The Programming

Soo Theatre Project, Inc. purchased the building in March of 2003. Volunteers started immediately to raise money, write grants, and clean the building. In 2004, non-profit status was obtained and a State of Michigan Cool Cities grant was awarded. The grant, leveraged by donations and work done by volunteers, allowed Soo Theatre Project to renovate four former storefronts and start an arts education program, originally called STARS. The STARS designation was dropped by the Board of Directors later, and changed to Soo Theatre Education.

The Soo Theatre education program opened in September of 2005 with a part-time director and ten highly qualified artists teaching classes and private lessons in dance, piano, harp, voice, strings, flute, and acting. About 100 students took classes for the first term, dance classes having the largest number of students. Dance was dropped in 2014, as two other dance studios opened in the Sault. Music and performance programs have grown and continue to flourish. Over 400 students participated in lessons, classes, and summer camps in 2024. Soo Theatre presently employs 15 part-time people.

Soo Theatre has been fortunate to find professional artists in this remote area and give them a chance to use their talents and earn money in the arts. The energy and networking of these artists at Soo Theatre has spawned many new arts programs for residents in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. Concerts, recitals, and community events have included performances by the Soo Youth Orchestra, the New Horizons Adult String Orchestra, cello groups, the Soo Youth Theatre, the Soo Youth Opera, and the Soo Opera. A Chamber Music ensemble includes musicians from the faculty and community. In 2023 the newly formed Soo Symphonic Orchestra played at the spring orchestra concert and it continues to grow with new instruments being added. Soo Theatre groups play for community functions, including music in the park, senior citizens events, retirement homes, school functions, and outdoor events.

Day camps have been available each summer since 2006, exploring the arts and presenting student productions on stage. The camps have included a pre-school camp, musical theatre camps, an arts exploration camp, a vocal and opera apprentice program, string camps, a chamber music camp and an art camp – all directed by Soo Theatre faculty and guest artists who come to participate in operas and Broadway shows. Former Soo Theatre students and high school students have directed and assisted, gaining valuable experience.

Since April 2015 Soo Youth Theatre has presented junior Broadway shows with the entire cast being local kids aged 8 to 18. Shows have included Annie, Jr., Beauty and the Beast, Jr,. and Frozen, Jr.  A full Broadway show has been presented each summer since 2007, with shows like South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music, and most recently Oklahoma. The Broadway shows are cast by audition with local citizens. Soo Youth opera has presented operas such as The Magic Flute and Pirates of Penzance, with Soo Youth Orchestra in the pit. Soo Opera has produced a full opera each year since 2006. Operas have included Die Fledermaus, Madam Butterfly, and La Traviata. Professional opera singers from around the country join local professionals to sing lead parts. The opera apprentice program, started in 2023, invites university opera students to present a full opera. Local and guest musicians play for the Broadway shows and operas, giving the performances the advantage of live accompaniment. Guest artists teach and mentor local students. Our students and community singers join both operas as chorus members, learning and becoming friends with these professional artists.

Since 2005, when the auditorium was once again useable, other performances on the Soo Theatre stage have varied from Celtic groups, to the Sault Symphony, to jazz, variety shows and dramatic plays. The auditorium has been rented for seminars and by the Soo Film Festival, which has presented original films from the Great Lakes area for one weekend in September since 2014. 

A volunteer Executive Director, a hired part-time bookkeeper and an office assistant handle the day-to-day details. The Artistic Director oversees the planning and execution of the productions. The Education Director oversees the planning, scheduling, and many details of operating the arts education program. These are paid positions. The Board of Directors and many volunteers handle much of the fundraising, sponsorship services, and many other details, working with the small staff. Volunteers are necessary to the success of our organization. The technical director is a part paid/part volunteer position. In addition to receiving some compensation, everyone on the staff also volunteers a considerable amount of time to accomplish our mission. As new people bring different skill sets, and trusted and newly recruited volunteers work with the organization, new programs are added to move the organization forward.    

The Building

The Soo Theatre building opened in March, 1930, with a 1,200 seat theatre auditorium, fully equipped stage, dressing rooms, lobby and restrooms. In front of the auditorium, along the main street, were four storefronts at street level and nine apartments upstairs. Over the years, the theatre programming was primarily movies, but a number of guest artists, community concerts, and plays appeared on the stage until 1974, when the theatre auditorium was twinned. A block wall divided the space into two movie houses. The stage went dark. The building was closed in 1998 and put up for sale. It sat vacant until 2003 when Soo Theatre Project, Inc. purchased it. Water damage and neglect had taken its toll. 

At the same time the studios were being built in 2005, the block wall dividing the theatre auditorium came down with the help of in-kind services, volunteers and community service workers. The stage was revealed and the auditorium could be used once again as a live theatre venue. The first production in the theatre, in August 2005, included local musicians and an original play in celebration of the Soo Locks Sesquicentennial. The audience sat on folding chairs. Since then, studios for instruction and an auditorium for performing have meant an integrated program for the performing arts.

A windfall of theatre equipment arrived in November of 2006 when Mackinac Crossings Theatre closed. Soo Theatre received seats, stage rigging, lights, sound equipment, curtains, and more. The seats were installed by volunteers in 2007. Once installed, this equipment allowed Soo Theatre to operate and mount major shows. Much of the equipment is now outdated and needs replacing. New equipment is being installed as money becomes available. The Board of Directors has embarked on a multi-year project to upgrade our stage equipment. In 2024, the stage rigging was improved and new curtains replaced the old ones, which were literally falling apart. New LED lighting and new wiring for the stage is next on the list. A capital grant award from MACC (Michigan Arts and Culture Council) in 2020 and community matching monies allowed much needed new sound equipment to be installed. Next steps include better speakers for sound, and continuing to upgrade stage and auditorium lighting, as well as replacing the wood floor.

The Soo Theatre auditorium, dressing rooms, lobby, and projection booth have seen many upgrades over the years: electrical upgrades, plaster walls sealed, and gaping holes filled. The proscenium (arch around the stage) has been restored and painted, announcing the future beauty of the auditorium once fully restored.  In 2017-18 five of the six roofs on the building were repaired, replaced, and one new roof built, thanks to a MACC capital grant award and local matching funds. Several repairs adjacent to the roofs were also accomplished as part of the “Raise the Roof” Campaign. Since then the large roof over the auditorium has been replaced. The lobby shows the most improvement. The 1974 wall covering and suspended ceiling came down in 2004, revealing the original plaster and beautiful architectural details. However, there were holes in the walls and the suspended ceiling covered pipes and wiring that had been added during the 1974 renovation. The holes in the walls and cornice have been repaired and restored and new ceiling lights installed. The ticket booth has been rebuilt in its original spot, and new lighting installed in that area. The lobby is beautiful.   

In 2021, the Board decided to tackle the funding for the exterior restoration. The project started with the removal of an awning, a corner ticket booth, and enamel paneling around the main theatre entrance, revealing original features not seen for decades. Black paint was removed and brick repaired in 2022, revealing the original brick and limestone details on the façade. Second story windows were replaced. New doors and windows were replaced at the main entrance and the four former storefronts, now studios, not only improving curb appeal but also enhancing energy efficiency. Old doors in the auditorium were replaced with energy efficient doors and brick repair around the outside of the auditorium was completed. The reproduced 1940 marquee arrived in February 2023 and drew a crowd for the lighting ceremony.  It is a beacon and welcome addition to downtown as it comes on each evening. The cost of the exterior restoration was about $600,000 and most of the money came from local individuals and businesses. The fully restored exterior was finished in 2024.

Our season runs from April through early December due to limited heating and insulation in the auditorium. Our education program runs all year, but it also has limitations because of lack of space. Plans for a major capital campaign to restore and renovate our entire building have been worked on for years. Engineers and two architects have been hired over the years to develop plans. The plans call for much needed additional studio space, expanding into the second level which is waiting to be renovated. There will be larger rooms for rehearsals and large groups (such as summer camps and classes), more storage, more restrooms, a bigger office, a small kitchen and lounge area for staff to take breaks.

The importance of the arts in Sault Ste. Marie and the entire region is being recognized. Soo Theatre continues to strive to fulfill our mission and offer more programs to people throughout the Eastern Upper Peninsula.

Revised January 2026