Auditorium

Built: 1930 Seating Capacity: approximately 900 On the Historical Register

The auditorium remains true to the 1930s art deco style that can be seen throughout Great Falls High. Although there have been changes made to the auditorium since its original creation, the auditorium today almost exactly resembles the space from the 1930s.

The auditorium today possesses various modifications that have allowed the school and theater department to accommodate for the changes throughout history. The original seats in the balcony were removed in the 1960s and placed into storage. The change was necessary due to a total school enrollment of 2,400 students during the time and the need for study hall space. Today, the school uses the old chairs' parts for repairs on the chairs on the lower level.



The seats on the lower level are filled with hay, like they originally were when the auditorium was built. The entrance to the auditorium today features an art gallery and the finance office, but the area was originally used by the drama department for costumes and props during plays.

An orchestra pit was added in the mid-nineties in front of the stage to aid the already remarkable acoustics in the auditorium.

The area also features a fly system for the drama productions, a rare feature in auditoriums built in the time period. The system has been used often in productions over the last decade and has added an element of magic to various productions.

In approximately 2002, the theater underwent major renovations. The skylights were covered and a new microphone system was added. The auditorium is rarely repainted, however, and has only been retouched once in the last thirty years.



Both the stage and the auditorium have been subject to paranormal activity over the years. Believers warn against saying the name of Ida, the alleged ghost, in the auditorium. Just the simple muttering of her name has been known to anger her, and therefore lead her to create problems within the school. SCARY STORY ALERT!  Bob Dillabough, a distinguished art teacher in the sixties, had just been introduced to his new student teacher. One day, the student teacher was instructed to go up to the catwalk (the dark area above the auditorium where the lights are situated) for an unknown reason. The student teacher made it to the catwalk, but was then never seen again. No one knows what happened to him. True story. The backstage features various signatures from students over the years. In some places, Monty Dolack, the famed Montana artist, sketched original pictures, but the sketches have been covered up with other signatures. Check out this interview with GFHS actor Aimery Richard about his experiences in the auditorium! media type="custom" key="18638480" align="center"