bring crying babies and still watch the show.

Vareika has been in talks with Curt Columbus, artistic director for Providence's Trinity Repertory Company, which has been a launching pad for celebrated actors such as Viola Davis and Richard Jenkins.