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DOWAGIAC — A local theater company is raising money to fund needed repairs to its historic building.

The Beckwith Theatre Company, 100 New York Ave., is offering personalized, engraved bricks that will be used to enhance the area around the theatre grounds. Each brick – $100 per brick and $150 for two bricks – can be personalized with the donor’s name and a message or dedication.

The Beckwith Theatre Co. dates back to the turn of the century when Dowagiac was known around the world as the home of the Round Oak Furnace. Its productions include dramas, comedies, musicals and even Shakespeare.

Built with Round Oak Furnace Company funds, the theater attracted a wide array of national talent. Lillian Russel sang arias here and in 1911, John Philip Sousa directed a performance of “The 1812 Overture” and his own “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

In January 1990, a group of Dowagiac area residents took steps to revive a part of their heritage by forming the Beckwith Theatre Company, a not-for-profit organization.

For more information, visit beckwiththeatre.com/bricks.