Howell's historic opera house, which hasn't hosted a performance on stage in over a century, is now under new leadership at the Livingston Arts Council. Now, the organization is planning auditions for its first play in 2026.

Next spring, the stage will come alive with "The Pirates of Penzance."

"This event is so important because it will help us celebrate where we're going as well as saying goodbye to this space and help rededicate it to the community," said Dana Wnuck, the new executive director of the Livingston Arts Council. 

The opera house, which was originally built in 1881, will undergo renovations. The space didn't have heat or air conditioning, and the plaster needed work. Wnuck and producer Sam Logan Khaleghi said accessibility inside the building needs to be improved. 

The two said the hope in putting in all this work, plus two million dollars of money allocated by the state, is to give Howell and Livingston County an arts renaissance. 

"This is, in my opinion, the epicenter of arts and music in Livingston County and Howell, and the infrastructure is not only here but also the heritage, the stories, I mean, if you walk backstage or downstairs, you can see all the old posters and these signatures on the walls," said Khaleghi.

Auditions are open for "The Pirates of Penzance" on Nov. 10-12. Those who are interested should prepare a Broadway song and a comedy monologue.

"It's about getting the community excited and proud of what's happening in the Opera House and what's happening in the community," said Wnuck.