case study
Smyrna Opera House
The Smyrna Opera House has been a cultural cornerstone in central Delaware since 1870, hosting everything from live performances and educational workshops to community gatherings and private celebrations. Known for its welcoming atmosphere and historic charm, the venue plays a vital role in the region’s arts and culture scene. As its audience and programming grew, the Opera House needed a website that could reflect its mission, elevate its offerings, and make it easier for people to discover events, explore the space, and purchase tickets.
Scope of Work
- Copywriting
- Website Design & Development
- Ticketing (Etix) Integration
- Website Maintenance
A Digital Encore for a Historic Venue
Once serving as a firehouse, police station, and library, the Smyrna Opera House has long been the center of town. Its tower has become a symbol for many local businesses, and its stage has hosted countless famous actors. Yet despite its rich history, the Opera House’s outdated website didn’t fully reflect its legacy, and its text-heavy, cluttered design made it difficult for users to find information or purchase tickets easily. The Opera House’s team sought a modern, user-friendly site that would appeal to a broader audience, while also honoring their loyal base of senior citizens and local businesses.
Bringing History to Life Through Design
We began by immersing ourselves in the Opera House’s story, exploring its history, audience, and vision for the future. That foundation shaped a creative direction that bridges past and present. Design elements throughout the site draw directly from the building’s details, for example, background patterns and dividers echo hand-painted hallway motifs, while paragraph flourishes reflect the ornate balcony railings. The color palette of deep red, antique gold, and sage green comes from the interior itself. Red captures the passion and energy of performance, while gold reflects history and heritage. Both colors were chosen for their timeless quality.
To create a handcrafted, welcoming feel, we added subtle textures, custom icons, and a modern serif typeface with distinctive character. Chosen for its sharp angles and graceful curves, the typeface echoes the Opera House’s steeple and architectural flourishes, bringing movement, warmth, and a touch of theatricality to the design.
A Digital Stage Set for the Future
The new website brings the spirit of the Opera House online, elevating the brand while making it easier for visitors to engage with its programs. The streamlined layout, easy-to-navigate events calendar, and Etix integration simplify the ticket-buying process, while refreshed content and design offer a compelling introduction to the venue’s offerings. We also created a better system for managing Summer camp sign-ups and landing pages, making content updates easier and eliminating the need to rewrite or take pages down during enrollment. From event pages to rental inquiries, the site encourages exploration and supports the Opera House’s growth as a vibrant, welcoming hub for arts and community.
