About Us
An instrument with a story to tell
In 1926, the Marr & Colton Organ Company crafted this theatre pipe organ for the Palace Theatre in Danbury. In June 1967, with the Palace about to wall in its organ chambers for air conditioning, CVTOS volunteers led by John and Kathy Angevine and Allen Straus rescued it for one dollar, working through openings cut in the outside wall. After years of restoration, it was dedicated at the Thomaston Opera House on October 15, 1971, in memory of Allen Straus. Today it plays on with 15 ranks and six tremulants.
Who CVTOS is
Founded as the Connecticut Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society, CVTOS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and performance of theatre pipe organs in Connecticut and the surrounding region. More than 100 volunteers have contributed to saving this instrument's irreplaceable historical and cultural value over the decades.
The CVTOS Archives
CVTOS maintains a historical archive of concert recordings, photographs, and publicity materials dating back to Rosa Rio's first appearance in 1971, preserved through the efforts of longtime member Jon Sibley and the late Allen Miller. Members may request copies of digitized scrapbook albums (1970-1979) at violaman2000@gmail.com.