Fact or Fiction? Noble County doesn't have a Live Theatre
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Flashback to 1938… Franklin D. Roosevelt is the President of the United States, and the Nazi regime is expanding in anticipation of World War II. In the small town of Kendallville, Indiana, renovations are happening at Kendallville High School, located at 401 East Diamond Street. One of Indiana’s leading architects out of Fort Wayne, Alvin M. Strauss (1895-1958), was hired to return to his hometown of Kendallville to contribute his Art Deco style to the local high school auditorium. Throughout Strauss’s career, he designed many landmark buildings in Indiana and Ohio. Many examples of the work of A.M. Strauss still survive today, including, but not limited to, the Embassy Theatre in Fort Wayne, Brokaw Movie House in Angola, Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum in Auburn, Indiana University’s Auditorium in Bloomington.
What was originally Kendallville High School is now The Community Learning Center (CLC), a hub of learning, wellness, and collaboration in this community. The CLC consists of a small team of dedicated staff and various committees of volunteers. One of its largest committees supports the Performing Arts by researching artists, scheduling concerts, selling concessions, and even fundraising thousands of dollars. You read that right. A team of volunteers is helping to bring headlining shows to Noble County, Indiana. From original songwriters like Paul Thorn to tribute bands like Britain’s Finest: A Beatles’ Tribute, years of music, cheering, laughing, and even crying have been absorbed into the 1938-built walls and Art Deco detail.
In 2020, restoration of the auditorium at the Community Learning Center began with painting the walls and replacing the theatre seats. The new seats feature Art Deco designs on the end caps to be cohesive with the original hanging light fixtures and geometric details on the walls. Wheelchair accessible seating was added, along with the capability for hearing aids to be directed straight into the updated sound system. The theatre holds 424 people, including 2 handicap sections. Along the back wall of the stage is an LED video wall used to design digital backdrops for a variety of shows, as well as TV and movie screenings, and virtual conferences. Updated technology in the theatre was made possible by a grant from Sweetwater Sound.
In 2024, the auditorium at the Community Learning Center was officially named The A.M. Strauss Theatre for the Performing Arts, honoring the late architect whose work shaped Northeast Indiana. Seasonal live shows on the Strauss stage are hosted by the following organizations:
The A.M. Strauss Theatre for the Performing Arts is located at 401 East Diamond Street in Kendallville, Indiana, on the second floor (accessible by elevator) of the Community Learning Center. Show tickets can be purchased in advance by clicking on the organizations above.
Last edit March 2, 2026 by Andi Barrand, Programming & Marketing Director
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