'The Opera House has a significant economic impact,' says David Phillips, executive director of the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce. Restaurants, hotels and shops indirectly share in that bounty. The Opera House's grosses have quadrupled since 2006, to nearly $400,000. 'The acoustics in the opera house are sublime for a musician: crystal clear on stage, resonant and lively in the hall, with a close connection to the audience.'

Stephanie Jutt, of the Madison-based Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, agrees. 'Add to that a great staff, excellent sound, and most of all an always appreciative audience, and it's no wonder at all why we love to return to Stoughton.' Green, better known as Ranger Doug of the cowboy band Riders in the Sky. 'There is scarcely a jewel in the many theaters we have played in 34 years to compare with the beautiful Stoughton Opera House,' says Douglas B. And it's not just audiences who enjoy the Victorian venue, its lively acoustics and perfect programming. The restored 1901 opera house draws patrons from as far away as Ann Arbor, Chicago, Peoria and the Twin Cities. He asked, 'How do I get to Stoughton from O'Hare?'

It was a call from an anxious audience member. One day, the phone rang at the Stoughton Opera House. Esperanza Spalding played the intimate Opera House in 2010.

Stoughton opera house crane wive