MARYSVILLE — The Marysville Opera House, at the corner of Third Street and Cedar Avenue, is opening its doors as an events center this month, beginning with “A Fright at the Opera,” a Halloween-themed dinner theater being held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in October, except for Oct. 10 and 16, starting at 7 p.m. Oct. 8.

Gene and Debi Morgan conduct “Wild Rose Weddings” at their home in Arlington, and contacted Sherri Grabinsky about using the Opera House as a backup facility in case of bad weather, since Grabinsky’s husband, Courtney Williams, owns the Opera House with his father Kenneth. According to Gene, whose wife Debi is now the president of the Opera House, they “really hit it off” with the Williams family, and decided that the Opera House could host not only weddings, receptions and other parties, but also musicians, theater performances and other events.

“It’s an amazing facility,” Gene Morgan said. “The elegance and grandeur of the building speak for themselves.”

Grabinsky explained that the Marysville Opera House was built in 1911 by the philanthropic Independent Order of Odd Fellows, back when the town was relatively isolated from Everett, and remained “vital” until the 1960s, when similar venues in Everett became more accessible. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

“I’ve seen the ability of this place to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for any occasion,” Grabinsky said. “The Morgans have a vision for it to benefit the community in the way that it was always intended.”

The Morgans hope to offer Marysville an events center of its own, on par with the Everett Events Center and the Linda M. Byrnes Performing Arts Center in Arlington. They welcome artists’ shows, birthday and retirement parties, corporate seminars, school graduations and dances, and fundraising events. The Opera House also conducts open houses every Wednesday from 6:30-8 p.m. Call 360-657-5532 or log onto their Web site for more information.