Howells Opera House was a treasure when it was built, and it remains a beloved community center today. Judge B.P. Howells erected the opera house — also known as the Oakley Playhouse — in 1907 for $22,000. As one of the only theaters (if not the only) between Salt Lake City and Boise, Howells Opera House was a vibrant part of community life.
The Howells sold the theatre to the LDS church in the 1920s, but by the 1970s it was facing the wrecking ball. Oakley residents came to the rescue by forming the Oakley Valley Arts Council, which transformed the theatre once again into a haven for the arts.
If you attend a show there keep an eye out for the building’s most famous resident, the dark-haired ghost of a woman who can sometimes be seen backstage or even watching performances among the crowds.
