Opera at Cedar Point

An article in the “Twenty Five Years Ago” feature of the Sandusky Star Journal of February 26, 1932 featured an announcement which had appeared in the February 26, 1907 issue of the Star Journal. Bradford Mills, after conferring with G.A. Boeckling, signed a contract to provide eight weeks of comic opera for the 1907 summer season. Mr. Mills was the director of the Toledo Conservatory of Music at that time. On August 16, 1907, the newspaper stated that “The Colonial Opera Company, under the direction of Bradford Mills of the Toledo Conservatory of Music will close a most successful engagement at the Cedar Point Theater.” One of the comic operas performed at Cedar Point in 1907 was Lecocq’s Girofle-Girofla. The opera was about the twin daughters of the governor of a Spanish province who was in financial difficulties. Miss Juanita Rush of Toledo, Ohio portrayed both the daughters. Costumes for the production were supplied by the Toledo Conservatory of Music, and the piano used at Cedar Point was supplied from the Starr Piano Company of Toledo. Opera didn't last very long at Cedar Point, however, because people were more interested in vaudeville at that time.