About Bratton Theater

The Bratton Theater was built in 1885 and is one of the oldest buildings on the grounds of CHQ. It was originally built as a schoolhouse for the summer program, and accordingly, its original name was “Normal Hall.” In 2000, with the advocacy of the Friends of Chautauqua Theater Company and a successful Institutional capital campaign, a major renovation took place, and the beautiful, 269-seat, newly named Bratton Theater was inaugurated. A significant accomplishment in preservation and renovation, the original laminated beam structure of Normal Hall is still in place today. 

Under the direction of architect Mitchell Kurtz, the renovation garnered several awards, including:

• An Honor Award from the US Institute for Theatre Technology
• 2001 Adaptive Re-use/Historic Preservation Citation from the New York City Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
• 2001 Design Award from the Buffalo/WNY Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.