Benedum Center facts for kids
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| Former names | Stanley Theatre (1928−1987) |
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| Address | 237 7th Street Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Owner | Pittsburgh Cultural Trust |
| Type | Movie palace |
| Capacity | 2,800 |
| Screens | 1 |
| Current use | Performing arts center |
| Construction | |
| Opened | February 27, 1927 |
| Reopened | September 25, 1987 |
| Architect | Hoffman−Henon |
| Tenants | |
| Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera | |
| Website | |
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Stanley Theater and Clark Building
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 Location in Pittsburgh
Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Area | Pittsburgh Cultural District |
| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Hoffman and Henon |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000303 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 27, 1986 |
The Benedum Center for the Performing Arts is a famous theater and concert hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is located in the city's Cultural District. This beautiful building first opened in 1928 as the Stanley Theatre. It used to be a grand movie palace. After a big renovation, it reopened in 1987 as the Benedum Center.
History of the Benedum Center
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The Stanley Theatre cost $3 million to build. It opened on February 27, 1928. It was a huge movie palace with seats for 3,800 people. This made it the largest movie theater in Western Pennsylvania. The architectural firm Hoffman-Henon designed the theater. They were known for designing many theaters in the Philadelphia area. The Stanley Theatre was Pittsburgh's main place to see new movies from Warner Bros..
Many famous musicians played concerts at the Stanley Theatre. Frank Sinatra performed there in 1943. Later, bands like War and King Crimson also played. In 1974, a show by Robin Trower was recorded there for a radio broadcast.
In 1977, a company called DiCesare Engler Productions bought the theater. They continued to host live rock and roll concerts until 1984. The Grateful Dead performed four shows at the venue. The famous reggae musician Bob Marley performed his last live concert there in 1980. Pictures from his show were even featured in a documentary film called Marley.
Prince started his Controversy Tour at the Stanley in 1981. The rock band Kansas chose the Benedum Center for their 40th Anniversary Fan Appreciation Concert in 2013. During the years DiCesare-Engler owned it, Billboard magazine called the Stanley Theater the "Number One Auditorium in the U.S." several times.
Restoring the Theater
On September 25, 1987, the Stanley Theatre reopened as the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts. This happened after a huge $43 million restoration project. To change the old movie palace into a full performing arts center, a new building was added. This extension included a larger stage and new support areas at the back of the theater.
The inside of the theater was mostly kept and restored to its original look. A new sound baffle was added to improve the acoustics. This baffle covers the original archway above the stage.
A main feature of the auditorium is the large chandelier. It hangs in the dome above the balcony. This chandelier is very big! It weighs about 4,700 pounds (2,100 kg). It is 20 feet (6.1 m) high and 12 feet (3.7 m) wide. Its restoration was dedicated to H.J. Heinz II.
Today, the Benedum Center is home to the Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. These groups used to perform at Heinz Hall. The Benedum Center has 2,800 seats. It is a key part of the Pittsburgh Cultural District. It is one of the most used theaters in the United States today.
The center has also hosted several PBS television concert specials, like Doo Wop 50. The TV game show Wheel of Fortune even taped two weeks of shows there in 1998.
See also
In Spanish: Benedum Center para niños
- List of concert halls
- Theatre in Pittsburgh
