Welcome to the Celestia Theater, a new chapter in a storied space! The historic O.J. Work Auditorium, long nestled inside the former Central Intermediate School on Main Street, has been officially renamed the Celestia Theater by The Wadsworth Square Foundation. The name pays tribute to Laura Celestia Spelman Rockefeller, a Wadsworth native whose legacy of education, philanthropy, and the arts still echoes today.
Honoring a Hometown Legacy
The renaming honors more than a century of local heritage and one woman’s enduring impact. In the 1830s, Harvey and Lucy Spelman ran a bustling grocery store on Wadsworth’s Main Street, roughly where the matchstick (Subway) mural parking lot stands today. Their daughter, Laura, born in 1839, spent her earliest years here before the family moved to Akron and eventually Cleveland in pursuit of educational opportunity.
You can watch the announcement HERE.
At just 14, Laura graduated valedictorian from Cleveland’s Central High School and later married a young bookkeeper named John D. Rockefeller. Together, the Rockefellers helped shape the modern industrial age through Standard Oil, while devoting themselves to causes like abolition, public education, and the arts. Laura’s name lives on in institutions like Spelman College and now, fittingly, in her hometown’s premier performing arts space.
A Theater Transformed
Thanks to a $1.5 million investment by Wadsworth Square Commons, composed of Wadsworth-based developers Bob Thurber and Todd Baughman, the Celestia Theater has undergone a stunning transformation. Fresh paint, elegant carpet, and restored architectural details highlight the building’s original charm. A brighter, re-imagined atrium welcomes visitors.
And over $450,000 in modern sound and lighting equipment ensures the space is ready for professional performances, while still retaining its community roots.
With seating for 900 and deep historical significance, the Celestia Theater is poised to become a cultural anchor for Wadsworth—hosting plays, concerts, speakers, and events that blend local talent with world-class production quality.
A Place Where History Meets Possibility
In renaming the venue, the Foundation not only celebrates one of Wadsworth’s own, but also reaffirms its mission: to preserve the past while igniting the future.
“The Celestia Theater is more than a name, it’s a tribute and a promise,” said Tom Weyand with the Wadsworth Square Foundation. “It represents our belief in community, culture, and the power of storytelling.”
Come grab a seat in the new Celestia Theater, look up at that beautiful stage, and be part of the next chapter in Wadsworth’s rich cultural story.
