Celestia Theater brings new life to historic Wadsworth school auditorium

When local developers Todd Baughman and Bob Thurber of One Central Commons took ownership of the former Wadsworth Central Intermediate School in January 2025, the business partners had several ideas for rehabilitating most of the 111,420-square-foot, 110-plus-year-old building. Exactly what to do with its crown jewel – a venerable 800-plus-seat theater and performance stage – was less certain.

“I knew them, so I texted them congratulations when I heard they won the bid,” said Tom Weyand, executive director of the Wadsworth Square Foundation, the nonprofit formed after the purchase. “They said they had plans for most of the building, but when I asked ‘what’s up with the theater?’ they asked me to come up with a proposal.”

A small-business owner and musician himself, Weyand was naturally intrigued by the possibilities for the then-O.J. Work Auditorium. He said he researched a number of options for the space, which included visits to historic theaters throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“We learned what they were doing right – and not right,” Weyand said. “They were very open (to talking to us) and giving us ideas.”

Eventually presenting a 15-page proposal to Baughman and Thurber, Weyand said he was expecting the partners to cherry-pick their favorite parts. To his surprise, he said, they decided to move forward with the entire concept.

Spearheading the vision was the renovation of the theater into a state-of-the-art performance venue hosting national, regional and local music acts. The $1.5 million in restoration and improvements to the theater – including more than $500,000 in technology upgrades such as sound and lighting, and a bar area adjacent to the theater dubbed The Flame Backstage Grille – was completed in an astonishing seven months.

Along the way, the theater was renamed in honor of Wadsworth native Laura Celestia Spelman Rockefeller, wife of Standard Oil Co. founder John D. Rockefeller and a lifelong supporter of public education and the arts.

According to wadsworthsquare.org, the Wadsworth Square Commons complex, at 151 Main St., will also adaptively reuse the rest of the school building for studio apartments, office space, theater suites and retail locations. The school’s former cafeteria will be transformed into an event center for business gatherings, luncheons, local markets and performance space for smaller acts and dinner theater. The website adds that dance and community theater performances, community events and festivals are also planned, “creating a cultural cornerstone for the region.”

So far, Weyand said, the Celestia has been a hit with both fans and performers.

“In the first month, December, we had 11,000 ticketed sales and 13,000 in January,” he said. “Shows in February, I’m guessing, are going to [end up at] 8,500 or 9,000.”

Weyand said plans are for the Celestia to eventually host three to four shows a week, with a mix of national acts and tribute bands headlining, and local and regional acts in both opening spots on the main stage and inside the Flame Grille.

Canton-based singer and guitarist Eric Brooke has played the Celestia Theater with both the Michael Stanley Band tribute In the Heartland and Matchbox Twenty tribute band 3 AM.

“(The Celestia is a) top-notch venue; amazing sound and lights and the staff is incredible,” Brooke said. “This will bring many people to the Wadsworth area. I enjoyed the local bars while I was there, and Wadsworth Music is awesome.”

Brooke’s latter point has not been lost on the Wadsworth Square team.

Weyand said some downtown businesses initially expressed skepticism with the foundation’s renovation and development plan. But many have since reported full dinner reservation lists on show nights, with more than 70 percent of visitors coming from as far as Columbus, Ashland, Mansfield, Youngstown and Lorain.

“(Concertgoers) are saying they are happy to not have to go to downtown Cleveland for these kinds of shows,” Weyand said. “Even with the terrible weather we had in January, we’ve still had 20,000 people roll through here.”

By late February, the March 7 Celestia appearance by Youngstown rockers The Vindys was close to a sellout, and the March 13 Red Wanting Blue show had already “sold out at 800-plus tickets,” Weyand said.

Meanwhile, Medina singer-songwriter Van Arlo returns March 19; supergroup Generation Radio – featuring members of Rascal Flatts, Chicago and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – performs March 21 and “should be a sellout,” and the April 10 appearance of Forever Motown is shaping up to be a huge hit as well. The full Celestia Theater schedule can be found on the Wadsworth Square Foundation website.

“Nationwide, people want to save old buildings, especially theaters,” Weyand said. “And the local community has had whole families that came through this building. They are embedded in this.”